She suffered from recurring fractures. But today, Vera Berg leads an active life thanks to medication for osteoporosis
Text: Annika Lund for Medicinsk Vetenskap No. 3 2025 / Spotlight on osteoporosis
Before Vera Berg turned 50, she had her first fracture in her foot. Over the following years, she sustained several more foot fractures. Just stepping awkwardly was enough.
"During all those visits to the doctor, no one ever asked me about a possible family history osteoporosis. Had I been asked, I could have mentioned several older relatives with osteoporosis, rheumatism and scoliosis," says Vera Berg.
While skiing in the Alps, Vera Berg fractured a rib in an undramatic fall on the slope. She was X-rayed and the doctor advised her to bring the images to her Swedish physician. In Sweden, Vera Berg used her health insurance to seek private care. This led to a swift diagnosis of osteoporosis and treatment with a weekly bisphosphonate tablet
"I was 56 at the time, and it felt difficult to identify as someone with brittle bone", she says.
Just over a year later, Vera Berg experienced severe back pain after lifting something. It turned out to be a vertebral compression fracture. A new bone density scan revealed that, despite treatment bisphosphonate treatment, her values had worsened. She was then prescribed teriparatide, which stimulates new bone growth. For a year and a half, she administered a daily injection in her abdomen.
The treatment had a positive effect on her bone density. When it ended, Vera Berg transitioned to an injection taken every six months, which helps maintain the bone mass she has built up.
"Now I can live just as I always have - very actively. I walk a lot in the woods and countryside, work in the garden and play padel, table tennis and golf. I rarely worry about breaking a bone, but I am cautious when it is slippery outside. A couple of times I have 'tested' my resilience by falling - and I have not broken anything," says Vera Berg.
She joined the Osteoporosis Association early on and is now active on its board. Her goal is for everyone to have equal access to good treatment.
Name: Vera Berg.
Age: 70.
Occupation: Entrepreneur and pensioner. Vice Chair of the Osteoporosis Association.
