@tsc I, too, got osteoporosis from taking prednisone for an autoimmune disease. And I’ve been taking alendronate, but my T-scores got worse. I started out with high doses of steroids and have been on 10mg for about 8 months. Ive added in mycofenilate mofetile (CellCept) in hopes of replacing the steroids. Been on steroids for about 3 1/2 years.
You sound like you’ve been doing everything right! It sure is a bummer when you do what’s right but it all goes wrong anyway. It also sounds like you have a family history of osteoporosis.
Have the steroids at least helped your autoimmune disease?

To everyone who is apprehensive about taking drugs for osteoporosis I want to say try Evenity especially if your osteoporosis is severe. Somehow I managed to ignore several years of Dexascan results telling me that I had osteoporosis so when I finally paid attention it was already severe. My endocrinologist recommended Evemity, one of several new drugs that can rebuild bone. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a new Dexa after only a few months that showed considerable improvement in my spine. However I lost more bone in my hip joint which I attribute to the fact that I was not exercising. I think that it really is important to exercise along with taking supplemental calcium and Vitamin D3, getting enough protein and eating a healthy diet overall. I have other health problems and pain meds I take for those makes it difficult to keep exercising, but I am trying harder now.

I want to urge those who are hesitant to take the new osteoporosis drugs to take it from me they are safe and nothing else will help you rebuild your bones like Evenity. I was cautious at first and instead of taking a drug I thought I could eat a lot of yogurt and drink more milk and eat veggies that have calcium in them. Using those foods to fight this disease is fine if you have osteopenia or earlier osteoporosis but if your condition is severe like mine you should be looking for something to give you a quick start. I usually have a negative reaction to drugs but I did not have any real problems with Evenity and it is only a once a month injection in the doctor's office. After 12 months you have to switch to something else. My doctor recommended Prolia. I finished Evenity in June and I've had 1 Prolia injection which was fine. Prolia is injected only twice a year and is said to help maintain the gains you make with Evenity and even build more bone.

You don't want to mess around with osteoporosis. This is not COVID and these new drugs have been around long enough to know what to expect. No one will give out rewards if you try to muscle through this without the benefit of drugs that are proven winners. You only get one life and for most of us by the time we get osteoporosis we are half way through our alloted years. Don't waste time. Be smart. The only consideration is cost if you don't have insurance. You may qualify for assistance from the manufacturer if you don't have insurance. Evenity is effective and my Dexa shows that. I believe it is safe or I would have found out by now ( I was a medical librarian before I retired and I researched medical literature and still do). I would trust a doctor who recommends Evenity before I would trust a doctor or anyone that promotes some supplement which has not undergone the testing and scrutiny of medicines in the U.S.