Has anyone had a rems bone scan or tbs bone scan?

Hi zaa, I was able to get a REMS scan at Osteostrong Edina, and found it helpful, but neither of my docs is at all interested. It showed a better spine score and slightly worse hip, but the fracture risk was dramatically less than through REMS. Glad I did this!

@mlwh
I have a REMS scheduled next month and like you, neither my rheumatologist nor my primary care has any interest in the results. They are DXA only so I’m doing it for myself.

Same here. I just had the echo light, which is the rems… which showed much better numbers than my DEXA. I just had another DEXA and the numbers were slightly worse, putting me in osteopenia except for my left hip 2.8. I go to my endocrinologist on Tuesday and I will show her my echo light where the hip was 2.3. I asked the technician doing the DEXA if he felt the echo light was more accurate and he said yes because it’s a ultrasound that was his opinion. I have decided I am still not going to go on the medicines like Forteo. I am doing the hormone replacement therapy and will go up to the hundred milligrams for the testosterone pellet. my scores have improved since my previous DEXA with the testosterone, but I have not been on the full dosage recommended. I just don’t want to deal with the side effects of the conventional medicines..forteo. . It is so disheartening because I dread my appointment with the endocrinologist, they will not see outside the box not even recommending supplement, etc. it really makes me question the push from big Pharma …am I alone here? Thank you friends for all your input this site has been a treasure for me. I know everyone is different so I like to look at different opinions and it leads me to study more. Thank you again.

@nme1985
I too have developed some suspicion over the first step being designer drugs. When the Women’s Health Initiative study came out, HRT was tossed as a method of dealing with osteoporosis. The bisphosphinate industry jumped right in to fill the gap. Everyone is coming here at a different place and time in their stage of Osteoporosis. I do believe the training for MD’s is pharmaceuticals since they want the quickest results. If someone is actively fracturing I get using these drugs. The fracturing needs to be stopped! However; a more nuanced approach just makes more sense in the earlier stages. With that said, I realize the nuanced approach takes more time and physicians just don’t have that time. In my area (I think this is common) my doctors see 35-40 patients per day. They are simply overloaded. I would like to look into the testosterone pellets as well. I have heard it is good for both bone and muscle mass. I wish you the best in your bone health journey. Like you stated, this site is invaluable and I have learned so much from the experience of others in all stages of this disease.

We are wise to question, but should remain open-minded. I have had two REMs a year apart, and like others here, my lumbar score is significantly better on the REMs, and my femurs are better on the DXA. The second REMs showed no change in the lumbar (yay) and slight decline in hips, but perhaps not statistically significant. I choose to find reassurance, but realize there just is not enough information yet for doctors to share in that conclusion. I get it, and I am always cautious in the way I present this information to my PCP or endocrinologist. I find that if I come with questions and not preconceived answers, they respond with curiosity rather than defiance. If I state early on that I am open to medication but not yet ready, I find they listen better to my concerns. I make it clear that I take full responsibility for my choice to wait a little longer, and that I value their opinion. I do believe that most doctors want us to be healthy and are worried about fractures. I agree that they just don’t have time to stay current on all of the many pieces involved.

@glojo
I agree with open-minded; but not with automatic compliance. I was on thyroid meds for years until it was decided that I had been misdiagnosed and then taken off of the drug slowly over the span of a year. My thyroid is functioning normally. I was misdiagnosed with COPD (non smoker) during the COVID pandemic and put on an inhaler giving me side effects that made it more difficult to breathe and actually lost my voice. I convinced my GP to give me a referral to UCLA where it was determined I did not have COPD, just severely scarred up lungs from most likely untreated childhood asthma. I am now on the appropriate maintenance inhaler.

When diagnosed with osteoporosis I was given the choice of Tymlos or Prolia. I went with Tymlos; unfortunately I developed hypercalcemia and had to discontinue the treatment after five months. Tymlos is an amazing drug for folks who tolerate it. Now I need to find another path.

I state these instances solely to illustrate that I have over my life time been very open-minded and compliant when a physician prescribed meds. I now go into research mode first. There are constantly new developments and there is no way health care professionals and keep up on all of it with their expansive caseloads.

I believe all of the doctors that treated me over the years had only the best of intentions. It is in no way personal nor a dig at the medical community writ large.

I just know that in the end it is up to me to make informed decisions and hopefully find physicians who will work with me.

Same here. I just had the echo light, which is the rems… which showed much better numbers than my DEXA. I just had another DEXA and the numbers were slightly worse, putting me in osteopenia except for my left hip 2.8. I go to my endocrinologist on Tuesday and I will show her my echo light where the hip was 2.3. I asked the technician doing the DEXA if he felt the echo light was more accurate and he said yes because it’s a ultrasound that was his opinion. I have decided I am still not going to go on the medicines like Forteo. I am doing the hormone replacement therapy and will go up to the hundred milligrams for the testosterone pellet. my scores have improved since my previous DEXA with the testosterone, but I have not been on the full dosage recommended. I just don’t want to deal with the side effects of the conventional medicines..forteo. . It is so disheartening because I dread my appointment with the endocrinologist, they will not see outside the box not even recommending supplement, etc. it really makes me question the push from big Pharma …am I alone here? Thank you friends for all your input this site has been a treasure for me. I know everyone is different so I like to look at different opinions and it leads me to study more. Thank you again.