1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Drugs or exercise and vitamins?

Posted by cmiller59 @cmiller59, May 10, 2023

I recently went to a rheumatologist to get some questions answered regarding my osteoporosis. He said I had Senile osteoporosis and that he felt I definitely should take Alendronate Sodium once a week. I have also heard such horrific stories about osteo meds and am terrified to take them but also terrified not to of I need them. I am taking calcium and Vitamin D and exercise almost daily since the diagnosis. Is this enough to stop it from getting worse or should I start the meds. I want to hold off until my next scan but that isn’t until Oct. 24. Can anyone shed some light on this for me? Thank you.

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gigi4 | @gigi4 | May 22, 2023
In reply to @melia7 "gigi4, I wish you that you will succeed with all my heart and this will encourage..." + (show)
@melia7

gigi4, I wish you that you will succeed with all my heart and this will encourage many other patients with osteoporosis. Your opinion about meds agrees with mine. We have to try different roads.
I take more or less the same additives as you, but also collagen and magnesium. I eat dry prunes (7-8) every day as it was found that they help. In addition I use vibration platform. However, my next Dexa scan will be in 2 years and for this reason it is early to make judgments if this trategy can help.

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Thank you for your comments. I take collagen and magnesium as well. I've looked at the vibration platform but I do a lot of weight bearing with tennis, going up and down stairs and using ankle weights for specific leg exercises.
Wishing you the best.

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teb | @teb | May 22, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@teb McCormick told me 45 mcg and that is what my K2 is. There are two..." + (show)
@windyshores

@teb McCormick told me 45 mcg and that is what my K2 is. There are two kinds of K2 so maybe we are talking apples and oranges but the 45 is for the one I take.

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Hmm. I know there is some discrepancy as to which K2 is better specifically for bone building, MK4 or MK7 and studies are somewhat inconclusive. All of the integrative providers I have had recommend 45 mg as the most effective dose to potentially see benefit. I believe 45 mcg is below the RDA for Vitamin K so perhaps there is some reason McCormick is limiting the dose. Maybe due to blood clotting issues?
So...I think it's important for each person to know their personal health parameters to determine dose. Certainly if there are heart issues or if someone is on Warfarin, it would preclude supplementing with Vitamin K.

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cmiller59 | @cmiller59 | May 22, 2023
In reply to @timely "Hi cmiller: What have you decided to do? What type of bone strengthening exercises are you..." + (show)
@timely

Hi cmiller:

What have you decided to do? What type of bone strengthening exercises are you able to do and for how long?

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I do yoga, I walk a minimum of four miles a day, I use the eliptical for 30
minutes on days I can’t walk, I use bands and weights for strength training. I am very active .

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2 replies
cmiller59 | @cmiller59 | May 22, 2023
In reply to @foxy23 "I am terrified of the drugs offered as well and have also been in the small..." + (show)
@foxy23

I am terrified of the drugs offered as well and have also been in the small percentage group more often than I’d like. Have you heard of Grow Bone supplement system. It has impressive results. I’m trying collagen I and II with Fortabone and looking into Algaecal. Please keep us posted. I also like the 12 yoga poses.

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After researching several of those bone supplements and talking to my rheumatologist, I feel like these companies are just trying to get your money and also they don’t have the correct amount of calcium and vitamin d that I need so I would have to supplement and they are very pricey. I am going to be seeing an endocrinologist to see if he can tell me anything different than my rheumatologist and go from there . I am currently just on 1200 mg of calcium and 2000 IU of Vitamin D.

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1 reply
cmiller59 | @cmiller59 | May 22, 2023
In reply to @foxy23 "Has anyone tried Garden of Life - Grow Bone System. The reviews are astounding. You must..." + (show)
@foxy23

Has anyone tried Garden of Life - Grow Bone System. The reviews are astounding. You must take many capsules a day spaced out for around $50 a month. Also, Forta Bone Biocell Peptide Collagen. I’m researching heavily on a different form of calcium such as agacal.

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You have to be careful because from what I understand you can get skewed results
from taking the strontium. It doesn’t always give you accurate results.

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saba | @saba | May 23, 2023

Hello- Life Extension Super K has doses as “mcg”: k24: 1000mcg and k2-7 at 100mcg. Is this a good one or should the amounts be different?

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tkdesign | @tkdesign | May 23, 2023

If your osteoporosis is pretty advanced, just diet and exercise likely won't do much. I wish I could figure out why the calcium is not going into my bones! I test for plenty of mineral and vitamin d in my labs, but have bad osteoporosis anyway. Why aren't there more studies on what is needed - naturally - to make calcium go into bones, and why it doesn't in the first place? I exercised all my life, always active. I never react well to pharmaceuticals, so now am trying collagen and vitamin K....my naturopath advised MK4, 20-45mcg daily. Have to make sure it's MK4...there are many forms of vitamin K and most bone supplements do not have this form in it. Wish our drs here in US knew more about alternative treatments to drugs.

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2 replies
cmiller59 | @cmiller59 | May 23, 2023

I agree. Have you seen an endocrinologist? I thought that they were able to figure out why your body isn’t getting the nutrients that it needs. Maybe I’m mistaken.??? Just a thought.

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1 reply
cmiller59 | @cmiller59 | May 23, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "@cmiller in my experience DEXA scores jump around a little (I keep a chart since 2001)..." + (show)
@windyshores

@cmiller in my experience DEXA scores jump around a little (I keep a chart since 2001) but apart from that, why do you think your spinal score improved?

So you have -1.4 spine and -2.5 hip. I would get a second opinion from an endocrinologist. They may have a protocol to prescribe something with the -2.5 but I would hesitate to take anything at this point- that's me, maybe you maybe not. Again, ask a doc.

It also depends on your age. Once you go on Fosamax or whatever, you don't want to be on too long and then what do you do? If you go on Prolia, you have to follow with Reclast. You are not severe enough for Evenity, Forteo or Tymlos and probably won't be.

Do you have a fracture risk? It sounds like you are doing relatively well and with those scores I would think about more holistic approaches first, but again, that is me and I am not advising you on what to do! You know I am a big fan of meds for significant osteoporosis!

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My spinal score on the first DEXA was a -1.9. I have an appt with an endocrinologist coming up the fist part of June. I said I didn’t want to take anything but they are adamant that I should. I have not had any fractures. I want to do it naturally but also don’t want my scores getting worse for fear I’m not doing enough or things aren’t absorbing like they should. I just want to be sure I am doing the right things for myself. Thank you for your input. It eases my mind somewhat.

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2 replies
gigi4 | @gigi4 | May 23, 2023
In reply to @cpd54 "I was prescribed 22-45 mg K daily by my functional medicine doctor. My rheumatologist said this..." + (show)
@cpd54

I was prescribed 22-45 mg K daily by my functional medicine doctor. My rheumatologist said this was fine, it was prescribed that way in Japan. It is mg, not mcg. I buy it from NBIhealth as Osteo-K.

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I take Ultra K2, 15,000 mcg, prescribed by my doctor.

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