1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Anyone progress from osteoporosis to osteopenia?

Posted by debbik @debbik, Nov 17 6:58am

Being new to this site, I’m enjoying all the info out there on your experiences with osteoporosis. Has anyone been diagnosed with osteoporosis and been able to gain bone density to the point of osteopenia, or better. I’m 65, have osteoporosis, and each bone density it gets worse. I’ll admit I need to step up with exercise, and make changes to diet. But would love to hear from anyone who has positive changes and specifically what you did to achieve them. Thank you!

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spiderplant | @spiderplant | Dec 1 1:35pm

Am 64 and just completed 12 months of Evenity with spine improving -3.7 to -2.4 (osteoporosis to osteopenia) and no (known) issues at all with the shots. The rest less of a change: hip -3 to -2.7 and L.Hip/ F. Neck -3.4 to -3.1 and arm creeping the other direction -2.2 to -2.4. The endocrinologist now wants me to have the annual Reclast infusion or, and he’s far less enthusiast, Fosomax. Alas always eventually there are decisions to be made which is why I was poking around these helpful discussions as I, too, plan the next stage.

I was surprised to have osteoporosis as I always ate a lot of dairy and greens, did sports, no broken bones...perhaps I fit the inherited it group. These were my results after a year of alas less sports than usual but I suggest a site I heard about here and keep intending to start doing diligently: Margaret Martin (physical therapist with 20 years experience focusing on bone health) and her site called MelioGuide which has free videos she emails weekly plus a paid version. There are lots of helpful explanations for all she’s showing.

I find a simple trick to increase pleasure eating dairy is to buy only plain yogurt and get playful and savor what you throw in … like Trader Joe’s unsweetened flake coconut or walnuts or a tasty cocoa or bananas, blueberries, raisins, chia seeds, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries… always something different. I also take daily 1000 IU of Vitamin D and 250 mg of Calcium Citrate just to top off what I get naturally as it’s much healthier to get calcium from food sources (though I drink a lot of orange juice with it artificially added so there’s that).

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dmac13 | @dmac13 | Dec 2 3:19am
In reply to @thisnthat "Hey debbik, Please feel free to private message me if you want more info. Be forewarned..." + (show)
@thisnthat

Hey debbik,
Please feel free to private message me if you want more info. Be forewarned that it does take a lot of commitment & consistency to get the results you want. (Probably helps to be a tad compulsive!). In addition, I think an investment in a low intensity vibration platform worked for me, together with a bountiful supply of supplements, slight dietary changes, and bHRT. But maybe I was just 🍀 lucky!

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@thisandthat. Thanks for all the info, very inspirational! What vibration plate do you use? I just started looking at them and may purchase one as well. Thanks!

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3 replies
debbik | @debbik | Dec 2 12:06pm
In reply to @windyshores "@jenatsky the content at that link seems to be contradictory: see excerpt below. Medications can certainly..." + (show)
@windyshores

@jenatsky the content at that link seems to be contradictory: see excerpt below. Medications can certainly bring the DEXA out of osteoporosis. Bones are more complicated than just density though.

"There’s no cure for osteoporosis. But there is hope....

Is osteoporosis reversible? That’s a complicated question with a complicated answer. Here, our team of expert endocrinologists takes a deeper look at osteoporosis treatments and how they work together with a healthy lifestyle to slow the progression of — and possibly reverse — osteoporosis.

Can you reverse osteoporosis?
Technically, once you have osteoporosis, you have it for life. It’s incurable. However, there are ways to prevent it, ways to slow down its progression, and — if you catch it early enough — ways to counteract it."

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Thank you…

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thisnthat | @thisnthat | Dec 2 4:36pm
In reply to @dmac13 "@thisandthat. Thanks for all the info, very inspirational! What vibration plate do you use? I just..." + (show)
@dmac13

@thisandthat. Thanks for all the info, very inspirational! What vibration plate do you use? I just started looking at them and may purchase one as well. Thanks!

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Hi, dmac13!
I purchased the Marodyne LIV, and have used it faithfully (aside from some down time during free repairs) twice a day. I believe there is some research showing it to be more helpful to the spine of thin fine-boned women (like me), so that may be a consideration.
I have also just pre- ordered an Osteoboost device that can be worn as you move around, walking or doing everyday tasks. Between the Marodyne, Osteoboost, bHRT,
daily exercise, vitamins, supplements….I hope to bring and keep all my DEXA scores into the normal range!

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2 replies
debbik | @debbik | Dec 2 6:49pm
In reply to @awfultruth "@debbik It depends on how you define osteoporosis and how it's diagnosed. If you are using..." + (show)
@awfultruth

@debbik It depends on how you define osteoporosis and how it's diagnosed. If you are using bone mineral density to determine it then many many people have moved from osteoporosis (-2.5 t-score or worse) to osteopenia and even up to "normal" levels. That's usually with medication. Of course if you were diagnosed because you had fragility fractures you can't undo fractures but you can still improve bone density above -2.5.

Also Belinda Beck and her LIFTMOR and related studies had people go from osteoporosis to osteopenia with heavy exercise alone. They consistently got significant improvement in bone density with their protocol.

As to whether the bone can ever be as strong as it was before bone loss I have not seen an answer to that. It is clear however that you can increase bone density so that the label osteoporosis based on DXA score no longer applies. It's also clear that fractures are reduced. So whether it gets as strong as before is not known but it's very clear if you improve bone density your bones are stronger and less likely to fracture. And of course it feels very good when those numbers improve.

BTW, that brief article (not a study) someone mentioned saying you cannot reverse osteoporosis was pretty much useless, IMO.

I went from severe osteoporosis in my LS with a worse score of -4.1 to a worst score in my LS of -2.1. So that's severe osteoporosis to osteopenia in less than a year. My hips didn't make it though as I've still got a -2.5 in my femoral neck. Hopefully next DXA my FN will be out of the osteoporosis numerical range and be stronger.
That was done with Evenity and I also followed a modified LIFTMOR protocol. With continued good fortune I hope to be more improved over the next couple of years. Fingers crossed.

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Wow!! That’s so great how far you’ve improved!! Thank you for sharing all that info.. I’m going to check out LIFTMOR for sure. I’d love to keep in touch and watch as you improve even more!!

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1 reply
awfultruth | @awfultruth | Dec 2 10:14pm
In reply to @debbik "Wow!! That’s so great how far you’ve improved!! Thank you for sharing all that info.. I’m..." + (show)
@debbik

Wow!! That’s so great how far you’ve improved!! Thank you for sharing all that info.. I’m going to check out LIFTMOR for sure. I’d love to keep in touch and watch as you improve even more!!

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@debbik Hi there.
If you check out Belinda Beck and her LIFTMOR studies and want to go further, please note that she calls her program based on those studies ONERO. She trains and certifies qualified people to run these programs. There are now a very few people in the US and Canada that have been certified. Probably best to contact The Bone Clinic in Australia to get a list. That's Beck's clinic.
https://theboneclinic.com.au/contact/
The "Locations" page on that site just shows the locations in Australia.

Also note that they use the same name ONERO for an online program that is sort of a mild fitness and balance program and not at all the same as the in person proven to build bone ONERO program.

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gurine | @gurine | Dec 3 2:54pm
In reply to @dmac13 "@thisandthat. Thanks for all the info, very inspirational! What vibration plate do you use? I just..." + (show)
@dmac13

@thisandthat. Thanks for all the info, very inspirational! What vibration plate do you use? I just started looking at them and may purchase one as well. Thanks!

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I did in my back after 1 year of Evenity.

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dmac13 | @dmac13 | Dec 3 3:40pm
In reply to @thisnthat "Hi, dmac13! I purchased the Marodyne LIV, and have used it faithfully (aside from some down..." + (show)
@thisnthat

Hi, dmac13!
I purchased the Marodyne LIV, and have used it faithfully (aside from some down time during free repairs) twice a day. I believe there is some research showing it to be more helpful to the spine of thin fine-boned women (like me), so that may be a consideration.
I have also just pre- ordered an Osteoboost device that can be worn as you move around, walking or doing everyday tasks. Between the Marodyne, Osteoboost, bHRT,
daily exercise, vitamins, supplements….I hope to bring and keep all my DEXA scores into the normal range!

Jump to this post

Hi @thisnthat! I have also preordered-ordered the OsteoBoost! Hoping it comes soon but they didn’t give a date. We should keep in touch so we can compare OsteoBoost experiences. Feel free to pm me. I had been looking at Power Plate for vibration but haven’t purchased yet. I have been doing PT -resistance bands and weights training and vitamin supplements so far. Not sure what bHRT is. Let me know when you get your OsteoBoost, I’ll do the same!

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goseve | @goseve | Dec 3 8:02pm
In reply to @thisnthat "Hi, dmac13! I purchased the Marodyne LIV, and have used it faithfully (aside from some down..." + (show)
@thisnthat

Hi, dmac13!
I purchased the Marodyne LIV, and have used it faithfully (aside from some down time during free repairs) twice a day. I believe there is some research showing it to be more helpful to the spine of thin fine-boned women (like me), so that may be a consideration.
I have also just pre- ordered an Osteoboost device that can be worn as you move around, walking or doing everyday tasks. Between the Marodyne, Osteoboost, bHRT,
daily exercise, vitamins, supplements….I hope to bring and keep all my DEXA scores into the normal range!

Jump to this post

What Osteoboost device did u purchase? I read that the FDA device hasn't been available yet. Can I ask how you got it please. My osteo is very bad and I need two foot surgeries so can't start meds until next Sept or Nov. and my bones will be so much worse. I am so afraid. Thank u for any help or suggestions.

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thisnthat | @thisnthat | Dec 3 8:37pm

Hey goseve,
How terrible that you have to contend with multiple physical issues like that! It must be so anxiety provoking.
I know a lot of people on this site are reluctant to endorse vibration platforms, as the research does seem to be mixed. I have used the Marodyne LIV platform since early 2023, and feel it has helped contribute to my great results — my untutored opinion, of course! Now as a subscriber to Wellen, I was able to pre-order the Osteoboost through their Founder’s Program. Bone Health Technologies is the maker of Osteoboost and the new owner of Wellen (an on-line video format osteoporosis program). I think the pre-order window may now be closed, and I’m not sure it is yet available to the general public. The device requires a doctor’s prescription, and will not be shipped for 2 or 3 months. No prescription is needed for the Marodyne, but it is a stationary device, while Osteoboost allows you to carry out your daily activities.
Hope this helps! 💐

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