fall risk!
Every time I go in for a doctor’s appointment (which is still monthly) I’m asked if I’ve had any recent falls.
Um, no! Eye roll…
But now I’m terrified of taking a slip.
This picture was taken before my surgery last September. I might be convinced to do more cartwheels with my daughter if we’re in an extremely padded area but now that I have Osteopenia (due to necessary cancer treatment that essentially stops Estrogen production beyond just my ovaries), I think twice about moments like this.
Estrogen plays an important role in bone health and so when the menopause transition takes place, it can increase the risk (but is not the sole cause) of Osteoporosis and make falls that weren’t a big deal, a BFD!
As a result, I have renewed interest in my yoga practice. I’m not great at it. My lateral split is the shape of a tight “V” and the pops that happen during my Vinyasa flow sometimes scare my dog away but I have to do it. Yoga has become another form of medicine for me. It helps me stretch out post radiation scar tissue, loosens up my hips, improves my balance and feels like lube for my creaky knees.
Six months ago I could literally jump out of the bed and quietly walk out my room without waking up my dog. Not no mo! :)
I wake up with joint stiffness most days and have to gently roll myself out of bed. I’ll be going in for a bone density infusion (a whole process that includes getting a bone density scan and dental work done before hand) in a couple days so hope this gets better.
In the meanwhile a great temporary fix has been taking CBD bath salt soaks.
I’ve never been a big fan of taking baths. Baths have always felt like a waste of time sitting in my own dirt. But being stiff for the better half of the day is not the business, so I’ve had to make some changes. In doing so, I’ve come to LOVE Lord Jones High CBD Formula Bath Salt. It’s amazing and has made me feel luxurious and less creaky in the mornings. It smells great, too!
My PCP also recommended I start taking Viactiv Calcium chews to help with my bone strength. They’re quite yummy.
It’s interesting making adjustments to some of my activities due to my changing bone health, but I guess it’s good because my exercise has more of a mindfulness element to it. It also means that every now and then I just soak (in my dirt mixed with relaxing CBD bath salt) to make my body a bit stronger and my joints a little more comfortable.
Talk to your own PCP or OBGYN about what is specifically going on with you. Not all changes in bone density are related to menopause. My recent changes are due to the Femara I’m taking so this may be unique to my journey.
