@arlene1958 Hi. That's an excellent question! I think it would be great if you asked that question in a separate thread, as you'd get a variety of answers.
As far as I'm concerned, when I started treatment I wasn't aware that I might be on meds for life and that the sequence matters a great deal. I would rather not be on meds, but my DEXA scores aren't good (yet!) and I had a fractured foot, ribs and L2 fracture simultaneously that left me bedridden, in immense pain and terrified. I remain positive that I will continue to improve and eventually will be able to come off the meds. Many people on this site have been on meds for decades, and others want to quit along the way. There are so many factors that may contribute to that: suffering side effects, no improvement in their osteoporosis, prohibitive cost, poor medical care, lack of access to specialists and/or treatment facilities, lack of knowledge - the list could go on. Figuring this all out is very time-consuming and takes a major commitment. Luckily we have this amazing resource, and I hope you're finding it helpful.
Best wishes to you!