Bone density before and during — what my GP arranged

What I got right was bringing my daughter to the first appointment, because two sets of ears is worth a great deal in nine minutes.

The bloods I asked for turned up a deficiency that had probably been there for years, and correcting it changed how I felt more than anything.

The falls conversation was worth having explicitly, and it produced a practical set of things I would not have thought of.

Olly, thank you for that. It gives me somewhere to start from.

My experience is that this has been straightforward and that it needed more careful setting up than it would have at forty.

Somebody here said that the aim at our stage is capability rather than anything else, and I have used that framing at two appointments since.

I would gently say do not accept everything being attributed to age. Mine was, twice, and something specific was found both times.

What helped most was a physiotherapist who gave me a specific programme rather than a general encouragement to be active.

Sitting with you on this one.

What I found is that the guidance assumes a body with more margin, and going slowly was not caution, it was the sensible plan.

My medication list is long and getting a proper review of all of it together was the most useful appointment of the last three years.

Something practical: I take a written list of everything I take to every appointment, because nobody's system has it right.

The pharmacist has been the most useful person in this whole business, and I would say that to anybody at my stage.

What I would flag is that muscle matters more now than it did at forty, and protecting it is worth more attention than anything else.