debocot, bone markers aren't mainstream, but should be. I'm curious about the bone health ortho that you saw and think you might fare better with an endocrinologist. Many endocrinologists are thinking that it is better for the osteoporotic patient to take an anabolic medication first. With -2,7 in the femur, you might want to at least hear a presentation of that information.
Your age could be a consideration because, in general, we lose the most bone during the first years of menopause
A look for other causes of osteoporosis could be important.
Alendronate works by attaching to the bone where it is the weakest. It prevents the cells that would dissolve that bone from attaching and causes their death. So your body collects the weakened bone and this collection increases your bone mineral density.
Additional calcium is needed because the bones store calcium and when they breakdown they provide calcium for the rest of the body.
Some doctors only run CTX a particle left in the blood when bones are dissolved. Normally. a CTX would be ordered before treatment and then again 3 to 6 months later. The drop in CTX would be20 to 50% if the drug is effective for you.
Welcome to the trenches.