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Saturday, 20 October, 2001, 23:01 GMT 00:01 UK

'I felt my spine fracture'

Jo Lye : repeatedly told her doctor she feared she had osteoporosis

Campaigners are welcoming calls from the World Health Organisation for osteoporosis to be given a higher profile.
One in three women over 50 and one in 12 men are affected by the condition, a loss of bone mass.
The National Osteoporosis Society estimates it causes 230,000 fractures in the UK every year, costing the NHS an estimated Ł1.7bn a year.

Jo Lye, an osteoporosis sufferer from Bath, tells of the night she felt her spine fracture.

"I just kept feeling something was wrong. I went to my doctor quite a lot."

The pain became almost unbearable and she went back to her GP.

I heard this awful grating sound, and had the most excruciating pain imaginable
Jo Lye

"He told me it was nothing to worry about and it was something women of my age got.

"I asked if it was osteoporosis and he said it wasn't something women got until they were at least 70."

But she discovered her condition in a shocking way.

"I was getting up from the dressing table after combing my hair.

Excrutiating

"I heard this awful grating sound, and had the most excruciating pain imaginable.

"I screamed out in agony. Somehow my husband David managed to catch me and got me to the bed.

"That was my first fracture."

Having had five fractures in less than five months, I lost five inches in height
Jo Lye

She says her condition affected her appearance.

"I noticed that I had become very short, and my figure had changed dramatically. I looked about seven months pregnant.

"Having had five fractures in less than five months, I lost five inches in height."

Mrs Lye says she did not expect to be able to keep on doing the things she had always done once she knew she had the condition.

But she has been able to go shopping, go on holiday and care for her three-year old grandson.

Related to this story:
Sheep yield osteoporosis clues (08 Aug 01 | Sci/Tech) Osteoporosis 'runs in families' (04 Jun 01 | Health) Women 'ignorant' of brittle bone risks (09 Apr 01 | Health) Cutting the risk of fractures (01 Feb 01 | Health) Osteoporosis (24 Aug 99 | Medical notes)

Internet links: National Osteoporosis Society | World Health Organization |
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Health Contents: Background Briefings | Medical notes |