Treating Osteoporosis: What works for you?

Hi. I have had the same and found that a mixture of slippery elm powder mixed with prune juice does the job for both complaints. i.e. it solidifies the diarrhea and helps lubricate the constipation and the same time the prune juice gets it going. It also protects the lining of the stomach and bowel. You have to paly around with how much of prune juice v slippery elm powder but I use a tablespoon of the latater.

@dolan, gaitfaith again. Yes it it the CVS brand of Miralax that I use also. But it tends to make the stool very soft. But my friend brought me a box of . Nabisco Good Thins "the OAT one, Sweet oat and flax" crackers. And if I take a SMALL handful of them it tends to dry out the stool without making me constipated. They are addicting they are so good, but a small handful works great. I no longer drive or have a car so I get them online. Can't tell you how many of the 1 inch squares to take as they are pretty broken up with shipping, but I get them on line thru Walmart. The bar code for them is: 0 - 44000 04545 - 6 I get multiple boxes at a time. I dread the day they stop carrying them or even making them. There are MANY varieties within the line, but it seems only the flax ones do this job! The sweet potato ones might do the job also, but I found no others that work that way. I also hope they don't change the formula for them.

Hi there anyone else had a zoledronic acid infusion??

I had my last of 3 Reclast infusions in 2015.The infusions themselves are not a problem—just 15 minutes each. I had no obvious side effects. However, I had a dental implant placed in 2012, and waited 6 months before starting Reclast in early 2013. This past July the implant failed and eventually just fell out. My dentist is sure the Reclast was the cause. I am hesitant to start Prolia now, even though it is not a bisphosphonate.
@arthritichands

I am 85 with severe osteorposis. I was on Fosamax for 8 years, having regular bone scans every two years during that time. Every bone scan showed that I had lost more bone density. My doctor took me off Fosamax, after the 8 years, because of reports of broken femor bones on some women who had been on the drug for more than 5 years. He would have approved of my having an injection drug (Forteo or Prolia) but, after I spent hours investigating these drugs, decided that I would not take any drug for osteoporosis. I increased my calcium intake and started doing more weight-bearing exercising including walking. I had therapy - not for the bones, but to strengthen the muscles around the bones. I have had 2 bone scans in the 5 years since I stopped Fosamax and the scans have shown no new bone loss, i.e., my bones are stable.I feel great and feel that I have made the right decision to forego osteoporosis drugs. They might work for some people but I question whether the benefits are worth the risks for many women. PS - a friend of my daughter-in-law who was on Prolia had gum deterioration and lost many teeth, resulting a year off the job. Maybe these drugs work for some people, but in my opinion it's like Russian Roulette and I personally am not going to take a chance on any of them. My motto is: diet and exercise! It works and is good for a person 's whole body, including the bones. I just wish more doctors would be pushing this instead of prescription drugs.

Thanks @jaleen for this rational and encouraging message of encouragement to our osteoporosic members and friends. Your story could have been written by my wife who, now in her upper 70s, is physically "perfect" (she says) after leaving 6 years of Fosamax behind 3 years ago. She has taken up bowling, biking, and hiking -- including a 60-mile 3-day walk raising money to fight breast cancer, after three months of training during which she worked up to 18-mile near-nonstop hikes. Our walks together now are not social affairs, because she leaves me in her dust after about a half-mile. She works out in our home gym or neighborhood facility five days a week, takes modest calcium and Vitamin D supplements, and like me, looks forward to 20 more years of active life. Martin

Thankyou for your reply..

Thank you for your reply...interesting..had heard about fosamax and problems with it. Did try on recomendation from doctor but did not agree with me..I'm 68y/o and lead quite an active life, working part time as job entails lifting/cleaning/general duties including deliveries. Came off my scooter last year, xrays showed severe bone loss..am trying to build up.

WOW... go you too... thank you for reply

The Van Andel Institute in Grand Rapids, Michigan, will be hosting a discussion on November 15 regarding Osteoporosis. The keynote speaker will be Dr. Sundeep Khosla from Mayo Clinic. For those of you who live in or near the Grand Rapids Michigan area and are dealing with osteoporosis or osteopenia, I think this might be a valuable conference.

Here is a brief description of the event:

Van Andel Institute (VAI) is proud to hold A Conversation About Osteoporosis: An Impending Public Health Crisis hosted by Carol Van Andel. In recent years, fears over rare side effects associated with osteoporosis drugs have led to a significant drop in use of the medications for the condition, fueling concerns about a rise in hip fractures and other serious osteoporosis-related injuries. This event will focus on the impending crisis, current osteoporosis research and information on how individuals can become their own healthcare advocate. During the event guests will hear from VAI’s Dr. Bart Williams and Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital’s Dr. Michael Jakubowski, along with a keynote address from the Mayo Clinic’s Dr. Sundeep Khosla.

If you would like more information or want to register for the event, here is the website, https://www.vai.org/event/osteoporosis/.

Teresa