There is a wide variety of severity on these boards. I took a natural approach through 14 years of osteoporosis, and you only have osteopoenia. That is why you are writing about supplements and some of us are writing about drugs.

My lowest score recently was -3.9 and one stupid movement eventually caused some vertebral compression fractures. In cases like mine, side effects become tolerable only because the only other choice is pain and disability.

I did tai chi for years. COVID interfered with that and I do think that was a factor in my fractures. But once our scores get that bad, fractures are inevitable. And I did cancer drugs that affected my bones as well.

I think COVID was also a factor in my fractures because I would have started Tymlos a year and a half ago-before my fractures-but was afraid of ending up in a hospital with infected folks.

Bottom line: with osteopoenia, it is very appropriate to use natural methods. Some docs are prescribing meds way too early. (Read Keith McCormick's book.) When fracture risk is high, many of us have no choice.

Everyone needs to keep an eye on changes in bone density and get on meds when fracture risk is high. Then again, would I have gone on Tymlos and braved the side effects without the fractures? Probably not. I just wish I had one fracture, not 7 (3 traumatic, 4 osteoporotic).

One other thing: the bone growing meds like Forteo, Tymlos and Evenity are possibly not as effective after Fosamax/Reclast type drugs or Prolia. Yet insurance won't cover the bone-growing drugs until the others are tried. This needs to change.

I have lost so much bone, no longer feasible to see if non pharma treatments would do anything. As a walking fracture waiting to happen, not willing to go au naturel. Calcium and VitD were not doing the trick. Also, I have celiac disease misdiagnosed until my early 20's so never reached optimal bone density. Osteoporosis is a disease and needs to be treated.

@cheriums Possibly will miss out on perks from parmaceutical companies and doctors are trained in how to prescibe and this is what they do. I being a former smoker did not help the body either. There are those choices that can catch up.