Dear Ann Landers,
am a 5 8-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 WAKE UP AND SMEEE THE CIIFFEE! I 7 .1 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 learn 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. -Concerned in Nashville

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 b ANN LANDERS