msvette,
as long as you are laying low, alendronate can be the best medication. When you confess to yourself that you aren't actually old and start kicking up your heels, you might consider Forteo instead of alendronate.
It builds more integrated, stronger bone faster.
Those of us on horseback, offshore, and generally tumbling about are more likely to fracture.
Any bone lower that -2.6 T score is best served first by an anabolic (Tymlos or Forteo).
Most of us lightweights have never had the heavy bones of the 30 year olds they are comparing us with.
We begin to lose bone at 30 years but suffer the greatest loss with the loss of estrogen.
I'm on my third year of Forteo.