I’ve been tentatively doing a bit of Summer sewing. I say tentatively because in the UK the weather has been awful, but it has to improve soon…doesn’t it?? This new make is a modified Fantail Tank by The Sewing Revival. It’s a nice easy shape with a great little gathered detail at the hem.
(PS: Following on from last week’s post where I mentioned my osteoporosis diagnosis…one of my regular readers spoke of the importance of highlighting and talking about something that affects many of us as we approach and go beyond menopause. I agree, that discussion is good and so at the end of this post, I’m going to have a quick chat about what I’ve been doing to help myself so far and maybe some of what I mention may help you too. Stay tuned for that if it’s relevant to you and if not feel free to skip that bit 🙂 )
Right, let’s get back to sewing:
Sewing A Modified Fantail Tank
The original tank design is sleeveless with an all-in-one neck and armhole facing, plus an exaggerated dipped hemline at the back (hence the name). I’ve dropped the armhole a little and made small grown-on capped sleeves for keeping the sun off my shoulders. To keep the bulk down and to make it more lightweight, I’ve got rid of the facings and used bias strips of fabric for finishing the sleeves and neckline instead.
The fabric I’ve used is some that I’ve had for maybe more than a year. It’s a plain-weave viscose that I bought from Croftmill . I love the rope print and the olive green is one of my signature shades 🙂 It’s been lovely to sew and it presses well too.
Creating the little capped sleeve was as simple as just extending the shoulder out a few inches and dropping the armhole a couple of inches. I drew a soft curve between the armhole and shoulder point. Once that was done, the sewing up was a breeze. I did French seams along the shoulder and the side seams and then using my bias tape maker, I made some strips of bias that I used to finish the sleeves and neckline. The only tricky bit was the mitred part of the bias at the bottom of the V-neck. It took me a couple of goes to get right and a few naughty words were muttered along the way 🙂 Here are a couple of close-ups for you:
I’m so pleased with this little top. I love the print and the gathered detail at the hem, plus It feels lovely next to my skin and is very comfy. So many of my bottoms go with it too. Basically, it’s a good basic!
I’m not sure what my next project will be. I’m flitting between sewing a new bra and undies set, a pair of trousers or a knit top. Hmmm…decisions.
And while I’m deciding why don’t I update you on my osteoporosis as I promised at the top of this post (skip if this doesn’t interest you, I won’t mind 🙂 ).
So as you know, I hurt my back last December. I had 4 compression fractures in my back all from a seemingly minor stumble back over the arm of an armchair. Up until that point, I had no idea that I was osteoporotic. That’s the thing with this condition, it’s pretty much silent until it’s too late. The initial shock had me feeling like suddenly there was no hope and no joy to be had any more and I was pretty scared about the diagnosis. Having to lay flat for many, many hours gave me a lot of time to start my research though. I read everything I could about Osteoporosis, its causes and potential ways to help it and I suggest you perhaps do the same if you’ve recently been diagnosed. Knowledge is everything.
Very early on I had some blood tests and straight away found out that my vitamin D levels were low. Vitamin D is crucial to aiding Calcium absorption into bones. I discovered that many experts recommend Vitamin K2-M7 to support vitamin D as well. I started to take this particular supplement …it also contains a form of Magnesium which apparently also works in synergy with calcium and vitamin D for optimum calcium synthesis, I take mine every night just before my evening meal.
Speaking of calcium…it’s the main mineral that people associate with bone building but I’ve learned that it’s better if you can get as much as you can through your food. As a result, I’ve made a few changes to my daily meals. I try to have calcium at each meal and then at the end of the day if I don’t think I’ve quite hit the recommended amount I take a calcium citrate tablet (calcium citrate is way better on the digestive system than the cheap carbonate version that doctors give you). These are the calcium tablets that I take and I only have half the recommended dose maybe a few times a week. My favourite calcium-rich foods are Greek yoghurt, cheddar cheese, almond milk, sardines and broccoli. I also sprinkle sesame seeds on casseroles and curries for a small hit of extra calcium.
Another supplement that I take every day is something called Bonebalance it’s a food supplement classed as ‘for medical purposes’ and it’s made from bioactive collagen peptides. The evidence and testimonials for bone-building potential are encouraging. It’s expensive but I figured it’s worth it for my health and It works out a bit cheaper if you go for the 6-month option as I did. I have a scoop of it every morning mixed into my overnight oats.
I’ve cut out a LOT of sugar from my diet and I’ve added more protein in its place. I aim for about 25 to 30g of protein at each meal to help build muscle and bone (be sure to drink a lot of water if you start adding more protein to your meals though to avoid constipation). I eat a lot of healthy veg and modest amounts of high-fibre carbohydrates
I began to carefully do weight-bearing exercises as soon as my back was fully healed. I currently use dumbbells ranging from 2 to 4 kilos and I’m doing site-specific exercises for the important areas of my skeleton. If you’re interested: I do shoulder presses, bicep curls, squats whilst holding a dumbbell close to my upper body (the recommended way if you’ve had a compression fracture according to Margaret Martin), bent over rows, a half plank for my core, partial press-ups on a low window sill, and the deadlift. I also regularly do balance training to help with fall risk. As I get stronger I hope to lift some heavier weights but I’m being very cautious due to my fractures.
My DEXA scan results showed that the osteoporosis is pretty bad. My lumbar spine is my worst area which doesn’t surprise me as that’s where some of my fractures were. I’m waiting to speak with a rheumatologist and I suspect they will want me to go on some kind of drugs. Now, I’m not going to go into great detail here because I feel like you need to do some research for yourself but some of the medications have potentially nasty side effects on the jaw and teeth and also the femoral neck near the hip joint. To say I’m reluctant about those is an understatement but there are a couple of different alternatives called anabolics that I want to ask about but I think those can only be prescribed short term. When I’ve had my appointment I’ll update you.
I want to quickly mention HRT. I’m fully aware that one of the main factors in women getting osteoporosis is declining estrogen levels. at menopause I know there can be lots of other factors as well but it’s high up there on the list of causes of osteoporosis. I tried HRT a few years back and it made me feel horrid. I had so many side effects that I ultimately dismissed it. However, I might bring up the subject again when I chat with the specialist but my own GP didn’t push the subject when I mentioned it. I’ll let you know what/if anything gets advised.
In the meantime, I feel like I’m doing ok. There’s nothing like a serious health diagnosis to spur you on to look after your fitness and diet eh? 🙂
By the way, if you want to check out YouTube, I can recommend Margaret Martin, Doctor Doug, and The Bone Builder System as some channels you might like. On Instagram, I follow ‘ Osteoporosis.Trainer’ and ‘GotBuffBones’ and can highly recommend those too.
Well, if you read through all of this stuff as well as the sewing, god bless you, you deserve a medal. I hope some of what I’ve shared proves useful and I can assure you it will be strictly sewing in my next blog post.
And on that note, I’ll see you soon!
Hi Diane, your top is lovely. It looks like a really useful addition to your wardrobe.
Thank you for sharing your health update with us. I must be honest, when you shared your diagnosis and what you’ve been through it did scare me a bit as I am approaching menopause myself. I’ve started trying to add more protein into my diet (just had Greek yogurt with granola banana for breakfast) and have been taking a vitamin D and calcium supplement. I’ve actually got a consultation with a nutritionist next week which I’m lucky enough to get through my employer benefits scheme.
Author
Hi Sam. Thanks, glad you like my top. I really needed a versatile short sleeved one and it fit the bill nicely.
I’m pleased to hear that you’re going to make a few health changes. As we get to menopause and beyond the risk of Sarcopenia gets higher so its really important to rebuild muscle and do some kind of weigh-bearing exercises for our bones. I heard a great phrase the other day: “muscle is medicine” and I firmly believe it, but you need protein to build and keep muscle. I’ve never been one to eat meat of eggs at breakfast time so I bought some vanilla protein powder which I add to overnight oats made with 250-300ml of almond milk and 40g of oats…it gives me 27g of protein every morning (double what you get with just some Greek yoghurt). The rest of the day is easy then, as I eat a lot of chicken and fish. Keep up with the vitamin D and calcium, but try adding the K2-M7 as it helps calcium absorption
Hi Diane. Your top is lovely but I was very interested in your oesteoporosis information. I was diagnosed with this in my spine and left hip. I have been weight training for 20years and taking Adcal tablets. I knew I was at risk as I’m coeliac. However it wasn’t until my fall just before the Edinburgh Frocktails when I fell on my back and fractured a vertebrae that I found out about the oesteoporosis from a recent Dexa scan. I’ve been having scans for a long time due to the coeliac disease. I was reluctant to start Alendronic acid tablets but I did start. It’s now almost two years and I’m due a dexa scan to see if it’s improved. I really haven’t had side affects from the Alendronic and I hope it’s done it’s work.
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Hi Ruth, so lovely to hear from you. Oh, gosh I remember the pain you were in at Frocktails when you’d hurt you back. I’ve heard about Coeliac as a risk factor for Osteoporosis, though it sounds like you were doing a lot of the right things for yourself to try and keep it at bay. During my chat about drugs I want to try an anabolic one first but I haven’t ruled out Alendronic acid for when I come off that. I’m just rather worried about the potential dental problems and stomach issues caused by it. Unfortunately, I’m one of those people that tend to suffer with side effects from drugs.
Hi Diane,
I love your new top: the changes in the pattern that you made, and the choices re. its fit suit your figure beautifully! It is super flattering on you!
Thank you for sharing info on your osteoporosis, dietary changes, supplements and exercise regimen: it is clear that you research fully AND have excellent follow-through — so important. I just want to mention that there has been a LOT more information on what/how to do proper dosing of HRT in the past few years.
Angie, as “HotandFlashy” on Youtube, has one of the longest-running, and most-respected menopause and beauty channels. She has been on (and off) HRT over the past 10 years, and researched various HRT specialists and reports on it here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4B8i_KYg_g&t=9s
She lists several specialists who can provide a good start in researching HRT.
Because I had an estrogen-driven cancer, I was strongly-discouraged from HRT, but have become interested in learning more about it, 13 years later, as my hot flashes and osteopenia have worsened.
Author
Ohh, thanks for the kind words about my top, I’m super pleased with it.
Thank you so much for the YT link. My appointment is in a weeks time so I think I’ll binge watch a few Hot and Flashy videos before so that I’m armed with as much information as possible.
Hi Diane, that is a lovely top! It is amazing what a design add like gathers can do. I’m glad you are improving health-wise! I’ll add those of your exercises which I’m not doing now, thanks for the list. I drink or use about a gallon of cow’s milk a week. Are you not a fan of that? I have many allergies, including almonds.😊
And have started ballet with a group of older women. I’m a rank beginner, but after 6 months have better posture, increased upoer back strength, balance, and coordination. It is challenging! 😊
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Oh wow, that does sounds quite challenging and I bet it’s fun too though!
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Thank you Heather! I know, right? Just the simple addition of that gathered detail add just the right amount of interest.
Yeah, I’m doing pretty well with my heath now thanks. Oh yes, good question re-cows milk. Well I’ve come to realise over the last few years that I’m slightly lactose intolerant. I’m ok with Greek yoghurt due to the fermenting process used and the live culture within because those factors lower lactose levels. I’m also ok with hard cheeses because of the lower lactose. So that’s why I have Almond milk at breakfast. Oh, I don’t use a whey based protein powder, instead I use Pea protein isolate as recommended on one of the videos about protein that I’ve watched.
Hi, Diane:
I think the cap sleeve and v-neck top is flattering for you. And it just happens to be one of my favorite styles for summer.
I’m currently trying out patterns for camp shirts that are pullover style (I don’t like to do sew buttonholes). One popular pattern is the Donny shirt. I’ve watched some tutorials but the shirt construction seems complicated to me. Is this a pattern you might sew for yourself? If so, I would look forward to your comments.
Marjorie
Author
Thanks you so much Marjorie, I’ve always loved the simplicity of a capped sleeve top for summer, glad you like my new make.
I’ve heard of the Donny top, so I popped across to the FPC website and had a look. I don’t mind sewing buttonholes but for some reason I’m not a huge fan of button-up tops on myself so actually I love the fact that the Donny is a popover style. It’s hard to see how the construction might work at the front, hmmm…I can see some kind of facing line but I can’t quite wrap my brain around how that would work with the collar. I would definitely consider it to sew up though as I love the look of the shorter version (maybe a tad longer for me, though, no midriff flashing thanks 🙂 )
Edit…I just found the YouTube sew-along and I can see that there’s a seam down the centre front. It looks like the dot at the front centre line of the facing 2″ up from the bottom is a crucial point. You could always practic that part on some muslin first maybe?
Re: supplements for osteoporosis
Just to let your Canadian readers know that the Canadian distributor of Fortibone (which is the registered trademark of the “Bioactive collagen peptides” found in Bone Balance) is CanPrev. It can be purchased from well.ca. I assume there’s also an American and other European distributor as well.
When I got my diagnosis I thought it was a death sentence. I was shocked as I’d always been very active and ate well. My doctor actually said there’s no cure. WTF?! Since then I’ve found so many resources including Margaret Martin and her exercises for osteoporosis book and videos, the Marodyne Vibration plate and supplements. And I’m throwing everything at this! I think we should all be advocating for bone density scans at an earlier age as well – before it gets to this stage. We are only scanned at 65 in Ontario, Canada and that’s far too late for most of us. I wish you well in this journey.
Author
Thank you so much for that information about Fortibone. Much appreciated Cindy.
Just like you, I felt like I’d been given a death sentence when I discovered my diagnosis. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I think it’s awful how we aren’t scanned early enough when it’s such a serious health problem for many. I bet there would be far fewer people clogging up the healthcare system with fractures if scans were given sooner.
I’m glad you mentioned the Marodyne Vibration plate. I should have included it in my notes. I’m hoping to get one in the near future. It’s quite the investment due to the price, but since my mum’s passing I’ll be getting a bit of a windfall and I know mum would have wanted me to do everything in my power to help prevent this awful condition from blighting my life.
I haven’t heard of the Marodyne Vibration Plate: I will look into it — thank you! I did research 3-4’ trampolines, which may have similar benefits, and they are an easy do at home addition to one’s exercise program (and are FUN).
Diane, can you please comment on the rationale of pea protein over collagen from cows (or is it veggie vs. non-veg)?
Author
The Marodyne looks promising for people that can’t do much exercise and can be used as an addition for people that can. The vibrations stimulate bone growth.
Ah, right, yes pea protein is plant based for those that don’t want dairy or soya protein powders. Pea protein is a complete protein too so doesn’t need to be mixed with other proteins.
P.s. I meant to add that in the U.S. IF you have good insurance (we still have mostly private insurance thru our employers here), we get a DEXA covered at 55-60 yo. My bone density was low excellent at age 58 and dropped in ~ 3 years to osteopenic by age 61, despite taking calcium and vit D throughout that period.
Author
In that respect you’re luckier than us in the UK. I’ve never been offered a DEXA until I hurt my back. And a quick question to Google confirmed that we only get offered one if found to be at risk of fracture…like how does that even work??? You don’t *know* if you’re at risk until you’ve had a scan! Ugh!
My doc said that you are at risk if your mother, aunts or sisters had osteoporosis. So somebody has to take the “fall” for you, so to speak, somewhere down the line! No one, other than me, has osteoporosis in my family – no mother, no aunts, no sisters. I told her that my maternal grandmother fell and broke her hip at 89 and she said that that didn’t count as she was old, and yet here I am with my own osteoporosis diagnosis. So using the idea that if others in your family have it or don’t, that will somehow automatically diagnose you is just ridiculous. And to another point of yours, an early Dexa scan would drastically reduce the number of women pre-65 going into emergency with broken bones! I know of two who ended up in Emergency amongst my friends of friends, in the last month alone! We need earlier scans to reduce Emergency room costs and give healthier lives for post menopausal women. I’m feeling like a politician all of a sudden!
And by the way, for those looking for a cheaper bone building method than the Marodyne, trampolines have not been proven to work at all. Only low intensity vibration has been proven scientifically to work to build bone and muscle. I’ve watched all the videos and read a ton of stuff. But Marodyne can’t do it alone – you need to exercise, do strength training, eat more protein than you think is necessary!, supplement with collagen, calcium, vitamin D, and eat a good diet.
Author
Cindy I’m right up there with you on that soap box 🙂 And like you I’ve tried to think about back who in my family may have had osteoporosis and I’m drawing a complete blank. Oh and don’t get me started on all the grief I would have been saved had I been scanned sooner and I too wouldn’t have ended up in the emergency room. It’s really not good enough how ‘we’ are being neglected as patients.
Absolutely spot on about the Marodyne…it’s the vibration intensity designed especially for skeletal health. I also don’t feel that trampolines are that safe (I’d be worried about potential back fractures from the rebounding). It’s so important to do the weight/strength training with progressive resistance along with the right diet.
I wish you all the best as you find ways to manage your diagnosis Cindy. Take care xx
Your new top is lovely and you will get a lot of wear out of it. Thanks for all the tips and links re your osteoporosis journey. Here in Canada I take Prolea, which is an injection administered every 6 months, and I have had no side effects from it. It appeared to me to be a better option than pills etc and was prescribed by the rheumotologist that I was referred to.
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Thanks Chris. Yes, it’ll definitely get a lot of wear.
I’ve read up about and watched videos about Prolia. I’m not sure if your doctor has mentioned this but I’ve found out that when you come off it after the alotted time there is an immediate rebound of bone density and it drops very suddenly increasing fracture risk. You’ll no doubt have to go on something else straight away.
Dear Diane,
This is a great top, and suits you very well ♥
I have use this pattern too, but I made it with long sleeves, but I think I have to make another with short sleeves as well 🙂
Happy sewing!
Cheers, Ellen
Author
Thank you Ellen! The long sleeved version is so nice.
Hi Diane, always love your makes! I went back on forth on whether to chime in on the topic of prolia, since this isn’t my personal experience. But it seems like you’re rigorous in doing your own research and I feel like it might be of interest.
My mum (now 77) has been on prolia for 10 years. At her most recent check up, her long-time consultant told her that they now have much more data on patients taking the drug long term and he has no plans to take her off it.
For context (since everyone has their own combination of issues and concerns) when she was initially diagnosed with osteoporosis it was alongside rheumatoid arthritis. Thankfully the rheumatoid arthritis has been in remission now for many years, but at the time it was the more concerning condition.
It’s only in recent times that her consultant has been encouraging her to increase her protein and weight bearing exercise. I do wonder if doing that earlier might have helped. It’s certainly spurred me on to do those things now (I’ve just turned 40) to try and future proof myself.
Anyway, it’s been interesting to hear about your experiences alongside the pretty clothes!
Louise
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Hi Louise, thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment x. It sounds as though your mum had a lot to deal with by having the RA too, that can’t have been easy. But how am I not surprised that the doctor has only just mentioned the protein and weightbearing exercise. Sadly it seems like they aren’t interested in treating the person as a whole, though good on you for taking charge of your health at 40 (wish I could go back and tell my 40 year old self to do the same).
Re Prolia, I’ve heard of others that have been kept on it beyond 10 years and I do wonder if it’s because they are afraid to take patients off it due to the rebound effect of bone density plummeting fast and that’s the extra data that they have :/. However, it sounds as though it’s suiting your mum and I’m so pleased to hear that the RA is in remission at the moment to.
I spoke to a rheumatologist a few weeks back and it was not an easy experience, he didn’t want to hear my side of things at all. I tried to be firm about drug choices, but the upshot is that I’m currently waiting for my first appointment for an infusion of Zoledronate. I’ll have to have one infusion a year for 3 years and then maybe go on something else. I’m kind of dreading it but at the same time doing my best to eat well and exercise to give myself the best chance.