@naomid I sympathize with your situation. I also have other health conditions, including lupus, afib and a previous breast cancer (meds for the cancer affected bones and I already had osteoporosis).

I tried for years to get on various meds. My doc did not want to give me Reclast due to the afib (he has since changed on this), I have bad GERD, doc does not use Prolia, and I tried Forteo and even went to an immunologist to try to get on it. I also applied for a trial of the Tymlos patch, thinking the sensitivity to Forteo shots might extend to Tymlos.

I had 3 traumatic fractures in my spine from a traumatic fall but in spring 2021 I made one unwise movement and fractured three lumbar vertebrae. (I also found out about one further thoracic fracture, for a total of 7). I was in acute pain and disabled for a few months, and can tell you that full recovery does not happen. I live positively, and walk every day, but I wish I had been able to do meds earlier.

Anyway, I tried Tymlos at full dose and ended up in the ER with afib, and had other side effects that were not tolerable. I stopped, talked to endos and cardiologists, and made the decision to try again at a low dose, and let my body get used to it over time. The Tymlos pen has 8 clicks: I started at 2 and moved up to 4,6, finally 7 and lately I have been doing the full 8. This really helped with side effects and my doc was happy with even 6.

I am almost done my 18 months. Where there is a will there is a way. I think the problem is that osteoporosis does not have symptoms. At the time of my lumbar fractures I was feeling great, even doing martial arts (carefully). It is hard to have this kind of determination before fracturing but I wish I had tried this method of ramping up Tymlos in 2020!