Penny,

My story is like yours - severe osteoporosis in low back, described by my endocrinologist as "really scary." She is pushing me to start Evenity, knowing full well that I am medication averse. I tried oral alendronate over a year ago, only to end up with medication-induced GERD, so I had to stop after three months. I'm quite bitter about the GERD, as I stood up for nearly two hours after each pill, but still ended up with a serious problem with GERD (which I now manage with an anti-inflammatory diet and fruits such as bananas and cantaloupe, which are alkaline, and oatmeal, which absorbs acid in your stomach). As for accupuncture, I have used it extensively for various conditions for many years, some with great success; others not so much. What is important about accupuncture is what a Japanese accupuncturist said to me once: "Accupuncture is not magic." There are conditions it can most certainly help with, but I am not inclined to believe that osteoporosis is one of them.

Like most of us on this blog, I am terrified of breaking something in my back. I have never (knock on wood) broken a single bone in my body, so I tend to feel that I will be fine. At my last DXA, however, the technian commented on the number of spinal compression fractures she sees on a daily basis and said how much pain the people were in. She said, "you don't want to end up in a wheelchair, or worse, paralyzed." That was a come-to-Jesus moment for me. I decided to go ahead with Evenity while keeping all of my fingers and toes crossed.

Wish me luck as I wish you luck. I hope you find the treatment that works for you. For my part, it's too late. A -3.4 score on my spine says that no amount of calcium/Vitamin D/K2 is going to rescue me from this condition.

Best regards,

Wilkenlmw