This is why so many of us are searching. Somebody needs to come up with a better drug if that's all the medical profession is pushing. And doctors need to be trained in other ways of treating us so that drugs are not their only line of defense.

Yes, I too am afraid of the side effects, especially since I have a complicated, long history of problems with my gums and jaw. I have ordered "Good Bones" and Barnes and Noble is holding a Mayo Clinic book for me on osteoporosis that I will pick up tomorrow. These works address ways to strengthen bones through diet and supplement.
The descriptions I've read of "osteoblast", that process of erosion of bone, and the way these meds strengthen bones makes these pharmaceuticals tempting. But I am looking into how possible it might be to strengthen bones without them. These discussions on this site, they really help.