Hate to welcome you to the club that no one wants to be in! Sorry about your diagnosis. Always hard to make those decisions on how to proceed. Doctors will almost always prescribe a bisphosphonate as a first-line medication as it's cheap and insurance pays for it. If you do need medication, it's not always the best first option though. Depending upon how bad your bone loss is and where it is, spine or hip, should really determine how you move forward. You can peruse these boards for info on the various medication options. I would also recommend reading the book Great Bones by Keith McCormick. It's a comprehensive look at osteoporosis and treatment options as well as lifestyle support.

Hydroxyapatite is a supplement that's derived from cow bone. Our bones are made of hydroxyapatite so it is thought to be well absorbed and beneficial. It's basically a calcium supplement but naturally contains the minerals and collagen also found in bone. Hydroxyapatite is usually processed from cow bone so if you decide to take it, it's important to get a product sourced from grass fed cows. If your diet is in short supply of calcium, it might be helpful but if your osteoporosis is significant, it likely won't be enough to make a difference. One thing to note is that HA may raise phosphate levels in the blood, something to be discussed with your doctor.

With osteoporosis, you really have to hit it from all angles; diet, a significant increase in weight-bearing exercise and strength training (safely of course) and medications when necessary. After menopause, it is almost impossible to build bone naturally so if your osteo is severe, it is important to stop the progression and unfortunately, sometimes that includes medications.