I reversed osteoporosis without drugs

If I may join your conversation....
I was doing reclast infusions every year. My dexascan score stayed the same but did not improve. I started reading about taking collagen. Some women reported improved Dexascan scores after being on it. I still take my calcium and I take a liquid vitamin D3 and K2 that I put under my tongue. I purchase it from the same company as the collagen. I take magnesium 3 days a week also. I worry as to whether I'm doing the right thing. Guess I'll know when I get my next dexascan. You know you can only have them every two years.

I maintained and improved, going from osteoporosis to osteopenia to NORMAL with diet (lots of fruits veggies, including dark leafy greens and very light strength training 3 or more times a week. Vit D. No meds.

I did try that and it did not work for me. I had an already healthy diet (all organic and plant based) and exercised regularly including hiking, dance and weight training. When I found out I had osteoporosis at 57 years old, I was shocked but determined to improve naturally. I increased my exercise (weight training 3x/week, walking and hiking daily, standing desk, heel bumps, etc) and had a combined calcium intake of food and supplements to make sure I got my 1200mg with all the supportive nutrients. I continued to eat only whole foods as before. I monitored it all very closely to make sure I was doing all the right things. I was 100% committed. I ended up losing a *lot* more bone and had to finally go on meds.
Physiologically, at menopause and after, it's almost impossible to increase your bone density naturally. Your osteoclasts outrun your osteoblasts. It's just nature. There may be individual stories of "success" but they are few and far between. One thing to take note of when looking at your dexa score is that arthritis can show up as greater bone density in your spine so it's really difficult to gauge success on increasing bone density. In addition, if you are taking strontium, that can potentially skew results. It takes the place of calcium in your bones as it weighs more than calcium so it appears that your density has increased. Whether that's a good thing or not, I don't know as the information on strontium is often conflicting and confusing. It's all very complex and challenging so we have to make our own decisions on how to address our own situation.

I had 3 scans within 14 months. All were paid by Medicare because my primary doc marked the script “medically necessary”. And you can have them as often as you like if you pay. They are about $150.

Good to know. My doctor told me they would only approve one every two years.

@sheilad1 can you tell us your DEXA scores at each stage and also whether you are post-menopausal?

Your story is pretty unusual so details would be appreciated. As an above poster said, bone loss is physiologically "natural" after a certain age.

I did not take meds for years (14 to be exact) after my first diagnosis and also did 5 years of hormonal cancer meds that caused more bone loss. I wanted to take meds and tried several, even tried an immunologist to get on Forteo. My doc did not want to prescribe Reclast or Prolia due to other health conditions. I also met with Dr. Keith McCormick whose book on "Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis" is well-regarded. I eat well, walk and do tai chi and take the usual supplements.

I ended up with 7 spinal fractures. Noone wants that pain and disability so I hope people will consider meds when needed. Thank heavens for Tymlos, which has an adjustable dose so I could start low and ramp up. It's been 16 months. This past week I walked 10 miles two days in a row. Before Tymlos, I was in bed.

My doc will cautiously follow up with a partial dose of Reclast (1/4) to see if I can handle it. He says I can lock in gains and take breaks from med. At that point I will go back to Dr. McCormick.

I am 74. Menopause at 50. Scores attached. I did upper body strength training. Lower body walking. Added ankle weights after 2nd scan and see how the hip improved in 2 months. NOTE I had. TBS score which tests bone quality. Doctors are starting to see that that is more important than bone density. For example, our bone density increases after we’re born and we are at 90% by the time we are 15 years old. Young children have low bone density. But they don’t break a bone when they fall as a rule. Because their bones are soft the quality is good. What we need to watch out for our brittle bones. So if you have poor bone density, but good quality, then talk to a Doctor Who understands that because you may not have a high fracture right. Bone density alone is not the best measure of your chances of a fracture. You also need a CTX blood test. That will show if you are losing density quickly and if you’re not, you’re in good shape also, depending on your other tests. It is not easy to find someone who does the TBS Score. It is just a software that is added to the DEXA scan but it’s just not in a lot of offices. Mostly just in hospitals and even then not a lot of them. This is a link to help you find one. I don’t believe it’s complete, but I don’t know how else to find someone who has the software.
http://www.medimapsgroup.com/

All replies helpful in some way. Thank you.

My technician said that Medicare will pay for one every year if you're being treated for osteoporosis or osteopenia.

Thank you for the information. I'm searching for a new health care provider that is better informed as we speak