Has anyone not used medication after First Dexa scan spine -2.8?

@gravity3
Thanks so much for your kind words and encouragement, that is not always common these days. And I agree as women we must never forget what we have fought for and still need to stand up for. I am a "Me Too" and it is hard to continually have to fight the system when it comes to our medical needs and the information that so often we do not get.

Thanks also for the information about Dr. Susan Hardwick-Smith. I will look her up and see what inspires me. Thanks again and keep fighting the fight.

@fidget53

"I want to LIVE my life and take precautions rather than taking the risks of the side effects"

Do you know what the potential side effects of having a fracture are? chronic pain and disability for the rest of your life, major surgery.

If you have severe osteoporosis, adding more supplements and weight bearing exercise is not going to protect you from having a fracture. Basically, it is way too late to only reply on supplements and weight bearing exercise. With severe osteoporosis, weight bearing exercises may even be dangerous for you to do. Many OP-informed physical therapists will not even work with someone with severe OP because of the high risk of fracture.

Without medication, severe OP will get worse and worse. Everyday move you make will be like playing Russian roulette. If you wait long enough, at a certain point, medication may not even get you out of the "severe OP" category.

I was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis, and immediately started taking Tymlos. After 12 months, I moved from severe osteoporosis to borderline osteopenia/osteoporosis. I am a small boned slender female: about 100 pounds. I have had no side-effects from Tymlos.

I hope you at least go see an endocrinologist. They will run a battery of blood and urine tests to see why you are losing so much bone mass. You may have some underlying condition you are totally unaware of. They will also let u know about drugs that are suitable for you. Then you can at least have more information to base your decision upon.

@callmekate

Are you also considering an anabolic/bone builder as a first drug?
Forteo, tymlos or perhaps evenity?

I feel like we're in the same boat. I've had Decks scans and they wanna put me on medication because I'm a -2 something and I feel like if your bones are going to end up being weaker after you take this medicine and you have to keep taking it in order for your bones to be strong and then some don't even get that way you still have breaks. It's all about Balance and Nutrition. I think you're right. I don't take any medication either although I do take estradiol because I have a condition where I wear a pass Sari a prolapsed uterus, but that's such a minimal dose and I try keeping it. I wish yougood luck and I'm gonna continue on my journey trying to do the best I can for me without meds the time being I'm 79 I work out I wear ankle weights weighted vest. I do my exercises and walk at least 2 miles a day and hopefully it'll be enough.

@helmit

Who are you responding to. I would like to see their original post. What drug are you saying makes bones weaker?

I think if a person hasn't fractured and their TScores aren't too severe that choosing an option other than osteo medications is a valid choice. I would recommend getting a TBS to understand bone quality as well as bone markers before and during any type of treatment option. As well as the full set of tests to rule out reasons for bone loss that aren't just menopausal.

I understand that those who have fractured have dealt with a lot of pain as well as other issues. And is why they advocate for using the medications, especially when they had no side effects and good results.

Some may never fracture even with poor TScores. Osteoporosis is not a one size fits all path of treatment. People are at different stages in their life, people react differently to medications and the medical community is hit or miss in finding a Dr with true osteoporosis specialty.

The side effects are real, just look at the posts here and on other sites. And while many have no issues with the medications and good results, some just don't want to wind up being on the other side of the statistic.

I'm avoiding the medication for now, but the positive posts from those taking the medication is encouraging and something I may consider down the road.
Just not right now.

My numbers are in the -3 and I have not taken and pharma meds. I have done dietary changes and exercises for osteoporosis. I also have 2 compression fractures that I know of and have no interest in starting any meds that I will need to take the rest of my life that are no guarantee to keep me from breaking any bones either. Some can actually cause stress fractures or jaw issues. Please research before taking anything. Make an informed decision, don’t start anything when you feel under pressure.

@ny2ganana

Stress fractures and jaw issues are rare. Are you concerned about having more fractures?

@ny2ganana

You are right that there are "no guarantee(s) to keep me from breaking any bones either."

But in numerous peer-reviewed studies, medication has been shown to drastically reduce the risk of fracture (see the bottom half of this post)

"Make an informed decision" -with all due respect, based upon what you are writing, you are sadly uninformed. "I also have 2 compression fractures that I know of and have no interest in starting any meds that I will need to take the rest of my life" If u were informed, u would know that doctors advise against taking OP meds for a lifetime - usually people cycle in and out of them every few years.

Already having 2 compression fractures means you are much more likely to have more fractures. 2/3 of spinal fractures are "silent" - you appear ok, but lose height. Basically you are playing Russian Roulette. Sooner or later u will have a "non-silent" fracture where u will face permanent disability and chronic pain.

Your numbers are in the -3 's (severe osteoporosis) means it is too late to rely only on supplements/diet and exercise.

Given your level of resistance to medications (despite fracturing multiple times), I do not expect anything I say to change your mind. In writing this, I just hope to convince others (with T-scores at the -3's or lower) to at least see an endocrinologist. They will give u a battery of blood and urine tests to try to find the underlying cause of so much bone loss. And then based upon your current medical state, they will present you with medication options. They will also discuss how exercise and diet/supplements fit in.

=======
There was a massive international study done which synthesized data from millions of person-years across multiple cohorts worldwide. It demonstrated that a prior history of fracture roughly doubles the risk of any future clinical fracture. See: https://researchnow.flinders.edu.au/en/publications/previous-fracture-and-subsequent-fracture-risk-a-meta-analysis-to/

Paper: “The vertebral fracture cascade in osteoporosis: a review of aetiopathogenesis” (Briggs AM, et al.).
Key Finding: Specifically focusing on the spine, this paper details how sustaining a single osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture drastically alters mechanical spinal loading and exponentially spikes the risk of sequential adjacent or systemic fractures.

Here is an overview of popular osteoporosis medications, broken down by category and their approximate clinical fracture reduction rates based on major clinical trials.

Antiresorptive Medications (Slow down bone breakdown)

1. Alendronate (Fosamax) – Oral (weekly/daily)
Vertebral fracture reduction: ~50% decrease
Hip fracture reduction: ~40% decrease
2. Zoledronic Acid (Reclast) – Intravenous infusion (yearly)
Vertebral fracture reduction: ~70% decrease
Hip fracture reduction: ~40% decrease
3. Denosumab (Prolia) – Subcutaneous injection (every 6 months)
Vertebral fracture reduction: ~68% decrease
Hip fracture reduction: ~40% decrease
4. Risedronate (Actonel) – Oral (daily/weekly/monthly)
Vertebral fracture reduction: ~40–50% decrease
Hip fracture reduction: ~30–40% decrease

Anabolic Medications (Build new bone)

1. Teriparatide (Forteo) – Daily subcutaneous injection (typically limited to 2 years)
Vertebral fracture reduction: ~65% decrease
Non-vertebral fracture reduction: ~35–53% decrease
2. Romosozumab (Evenity) – Monthly injections (limited to 1 year, followed by an antiresorptive)
Vertebral fracture reduction: ~73% decrease (compared to placebo)
Hip/Clinical fracture reduction: Significant reduction (demonstrated superior risk lowering in comparative trials against bisphosphonates like alendronate)

@roseincalifornia agree! I put off the medications for years because of the side effects. My doctor told me I could die from a broken hip (I am -2.9 even after two years of Forteo.) I have a torn rotator cuff and no cartilage in the shoulder joint but a surgeon won't touch me. He said he needs "bone to attach the screws and it won't hold with my current condition." That was enough to make me start the bone meds. It's a tough choice but the risks are a small percentage, even though they all sound terrible. I am needing back surgery and there is no way I could have it done before the Forteo. My spine has improved to -1.3 after two years of treatment and I'm now on Evenity to try and get a better improvement in the hips.