Bone Coach - How do you know it works?

Posted by sheilad1 @sheilad1, Dec 13, 2022

I have seen several people here joined Bone Coach. How do you know your osteoperosis is better. The testimonials talk about general health improving which adherence to any healthy diet may have done the same.
There is no science shown. It's pricey but worth it if it works.

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

@mlwh

BoneCoach testing goes way beyond a basic metabolic panel and CBC along with DEXA, which is where my doctor’s cooperation ended. It’s their (BC) proprietary info and intellectual property, and not for me to share. But I suspect most PCP’s would balk. There is a $2500+ BoneCoach program that may include all that testing. I wasn’t willing to bet that much.

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Did the $2500 package include a trabecular bone score test? That's one thing I would really like to know in my situation- how strong is my bone architecture.

Seems like a dexa scan should include that TBS analysis. Then we shouldn't have to pay too much extra for that as I understand it can be done at the same time as they do the bone density scan period IF software is installed.

I assume the reason most imaging centers don't include the TBS is because that software is an added extra purchase cost on their side.

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@runner12

Did the $2500 package include a trabecular bone score test? That's one thing I would really like to know in my situation- how strong is my bone architecture.

Seems like a dexa scan should include that TBS analysis. Then we shouldn't have to pay too much extra for that as I understand it can be done at the same time as they do the bone density scan period IF software is installed.

I assume the reason most imaging centers don't include the TBS is because that software is an added extra purchase cost on their side.

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Are those tests adding to the success of the treatment and how?

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@runner12

I was recently diagnosed with Osteopenia/Osteoporosis...depending if you go with the Holologic or GE Lunar analysis. Now that's based on science right? Data collected analyzed and spit out with a BMD/t-score defining your bone health...to a CERTAIN extent. It's one of the things that guy Kevin the Bone Coach talks about. Bone Health with just a Dexa scan doesn't reveal the whole picture as manytimes it doesn't include a TBS (Trabecular Bone Score) which gives a more complete picture adding the element of your bone's micro architecture. He touches on a lot of other components missing in the final analysis he thinks should be considered before treatment.

In general his assessment of most doctors assessment of osteoporosis with patients comes down to: you've been diagnosed with osteopenia or osteoporosis take this medication take these supplements follow these exercise guidelines et cetera.

He's right that most doctors want to use the one solution fits everybody instead of delving more deeply into the causes of bone loss which would require more testing if they're even available, taking time to treat each patient as an individual and getting to know their personal history, circumstances, et cetera. And that seems to apply to just about every other phase of medical treatment right? Doctors are taught a certain protocol and they follow it.

But I still think it is a legitimate criticism if his methods do not include scientific evidence for example before and after treatment proof with dexa scans and trabecular bone scores showing improvement or stability in a certain amount of time is whether it be 3 months half a year or several years.

Seems like most Osteoporosis/Osteopenia patients have to figure things out for themselves and if his approach adds a bit more information to help solve or address the issue, it might be worth a try.

I have started drinking more soy milk something I've really not drank much of before actually nothing. I've also started taking a lot more calcium magnesium vitamin D supplements. And I am exploring the possibility of a PMF whole body mat mainly the Hugo intense which is so freaking expensive like $7000. Anyone else try this Mat with verifiable results improvements with a dexa scan before and after?

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Be careful about taking these things ( those things) you mentioned. It’s not that simple! Our body can be a delicate machine and suppeiments and science is not what you are making it out to be. For example my 12 years of DEXA turned out to be useless. My cervical spine bone was mush. It was quite a surprise! (To everyone!) I was put on calcium as a menopausal woman but then immideately taken off because my calcium was strong and you can’t have too much in your blood it’s dangerous. Too much D is also not good for you and the magnesium can be a problem too. Taking all those supplements can irritate and wreak havoc with your urinary tract as I found out. Now I go for treatments for Interstitial cystitis. Too much vitamin b12 can cause bone loss( I’ve done injections for years!). There are too many patients and too little specialists and the specialists aren’t broad scoped enough for the changing science. They have no time to figure out how we got to our condition - that’s a needle in a haystack for sure. I have an intensive history and it would be a fools errand to figure out why - as far as my doctor is concerned. I might go finds an outside hormone specialist but we’ll see. I have an excellent endocrinologist but he laid down the law yesterday.
I try to be patient. I’ve been thru some seriously damaging medical protocols and we have to look at the good they deliver versus the bad always keeping one eye on the road and one eye open for options and a third eye to use our intuition.
Be careful about spending a lot of money on something. I got totally ripped off once by a chiropractor who had a front page ad on success with back pain to a tune of $6000. Total Charlatan! I felt bad because I borrowed the money from my dad. There a TONS of people out there willing to make money off our misery and we willingly feed their corruption in hopes that if if sounds good enough or is expensive enough or safe enough it might hopefully fix us!

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@loriesco

Be careful about taking these things ( those things) you mentioned. It’s not that simple! Our body can be a delicate machine and suppeiments and science is not what you are making it out to be. For example my 12 years of DEXA turned out to be useless. My cervical spine bone was mush. It was quite a surprise! (To everyone!) I was put on calcium as a menopausal woman but then immideately taken off because my calcium was strong and you can’t have too much in your blood it’s dangerous. Too much D is also not good for you and the magnesium can be a problem too. Taking all those supplements can irritate and wreak havoc with your urinary tract as I found out. Now I go for treatments for Interstitial cystitis. Too much vitamin b12 can cause bone loss( I’ve done injections for years!). There are too many patients and too little specialists and the specialists aren’t broad scoped enough for the changing science. They have no time to figure out how we got to our condition - that’s a needle in a haystack for sure. I have an intensive history and it would be a fools errand to figure out why - as far as my doctor is concerned. I might go finds an outside hormone specialist but we’ll see. I have an excellent endocrinologist but he laid down the law yesterday.
I try to be patient. I’ve been thru some seriously damaging medical protocols and we have to look at the good they deliver versus the bad always keeping one eye on the road and one eye open for options and a third eye to use our intuition.
Be careful about spending a lot of money on something. I got totally ripped off once by a chiropractor who had a front page ad on success with back pain to a tune of $6000. Total Charlatan! I felt bad because I borrowed the money from my dad. There a TONS of people out there willing to make money off our misery and we willingly feed their corruption in hopes that if if sounds good enough or is expensive enough or safe enough it might hopefully fix us!

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Thank you so much for sharing and I'm so sorry you have suffered so much at the hands of these medical protocols that did more damage than good apparently.

And yet that seems to be the case in many of these forums for whatever disease I research. They want to just give me drugs and I've read all the bad side effects those bisphosphonates produce.

Everybody seems to be different and reacts differently to different treatments it's very tiring to have to research and find out by using yourself as a Guinea pig what will work for you. What else can we do?

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@babs10

@tilou, I'm right there with you. I think there are some credible experts but I think many are preying on the vulnerable (us) with magic potions and some of them are extremely expensive program. I have personally decided that some of us have low bone density but good bone quality, some of us have poor bone quality despite having decent bone density and some of us have low bone density and poor bone quality. If you fit into the latter category, I do believe medication is the way to go because the last thing anyone wants to do is fracture. Once that happens, we are all at high risk for more of the same so anabolics are indicated to build the bone. I don't want to take the medications either, and more than that, I don't want to fracture. I'm waiting on some blood test results before I decide on a course of action.

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I don't have osteo yet but osteopina
I'd be nice if Mayo could weigh in here
Interesting to learn that if you have arthritis it can look like osteo on a scan
I am looking for preventative evidence based to avoid medication later

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@runner12

Thank you so much for sharing and I'm so sorry you have suffered so much at the hands of these medical protocols that did more damage than good apparently.

And yet that seems to be the case in many of these forums for whatever disease I research. They want to just give me drugs and I've read all the bad side effects those bisphosphonates produce.

Everybody seems to be different and reacts differently to different treatments it's very tiring to have to research and find out by using yourself as a Guinea pig what will work for you. What else can we do?

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Hugs!

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@runner12

Thank you so much for sharing and I'm so sorry you have suffered so much at the hands of these medical protocols that did more damage than good apparently.

And yet that seems to be the case in many of these forums for whatever disease I research. They want to just give me drugs and I've read all the bad side effects those bisphosphonates produce.

Everybody seems to be different and reacts differently to different treatments it's very tiring to have to research and find out by using yourself as a Guinea pig what will work for you. What else can we do?

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no - not done more harm than good.... its been GOOD and there has been nothing else - or I wouldn't have done it. Its just a trade-off sometimes. WE have to play our own doctor and advocate for ourselves... stay informed with the last medical scholarly advances. Watch the medications we are offered. I always ask for the BEST. and believe me - when I say the government is contracting with crappy cheap meds so everyone can have access! Its nice to give everyone access, but those cheaper drugs always have PROBLEMS. I ask the doctors to write for the prior auths so I can get the BEST medications.
I just broke my wisdom tooth. going for an emergency extraction today. Good thing I am NOT on the bisphosphonates! I am on the Tymlos. I can go ahead with what I need to do. I always inquire if medications have lactose or gluten because I am intolerant. Turns out the cheap ones do. So I get the better medications and avoid gastric issues. Its work, but no one else will do it. We just have to continue talking to each other and the doctors!

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@rarelybees2889

I don't have osteo yet but osteopina
I'd be nice if Mayo could weigh in here
Interesting to learn that if you have arthritis it can look like osteo on a scan
I am looking for preventative evidence based to avoid medication later

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I have osteo that FEELS like RA. Mayo can't weigh in but they do post really nice articles.
Also - can't trust the DEXAs. People need to know they must repeat the same body parts and on the same equipment at the same institutions where they have service. Otherwise, the reads aren't reliable.

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@loriesco

no - not done more harm than good.... its been GOOD and there has been nothing else - or I wouldn't have done it. Its just a trade-off sometimes. WE have to play our own doctor and advocate for ourselves... stay informed with the last medical scholarly advances. Watch the medications we are offered. I always ask for the BEST. and believe me - when I say the government is contracting with crappy cheap meds so everyone can have access! Its nice to give everyone access, but those cheaper drugs always have PROBLEMS. I ask the doctors to write for the prior auths so I can get the BEST medications.
I just broke my wisdom tooth. going for an emergency extraction today. Good thing I am NOT on the bisphosphonates! I am on the Tymlos. I can go ahead with what I need to do. I always inquire if medications have lactose or gluten because I am intolerant. Turns out the cheap ones do. So I get the better medications and avoid gastric issues. Its work, but no one else will do it. We just have to continue talking to each other and the doctors!

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I want tylmos! i was reading about that. No side effects? But cost thousands of dollars?

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@runner12

I want tylmos! i was reading about that. No side effects? But cost thousands of dollars?

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@runner12, each of the medications have known side effects. However, if they are a problem for you - that is another story! I had some side effects, tired, some nausea, some metallic taste on the side of my tongue after injection for an hour, a small headache, some bone ache, and the tummy expansion. Each thing subsided after a few days. I titrated up (2, 4, 6, 8 clicks) and each time I had to adjust but now I seem to be just fine. I also discussed stopping for the months I have to travel in the fall with a physically demanding schedule. In the first month I felt a little untethered, kinda floating, but that has all subsided. I am extremely onboard with this because I think it is targeting my areas of need. I've actually suffered what I think of as bone pain for 25 years in my spine, and it seems to be lessening just a little! The places where I've had bone issues were a bit painful so I figured the medicine was targeting and benefiting areas in need. All around me friends and family are falling and fracturing stuff so I want to keep my independence and not have fractures. My neck (C5) fell apart in the surgeon's hand last summer during surgery. They had no clue because my DEXA scans are so good!
I am on state aid for medical, and Medicare age and have military insurance coverage from my disabled ex husband. so the costs are covered. You should investigate financial support if you need. The pharmaceutical companies always permit applications for financial aid. You should try that. Make a case for your need. I was very lucky to have been on the Tymlos and had my wisdom tooth break over the weekend, and the Tymlos did not interfere with getting the dental work. My regular doctor was ready to pull me off but I said no. (I complain a lot! 😉 I'm glad I stuck with it. You can always change. I notice a lot of people do. So don't be afraid to read, make a decision and go with one, and if you are not good after 3 months change to another working with your doctor. Find a doctor who has experience and knowledge with these medicines. That will be most helpful!
Good luck!

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