Can we gain bone density with just supplements?

@reginacl

Good to hear that the tymlos injections are going well for you and that you have no noticeable side effects.
Welcome. I am always learning through my fellow osteoporosis travelers here.

I too have had osteoporosis for quite a while and did not take medication. I took all the right supplements lifted weights 2 to 3 times a week and ate a healthy diet. After a broken wrist and three stress fractures in my feet my doctor said you have very severe osteoporosis and need to do something. As I love to travel and am very active I knew I had to do something else. I read a lot and decided on Tymlos and trying to get on hrt. I was 66 at the time and 14 years post menopause. I waited 5 months to see the top endocrinologist in my city and after reading through all my labs she agreed to put me on hrt and Tymlos. Per other people on this forum in started with a lower doses and slowly ramped up to the full dose. I only have a raised heart rate for a few hours that's been it for me. After 7 weeks I had a 297% increase in my P1NP. I'm hoping this plus the hrt and I also take fortibone collagen daily will really increase my bone density. Meanwhile I have a friend 10 years older than me that refuses medication and broke her hip. One year later she still uses a walker. In the end I decided I want the best life moving forward and that means having strong bones! Try the medication and see, you may be lucky and have minimal side effects and see great bone growth.
Good luck.

To answer your question “NO“ you can’t get stronger bones from diet exercise, and supplements or we would all be doing it, right? You still have to do those things. For most of us the TYMLOS has a two month cycle before the side effects disappear and you forget you’re doing this little injection every day. It’s not like a flu shot or anything. It’s a little itty-bitty needle and you don’t even feel it. At least I don’t feel it anymore. I do hormone replacement therapy to supplement the medication.
As you get older you may notice that the women around you fall and break and fracture their bones. For me, it was surgery, where they opened me up, and my C5 bone was so soft it fell apart in their hands. And I was told I was NOT osteopathic! Point is they can’t tell how bad you are until they open you up.
I am the kind of person who does not like to have things wrong with them so if a doctor tells me something is wrong I am going to pay attention to it immediately. I am also an overachiever so I will choose the optimum thing for success, even if there are some inconveniences along the way. Mayo Clinic forum online has the best support group if you are taking the bone medicines. For some people it’s easy but for a lot of us it is not easy and we need a support group because the doctors just aren’t there. But the good news is that it’s over in just a couple years and time goes fast so before you know it, you’ll be on the other side. I’m so glad I did it even with all the nightmares. There’s a lot of ways to prepare so make sure you have a good medical team that has a lot of experience with the medication’s and share with them you’re inhibitions and if they’re not supportive, then go elsewhere until you find the right team or Dr.

@nycmusic while supplements can help, they are only part of the picture…don’t expect them to do the job alone….combined with diet and various types of exercises, they can help, at least could stabilize bones in otherwise healthier patients. OP is one tough thing !

@dvargo comes in patch forms.

Krexie24

Can you talk about what in particular "horrified" you. It must be the possible side effects. Can you offer some detail?

Yes I was taking activella pull. Not I am on the patch and progesterone@gravity3

go to the Osteocollective.com and take the free masterclass.
Youtube videos by Dr Doug Lucas,
These give Legit information on how to approach your situation. Some people do need meds; research everything first!!

My doctor told me from my DEXA scan that I have osteoporosis happening in my L4 of spine. All others are fine. I was asked to take calcium supplements with magnesium and vitamin K. My question is if I take calcium, will it not increase the levels of calcium in other bone areas where it does not need calcium? Will I end up with calcium excess in bones? I am in post menopausal stage.

@jahnaviabhi This article may be helpful. There are others on-line if you search for "can calcium supplements cause excess calcium in bones".

This article says: "So, if you need roughly 1,000 mg of calcium a day, it’s easy to assume that consuming more can lead to high blood calcium levels. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, it’s completely safe for healthy adults to consume up to 2,500 mg of calcium daily (2,000 mg for those over 51). Why the gap? Too much calcium can be extremely dangerous (more on this soon). And your body knows it! So, it works hard to keep blood calcium levels in a very tight range. "
https://www.eatingwell.com/what-happens-when-you-take-too-much-calcium-8781219