Osteoporosis treatment

Posted by mmodestti @mmodestti, Apr 5, 2023

My osteoporosis has gotten out of hand. In February 2022, I suffered five compression fractures (L1-L-5) and in November, three more (T-10- T-12). Each time I spent 10 to 12 weeks in excruciating pain.
My endocrinologist has suggested starting me on Tymlos for 2 years, and then moving on to Prolia. Has anybody used this medication (Tymlos)? How was your experience?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

@kristie2

Kathleen,
When I was first diagnosed I too was against the meds. I figured through my healthy lifestyle that I could reverse the numbers. Diet & weight bearing exercises unfortunately didn’t help. I have started Evenity and now I am 3 months in. Being a retired RN I have studied all the info available and I like what McCormick & Dr. Doug Lucas has to say. This is a tough journey for sure and I also wish you the best. Thank you for sharing.

Jump to this post

I have a similar story. Also a retired RN. Always exercised and ate healthy but last year had -3.0s in spine and hip. I also just fractured a wrist from a traumatic fall while hiking 1 month after that DXA while trying to decide what to do. Needless to say after several consults with 2 different endos (one being an integrative practitioner) and 2 Internal Medicine docs (one being spouse) I started and just finished 12 months of Evenity. I also had a history of a previous serious wrist needing surgery as well as 2 different rib fractures from a biking fall and another fall while hiking with a full backpack. I argued that they weren’t fragility fractures but more traumatic but I lost. They all said I was in the severe osteo range and needed to do more. My healthy exercising lifestyle wasn’t enough. My Mom had osteo. It’s a disease! Not just a lifestyle! I am 67 now and 5’5 and 130 ish. I’ve been fortunate to have no side effects from Evenity except a little tired and headache the next day or 2. I am supplementing calcium, vitamin D, K and magnesium. My diet excellent and I’ve added L. reuteri yogurt that I learned to make. I continue to exercise every day with walking, stomping, heel dropping, weights, yoga and aqua aerobics. And I usually get 3-5 prunes a day. My DXA is scheduled for Friday and then a few appts to see what is next. I got
my endo to order blood work including a CTX I did not have one baseline because he wouldn’t order it possibly because of
my wrist fracture and surgery. I read all these posts every morning to learn from all and will let
you what the recommendations are. I wish I didn't have to do anything more but I don't think that will be the case. I feel like I know windyshores ( thank you, I so fear prolia) and many others on this forum. Thank you all for sharing your journeys, questions, fears and successes.

REPLY

Hi,
We are taking the same supplements and I take a few more. I was happy to hear that you have completed your course of Evenity. What scares me is what if I need dental work such as a root canal etc. I am going on my 3rd month and no side effects except more tired than usual. I would think that you need to follow up with another med to keep your bones from losing the gains. I would never use prolia and made my endocrinologist aware of this. I did a CTX prior to starting . I had to push my endocrinologist for labs.
Please let us know what your DXA shows. Wishing you all the best.

REPLY
@kristie2

Hi,
We are taking the same supplements and I take a few more. I was happy to hear that you have completed your course of Evenity. What scares me is what if I need dental work such as a root canal etc. I am going on my 3rd month and no side effects except more tired than usual. I would think that you need to follow up with another med to keep your bones from losing the gains. I would never use prolia and made my endocrinologist aware of this. I did a CTX prior to starting . I had to push my endocrinologist for labs.
Please let us know what your DXA shows. Wishing you all the best.

Jump to this post

yes i will post my results for sure. I’ve gleaned so much from all of these posts. i have many stable crowns but who is to say they will stay that way. I fear they will want me on prolia as all the
literature is pointing to that. so I guess that leaves me alendronate weekly or reclast. I’d loved to be able
to keepup with my nutrition, supplement and exercise but i don’t think i will hear that from any of
my docs. Interested in the time frame after my last evenity to when i need to start something else. I wish i had a baseline CTX but I’m hoping to show up in the 200-350 range. what other supplements are you taking if you dont mind
my asking.

REPLY
@kathleenintexas

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2000 (I was 50). I opted to try lifestyle and diet changes; I was totally against medication. My T-score continued to get worse, but I felt fine, so decided to continue on until I had the first fracture. Ha! After slipping on the ice in Feb 2021 and fracturing T-10 I visited a spine doctor who told me I already had fractures! What? I had no idea. He said they could be silent and painless. I started on the Calton regimen from their book 'Rebuild Your Bones'. Excellent info about nutrients, food that hampers bone-building, etc. I changed my diet radically, cutting out healthy foods that are fine for someone else, but not me. I am also careful not to BLT--bend, lift or twist. I found Dr. McCormick on a podcast and was so impressed by how knowledgeable he was, having had osteoporosis himself. I had been trying to figure it out myself and decided to fly to Massachusetts (from Texas) for a consultation. The first thing he said to me was that I had no choice but to go on medication (since my osteoporosis was so advanced). He ordered many blood tests, which my local doctor was willing to order. Dr. M. interprets them and makes recommendations. He recommended Tymlos since it builds the most bone (I had tried Forteo in the early 2000's, but did not gain the bone he thought I should have). He makes recommendations according to an individual's situation. The blood tests show important biomakers, telling him much about the person's status. It is wonderful to have a truly knowledgable person walking with me through this. I had no confidence in your typical doctor to really know what to do. I am reading his book, 'The Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis' for the second time. My next bone density test is in December, so I'll know where I am now. For those who cannot go to MA, Dr. McCormick does phone consultations after receiving the results from the tests he recommends. Since seeing him in August 2022 I have talked to him three times by phone with questions that have come up. I use supplements from Calton Nutrition and Dr. McCormick--Osteonaturals. The two books I mentioned are essential, in my opinion. I wish you well, Kristie.

Jump to this post

tHANK

Thank you for sharing. I wonder if you would not mind answering a couple questions. I too have osteoporosis and am 82 years old and have been diagnosed recently with osteoporosis. I have a -3.8 score in my lower spine, elsewhere not so bad. Evenity has been prescribed for me by my endocrinologist but I have decided to try for six months (starting this month) to improve my score through exercise, diet. I wonder if you have scores for your diagnosis and if you would not mind sharing them? I am going to try to get those books you mention, and if I do not improve perhaps consult with Dr. McCormick either by phone or directly, as I am not that far away, living here in New England.
Thank you again for your generous description of your efforts!

REPLY
@hikernurse

yes i will post my results for sure. I’ve gleaned so much from all of these posts. i have many stable crowns but who is to say they will stay that way. I fear they will want me on prolia as all the
literature is pointing to that. so I guess that leaves me alendronate weekly or reclast. I’d loved to be able
to keepup with my nutrition, supplement and exercise but i don’t think i will hear that from any of
my docs. Interested in the time frame after my last evenity to when i need to start something else. I wish i had a baseline CTX but I’m hoping to show up in the 200-350 range. what other supplements are you taking if you dont mind
my asking.

Jump to this post

The other vitamins are Krill oil, citrus bergamot, berberine, ashwagandha , vit E , CoQ10 , B12& Folate and a high potency probiotic. I also take Collagen protein from Ancient Nutrition.
My baseline CTX was 933. I hope when I take another test in a month I will be a lot lower.

REPLY
@lashu

tHANK

Thank you for sharing. I wonder if you would not mind answering a couple questions. I too have osteoporosis and am 82 years old and have been diagnosed recently with osteoporosis. I have a -3.8 score in my lower spine, elsewhere not so bad. Evenity has been prescribed for me by my endocrinologist but I have decided to try for six months (starting this month) to improve my score through exercise, diet. I wonder if you have scores for your diagnosis and if you would not mind sharing them? I am going to try to get those books you mention, and if I do not improve perhaps consult with Dr. McCormick either by phone or directly, as I am not that far away, living here in New England.
Thank you again for your generous description of your efforts!

Jump to this post

I thought I would also answer your post due to I am 71 and work out take supplements and tried to reverse my osteoporosis with continued healthy lifestyle. I had a 13% drop trying this. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. My last Score of my spine was -4.6. Now I am on Evenity.
I would suggest to look up Dr. Doug Lucas many YouTube videos along with McCormick DC.

REPLY

didgi2175
My husband was diagnosed with osteoporosis a couple of years ago, after two broken hips, and rods put in his back supporting four broken discs, and a broken wrist. He is not on medication and the doctors haven’t mentioned that he should be. Should he be?

REPLY
@kristie2

I thought I would also answer your post due to I am 71 and work out take supplements and tried to reverse my osteoporosis with continued healthy lifestyle. I had a 13% drop trying this. Unfortunately it didn’t work for me. My last Score of my spine was -4.6. Now I am on Evenity.
I would suggest to look up Dr. Doug Lucas many YouTube videos along with McCormick DC.

Jump to this post

Oh, I am sorry that your attempts did not work. Over how long a period of time did it take for the 13% drop? How long have you been on Evenity? How do you feel on it? Your experience is certainly giving me a lot to think about. I will look up Dr. Lucas on Youtube. Thank you so much for your sharing.

REPLY
@kristie2

The other vitamins are Krill oil, citrus bergamot, berberine, ashwagandha , vit E , CoQ10 , B12& Folate and a high potency probiotic. I also take Collagen protein from Ancient Nutrition.
My baseline CTX was 933. I hope when I take another test in a month I will be a lot lower.

Jump to this post

Thank you for sharing, kristie2. I have been alerted to the importance of the pro and pre biotic, and wonder what high potency probiotic you are taking. The CTX seems to have two meanings, and I was never given that score: what is it measuring? I am taking a collagen protein also, they were all out of Ancient Nutrition so I have another brand but I think the ingredients are the same.

REPLY

The probiotic is visbiome or one’s made by Brookfield Costco sells them and you have to ask the pharmacist for they are refrigerated.
CTX is the marker of osteoclast activity to measure the level of bone resorption.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.