Dear Ann Landers,
am a 58-year-old woman and have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis. I went to my doctor because I was having a lot of pain in my back. In addition to the pain, I noticed that I had lost almost 2 inches in height, and my back, starting at the neck, is begin-ning to hunch over. It turns out that two of the bones in my spine have not only broken but have collapsed and are deteriorating. My doctor told me I have some of the risk factors for developing os-teoporosis, which I didn't know. For instance, I didn't know that since my mother had osteoporosis, I was more likely to get it. My mother, at age 71, suffered a severe hip fracture that left her per-manently disabled. Before this happened, she was active, energetic and young for her age. Today, she is old and frail, uses a walker and can no longer garden, do housework or go out with her friends. She is very dependent on me and my brother, and we worry that the next step will be a nursing home. I am sure you can understand how upset I am. I have a demanding job and need to be healthy so I can continue to take care of my fam-ily responsibilities. What I haven't told you is that I have two daugh-ters who now have a grandmother and a mother with this dreadful disease. My doctor has given me a program that will help me prevent addi-tional fractures. But she also has made it clear that there is no cure for osteoporosis. Once bone mass is lost, it cannot be replaced. On a brighter note, she believes that if I follow my treatment plan, my bone loss will occur at a slower pace. Ann, I am writing to ask your help. Please tell me where I can get the most reliable information on how to prevent osteoporosis and how I can keep from breaking more bones. I need this information not only for me but also for my children and grandchildren. I want to start early to help them avoid what my mother and I are now going through. When my doctor told me I had osteoporosis, I set out to leam everything I could about the disease, but I have had trouble finding information. Because this is such a common problem, Ann, there must be mil-lions of people like me who need to be informed. Please help us.

Dear Concerned,
I'm glad you wrote. This is a subject that needs a great deal more visibility. Most people think osteoporosis is a disease of the elderly. This is not true. It can strike women as early as the mid- 30s, and men are also at risk. Too many young people today are into a lifestyle that will ensure an even greater incidence of osteoporosis in the future. Teenagers and preteens should be educated about this illness and told: Don't smoke, limit alcohol consumption, eat a balanced diet rich in calcium, and ex-ercise regularly. Women at midlife should see their doctors about their bone health. Medical experts I've consulted believe that osteoporosis is both pre-ventable and treatable. An excellent organization that can give you the entire picture is the National Osteoporosis Foundation, P.O. Box 96616, Washington, DC 20077-7456. Write for information and send a large, self-addressed, stamped envelope. I 7 I) ANN LANDERS