Talking to your doctor about your bone health

We understand it can be hard to talk to your GP about your bone health and osteoporosis. Our handy checklist has tips on how to get the most from your GP appointment, wherever you are on your bone health journey.

These tips can also be helpful if you are seeing another healthcare professional, such as a nurse, pharmacist or hospital doctor.

The page also has questions that may be helpful to ask your GP.

What your GP can do for you

Your GP can:

assess your bone health and discuss healthy habits that can help keep your bones strong
talk to you about osteoporosis medicines and support you to make a decision around starting and changing treatment
review your medicines, discuss side effects, and any difficulties taking your medicines
give you a different osteoporosis medicine if you need one
refer you for further tests or to a hospital to see an osteoporosis specialist.

GP surgeries often have a range of services. For example, they may have a practice pharmacist who can discuss your medicines. It can be helpful to ask what services they have and who you should make an appointment with.

You can also ask your GP surgery for your GP health records. This can be online or printed.

Your appointment checklist

This checklist is useful for both in-person, telephone and video appointments with your GP.

Before an appointment

Write a list of questions you would like to ask. Plan to ask the most important questions first. You usually only have 10 minutes at a GP appointment.
If you think you may need longer than 10 minutes, you can request a double appointment. Your GP will consider your request.
Bring a list of:
- current and past health conditions, including if you’ve broken a bone or had a spinal fracture before. Also, let the GP know if you had any falls. And let them know if you have a family history of osteoporosis. Your GP will usually have all this information, but it can help with discussions
- any medicines you are taking, including any supplements or medicines you’ve bought.
You may find it helpful to bring some paper and a pen to the appointment to write notes. At your appointment, you can also ask the GP to write down or print important information.
If you want to discuss something specific, such as an osteoporosis medicine, you could print the information from the ROS website and bring it to your appointment. Or if you see an osteoporosis specialist, you might have a hospital letter that you can bring. This can help to start a discussion with your GP.
If you want to, you can ask someone you trust to come to the appointment with you. It can be useful to have someone else to listen or write notes. If it’s a telephone conversation, put the call on loudspeaker so they can listen in. Let your GP know someone else is with you.
Try to make an appointment with the GP you usually see. This can help you to feel more at ease and help your discussion. We understand that this is not always possible.
Ask your GP practice for an interpreter or communication support if needed.
If you are having a video appointment, the NHS has some more practical tips for preparing for these appointments.

During an appointment

Be open and honest about side effects and concerns. Try to talk about the things you're most worried about first.
Trust yourself. You know your body best. It’s okay to ask questions and say if you don’t understand something. Your GP is there to support you with any concerns and questions you have.
Whatever the outcome of the appointment, ask the GP why they came to that decision. Understanding why a GP has suggested a certain course of action can help you feel more informed and confident in your bone health.
Ask for a printout of any test results or any hospital letters.
Ask about next steps. If you are expecting a follow up appointment or scan, ask when you should hear about it. Also, ask what to do if you don’t hear anything.

Please ask your GP questions about your treatment or diagnosis you don't understand because they are there to help you. They will do this in a respectful manner and in a confidential setting. – Jamie, GP

If you'd like to learn more about your GP's recommendation for treatment, you can ask your GP about the guidelines they've used. GPs use national guidelines to inform their recommendations. These include the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), National Osteoporosis Guideline Group (NOGG) and Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN).

If your GP is looking for osteoporosis resources, you could let them know about the Royal Osteoporosis Society website. We have resources that healthcare professionals can order or download and share with their patients.

After the appointment

Keep any notes or results in a safe place. Some people have folders where they keep their medical information. It can be useful to take the folder to future medical appointments.
You may also be able to access your results and letters through Patient Access and the NHS App. You can talk to your GP practice about setting this up.
Add any follow up appointments to your diary. It can be helpful to add a reminder for when you need to chase up on an appointment date that you are waiting for.
If you would like to connect with other people with osteoporosis the ROS has support groups and an online community.
We have lots of information on our website to support you after your appointment. For example, what to expect in any tests or scans you are waiting for or support with a new medicine your doctor has recommended.
If you have any concerns or worries about your diagnosis or treatment, you can request a second opinion. Find out more at the Patient Association.

One thing I started quite early on was I made myself a folder. I've got an envelope folder and I have got every test result, every letter, everything I've had related to osteoporosis in date order. And on the top I've got a summary sheet of all the changes in medicines I've had. And that goes with me, whether it's a GP or consultant appointment. I've got it all there with me and I can refer to it. – Liz

Questions to ask your GP

Knowing what to ask can help you get the most out of GP appointments. We have some questions that can be helpful depending on your situation.

The NHS also has some more general questions that you can ask your GP or other healthcare professionals.

Questions for if you have completed our Great British Bone Check or think you may have risk factors for osteoporosis.

If you’ve completed the Great British Bone Check, it can be helpful to print your results and share them with your GP. It can also help start the conversation.

Questions you may want to ask your GP:

Could I have a fracture risk assessment?
Would I benefit from a bone density scan?
I have some risk factors that may increase my chance of osteoporosis and broken bones. Do you think there is anything to be concerned about?
When should I next have my bone health checked?
What can I do to look after my bones?

Questions for if you’ve been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia and want to know what that means for you.

You may have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis or osteopenia and not be sure about the next steps. Here are some questions to ask your GP to help you better understand your condition.

Please could you explain my test results?
Would I benefit from taking a medicine to help my bone strength?
If I need a medicine:
- can I set up a repeat prescription?
- what do I do if I get side effects?
- when will my medicine be reviewed?
What can I do to help my bone strength?
When should I next have my bone health checked?

If you start an osteoporosis medicine and want to learn more about it sign up to our free BoneMed Online service.

Questions for if you have pain from spinal fractures or other broken bones.

Before your appointment, it can be helpful to work through the following questions. Taking your answers to your appointment can help your GP understand your pain and how best to treat it.

Where is the pain?
When did the pain start?
Is the pain gradual or does it happen suddenly?
How would you describe the pain? For example, is it sharp, throbbing, dull, shooting, burning, gnawing or cramping?
Does the pain spread to other areas of your body?
How long does the pain last?
Does anything make the pain better or worse?
What pain relief medicines have you tried and did they work?
Does the pain stop you from doing your usual activities?

It can also be helpful to keep a daily log of your pain and how severe the pain is. One being no pain and ten being the worst pain you can imagine.

These questions can also be helpful if you have new back pain. It can help your GP work out if the pain is caused by a spinal fracture.

At the appointment, let your GP know if you have taken any pain relief that day.

Questions to ask your GP at the appointment:

What pain relief options are there?
What do I do if the pain doesn’t improve?
Can I be referred to a specialist pain clinic?
Could you recommend a support group for people with long-term pain?
Some pain relief medicines can cause constipation. How can I prevent constipation?

We also have information on managing pain after spinal fractures and other broken bones.

Booking GP appointments

Visit the NHS website for information on how to book a GP appointment. This includes what to do if you are struggling to get an appointment. If you aren’t registered with a GP practice at the moment, you can find your nearest GP surgery using the following links:

Reviewed: December 2025
Next review: December 2028

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