Beachbabe, how low are your Dexa scores? Are you considered mild, moderate or severe osteoporosis?

There is a risk calculator called the FRAX calculator which can give you a risk factor for fracture. Some people have higher risk factors than others.

I don't know if you've ever had any personal experience with caregiving but I took care of my elderly mother. She had multiple fractures starting in her 80s. The worst one was the spinal fracture, which couldn't be fixed surgically due to her age and heart condition. She had to take narcotics for pain until the end of her life. I don't want that for myself. I would rather deal with medication risks than fractures.

Everything in medicine is risk versus benefit. If you don't have severe osteoporosis and you have low risk of fracture per the FRAX, then maybe you can get by with nutritional supplements and exercise. I have a friend who was diagnosed with mild osteoporosis in her hip. She is taking a 1500 mg of calcium and exercising and her Dexa scores have been stable for several years. However, she may not have any other risks. The Dexa scores do not always correlate with actual fracturing.