I am 65, female, and about to receive my fourth Prolia injection. I am afraid of drugs and have a track record of reacting to meds. I know there are many papers in medical journals outlining negative effects of Prolia and other osteoporosis drugs. However unlike the doctors who specialize in this area who have four years of medical school plus another 4-6 years of residency and some who continue on doing research in this area, how can we ever really know what the doctors know? My own endocrinologist heads up the osteoporosis department in a major hospital in a large city. She has led the research in studying astronauts and weightlessness in space and bone loss. These doctors see the whole picture, have read many more papers than we ever will, have seen so many patients over many years. I do feel that my endocrinologist has my best interests at heart. And as someone who is scared of drugs, I made a decision to trust my doctor who seems quite dedicated to her patients.
Exercise, calcium, vit d was never going to "cure" my osteoporosis. My bone density has increased on Prolia and I worry a little less about fracturing. Science is always evolving and five years from now there may be something new to try.

@contentandwell
Hi,
This is indeed a complex and confusing situation but everyone has to decide for themselves and trust their instinct. What I am doing currently for my osteoporosis is taking a daily formula of vitamin d3+K2 and a bone and joint formula ...both powders dissolved in water . I am avoiding as many foods with oxalates as I can since I recently found out that they tend to inhibit the absorption of minerals like calcium. I have stopped eating spinach and some other greens which I had been eating almost daily for years for eye health.

Diet and lifestyle are so important for bone health. I do have 3 gym classes a week and have upped my walking which is a great weight bearing exercise. Since I don’t smoke or have any organic medical problems ,have great BP and weight and no fractures, I have decided I am a good candidate for not taking drugs. I did take Boniva and Actonel about 15 years ago with minimal improvement. This is purely a personal decision and based on my holistic approach to good health.

It’s been stated before but do your research, asses your overall health and lifestyle and listen to what your doctor has to say and then make a decision. My point is not to blindly trust what any doctor says before you do make a decision. If anyone decides to continue drugs , I would also urge them to include healthy activities and watch their food intake because you can’t always rely solely on drugs.

FL Mary

There isn't a one-size for everyone way to treat osteoporosis and that is why I so strongly suggest doing your own research and decide what options you're comfortable with trying. Be your own advocate, research, and don't rely completely on physicians to make these decisions for you. Which drug, or whether you take an osteoporosis medication at all differs from one person to the next and their situation. From my own experience and research, I have chosen not to. I previously took Fosamax and Fosamax D. The digestive side effects appeared soon after starting treatment. Later I experienced severe bone cramping in my legs and groin. Coupled with these side-effects, I was hearing concerning media reports and also found numerous studies while doing my own research that told of troubling/dangerous issues others were having with Fosamax and other osteoporosis drugs. I decided to completely go off Fosamax and it has been many years now since I have taken osteoporosis drugs. My doctors continue to want to prescribe them for me and I continually reject them! All side effects disappeared after going off the drugs and in these passing years my over-all health greatly improved after discontinuing the drugs. I try to eat healthy, I exercise, walk the treadmill every day, I take a probiotic, D3, and eat yogurt daily. If and when a safe and proven drug without serious, life-altering side-effects comes on the market for osteoporosis, I would certainly consider taking it. There are those who report no issues from taking osteoporosis drugs and have experienced improvement, so again, all cases cannot be lumped into either bad or good. I truly understand it can be confusing. I remember when I was first diagnosed with osteoporosis being scared and worried how this was going to effect my life and doing the things I enjoyed. I do live a more cautious life than I use to, but still do many, many things I have always did....just do them more carefully, thoughtfully and sometimes with restraint.