It is very well known that strontium throws off DEXA scans. I have had osteoporosis for 15 years and have been on many forums, workshops, lectures, and FB groups.

I also have 7 spinal fractures and come on here to help others avoid the pain and disability that result. Three were from a traumatic fall in 2006. But after the other non-traumatic fractures in 2021, I was literally crawling on the floor. I could not lift a glass of water, do the dishes, laundry, even wash my face. I was accustomed to walking 5 miles/day and doing sword tai chi and could not make it around the block.

Someone asked how I know the Tymlos is working. After more than a year, I just walked 21 miles in two days with my daughter. I am relatively pain free unless I make a mistake and though there are still limitations in terms of lifting, I am much much stronger. My kids remark on this when I visit. They no longer worry.

I have not had a DEXA scan yet. I will have that in March.

I did not purposefully avoid meds for 14 years. I tried bisphosphonates (oral) but while on cancer meds that worsened bones, my docs did not want to do Reclast (at the time he thought it might aggravate my afib) and my doc does not want Prolia for me (can't stop it w/out Reclast afterward). I tried Forteo years ago and even saw an immunologist to try to get on it.

Tymlos at full dose caused a lot of problems. I am grateful to have started it again at two out of 8 clicks. For almost a year now I have been at 7 out of 8 clicks. Side effects go away after a month or so.

I am glad to hear that strontium is back on the market. In the US, Doctor's Best stopped making it. I would appreciate seeing studies that show that it was the ranelate that was causing the risks. I do think it is too slow and gentle for those of us with severe osteoporosis but I would consider it as a follow up to Tymlos (versus Reclast) for maintenance, if it is truly safe.

@travelgal50 be aware that stopping Prolia can bring vertebral fractures pretty quickly for some people, according to what I have learned over the years, and you have to either stay on Prolia or follow with another drug to avoid an abrupt drop in bone density. Alendronate is a bisphosphonate.

Both Prolia and alendronate may interfere with effectiveness of the stronger bone-builders like Forteo, Tymlos and Evenity. The problem is that insurance wants us to fail the "front line" bisphosphonates or Prolia first. If you have fractures or a serious DEXA result, perhaps you could try a bone-builder first.

Forums like Inspire through the National Osteoporosis Foundation have experts like dexaguru, a doc in the field, who can give more info on the false readings that result from strontium. I think it is fine to use it if safe, but it is misleading to post improvements without a caveat, that's all.