Has anyone had a rems bone scan or tbs bone scan?

Yes, I have TBS bone war now because it is a far more accurate way from year to year to determine your bone density absolutely. You can find some discussion of it under the bone medicines where I remember we discussed it at length last summer maybe do a search under TYMLOS or the other bone medicines. Yes my Medicare picks up the DEXA and TBS scores every year. Before I was on Medicare I also had insurance pick it up. I was on champ VA. I have never had insurance not pick up things associated with bone issues and I’ve been doing it for 20 years. I can only think if you’re not getting it covered that you don’t have a diagnosis that allows you to take bone measurements every year like arthritis or osteoporosis or osteopenia because I know it’s allowed by all insurances, but they want you to have the proper diagnosis in order to get it every year or even more than every year. I think with no qualification, the medical insurances went to every two years, but I could be wrong on that. All I know is I get mine every year for 20 years covered.

I had a DEXA in January and a REMS in February. My DEXA spine score was -2.5 and my REMS spine score was -1.1. With L3 and L4 -1 and -0.1 and L1 and L2 -1.5 & -1.7. I like the detail of the REMS. I went to Canada to get it and paid $141 USD for it. It was worth it to me because I can get this scan anytime I want to monitor it on my own and see if diet, exercise and vitamins are helping. If the score gets worse I’ll try meds but at least I don’t have to wait 1-2 year to find out if it’s worse. For me it’s maintaining this level. I have an appointment to see an endocrinologist in June, soonest appt I could get.

I am looking into getting an REMS echo light scan. I apparently just missed a round of testing at Osteo Strong in southern Wisconsin. Their next tests won't be until July or August. I know I will have to pay out of pocket.

I looked back on my first Dexa last year and realized mine does have a TBS score.

Interestingly my TBS score is in the normal range

L1-L4-TBS is 1.32. That means my microarchitecture of my bones is in the normal range!

(No one mentioned this to me, only the T-scores were discussed, which, unfortunately, aren't normal)

Left femoral neck is -2.4 which equals osteopenia
Lumbar spine is -3.1 which is bad osetoporosis

My question at my next visit will be how do I have normal bone architecture from L1-L4 but have horrible osteoporosis in the same area? I just need to understand that.

My TBS adjusted FRAX: 10 year probability for a break is:

Major Osteoporosis related fracture is 8.6%
hip fracture: 1.4%

No one mentioned this either. That risk seems relatively low?

I was shocked to discover I had osteoporosis last fall at my first scan at age 56. (I may have gone through menopause early and apparently have other risk factors that I didn't know about)

My doctor immediately ordered a reclast infusion which I was supposed to get in January of this year, but based on this site and the information about the importance of the order in which osteoporosis meds are taken I asked for an endo consult. My doctor didn't want me to cancel my infusion so they got me in for phone consult same day and the endo agreed that my spine warranted an anabolic, told me to call her in a month with my decision on whether I wanted Forteo, Tymolos or Evenity. No further information given. And she never told me how much these meds cost!!!

Anyhow, I have made another appointment with her in April to discuss all this. I just feel like I need way more information. I'm not saying I won't go the med route, but its a big decision and I don't feel well enough informed yet (plus I'll have to deal with insurance before any of this happens). Right now, interestingly enough, the only one I can afford (of the anabolic) is Evenity because it's billed as an infusion not a prescription and somehow my insurance covers that (but my insurance changes every year because I buy it through the marketplace)

Sorry, very off topic. Anyway, I read that if you are small (I am) an echo light may be more accurate. I also read that if you are small and dehydrated the day of your dexascan, it affects the accuracy of the scan. I am chronically dehydrated and the day of my Dexa I was having fasting labs drawn as well so I was super dehydrated.

I would love to get a dexa again this fall as well at the one year point, but my doctor says unless I'm on meds she will only order a deja every two years.

I would just REALLY like to have more than one scan before committing to these meds! What if the first one wasn't accurate?

So, I guess I will get a Echolight this summer instead.

Just curious why you had to go to Canada to get the test? Where in Canada did you go?
Thank you very much for your post. I am wondering if my spine will look better with REMS versus Dexa.

On the Mayo osteoporosis website someone said they were getting the REMS in Vancouver, Canada. I live in Oregon but my son lives just across the border in WA. so it was a win win to visit him and get a REMS scan. At the time I made the appointment I could not find a REMS scan in Oregon. BUT someone on this site found a REMS scan in Oregon at Osteostrong. I looked it up and Yes i could have got it here but had already made an appointment in Canada and was getting to visit my son. I will get a REMS every 6 month, here in Oregon at Osteostrong where ever the machine is, while I Figure out my plan of attack on Osteoporosis. I don't want to find myself with far worse numbers as a surprise like finding out I had this disease in the first place. I like that i can monitor the progress of the disease myself with out having to wait the 1-2 years to get a DEXA.

Echolight REMS scan in Vancouver, CA
Advanced Bone Health Services
http://WWW.advancedbonhealth.ca
contactus@advancedbonthealth.ca
877-452-1115
the machine travels all over Canada
in Vancouver they bring the machine into the UC baby 3D ultrasound clinics. so its you and pregnant women. But the Ultra sound technician for the REMS was super nice and explained everything to be about my test.

That makes sense! Also sounds like it was cheaper in Canada!

https://www.inspire.com/groups/bone-health-and-osteoporosis/discussion/sites-providing-rems/
https://www.juvent.com/pages/rems-echolight-scans
https://bonenutritionist.com/echolight-rems/
https://www.precisionboneimaging.com/

Just so everyone knows, despite not being listed, almost all Osteo-Strong locations offer twice a year REMS scans. I thought I was going to have to drive to Minnesota or Illinois to get a scan, but on a whim contacted an Osteo-Strong near me and found out they do indeed offer them close to me. They just had a round in February and the next will be in July or August. If I wanted one sooner I could drive to an Osteo-Strong in Minnesota in March, but I'll just wait until this summer. You would think this would be a big selling point for Osteo-Strong, so I'm not sure why it's not on all their local websites. I'm just glad I won't have to travel to get one!

I think it was my post about the http://www.adavancedbonehealth.ca offered throughout Vancouver area that @dorsetgirl65 mentioned she saw. I also had a REMS with this company in February and would definitely recommend them. I wanted to add that there is also a $25 CA reduction coupon on their website. I mentioned and they reduced the price. The REMS scans are offered on a rotating basis across Canada about every 3 months I was told.