Treating Osteoporosis: What works for you?

Baking soda worked great for me so far. I first took it daily for 3 days. Then didn't seem to need it for another week. Now I take it 'as needed' but that's currently averaging once every few weeks or so. I seemed to have to take the prescription drugs with increasing, not decreasing frequency so that's good news. It might not be a cure for really serious GERD or something but I'm not sure any of the GERD drugs are either.

@toni7 sorry I thought your worse score was -2.5. I never get more than one score for the spine (lumbar). What is the -3.5 for? And by "neck" do you mean lumbar neck?

If insurance pays or if you qualify for their assistance, Tymlos or Forteo might be a good approach. You can ask your doctor,

I just read that Pepcid and Zantac have less of an impact on nutritive absorption and therefore bones. And baking soda may work! I don't know about that approach 🙂

Good morning @toni7 .......you are right where I was 3 years ago. I had the same questions. I learned a lot about Tymlos and Forteo by visiting the websites. Both producers have phone numbers you can call and talk to a medical professional. I found that to be helpful. They also have access to the research staff and can get some of those important questions answered at the source. Here is the number for Amgen which produces Evenity and Prolia. 800 772 6536.

I know that we worry about biased responses because of the relationship with the producer. I never felt that......in my conversations with these folks. And they acknowledged and handled "negative" inquiries well.

So you have experienced doctors who don't like questions. I prepared a list of 14 questions for my appointment today with the Urology surgeon I will have next week for bladder sling surgery. She requested this extra pre-surgery meeting so I hope it is positive and helpful.

I will look for your new information after your appointment with the endocrinologist. Thanks for staying in touch. Your contributions are helpful to so many members.

May you be safe, protected and free from inner and outer harm.
Chris

Hi there.......thanks for your response and important message. I want to respond to your inquiry about daily injection options. I did choose Tymlos and daily injections were part of my morning routine for two years. I had no side effects or issues at all. The Dexa scores that were -3 were from my wrist which I have now been told are not used in determining the level of osteoporosis in my body. So I have been concentrating on the hip scores.

Does that make sense to you?

May you have contentment and ease.
Chris

I ordered the book, "Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis" and will be picking it up today from the bookstore. I can't wait to read it and thank you for recommending it to me. My score of -2.5 is for the hip ... that's not the worst. My concern is the spine ... which reads, -2.8 to -3.5. Neck is --3.2
Do you think it's serious enough to start taking medication or should I continue with exercise, vitamins and diet?
I appreciate your help,
Toni

@toni7 Tymlos and Forteo build bone but do not significantly affect resorption. You can google them for a complete explanation of how they work. They work through the parathyroid pathway.

A score of -2.5 is right on the line. It is a personal decision but I would not medicate yet,myself. Look at Lani Simpson MD's Facebook group or pick up a copy pf Keith McCormick's book "Whole Body Approach to Osteoporosis."

My appointment is scheduled for August 16th. I have a question ... I posted my question this morning only I don't see it. It's possible I posted on Bones, Joints and Muscles or other places. I don't quite understand how Forteo and Tymlos work. Do these drugs build new bones while breaking down old bones? Or do they build new bones alongside the old bones? Or do they simply make the old bones stronger and more dense?
I do always have a list of questions with me. Needless to say, not all doctors like it. My previous endocrinologist did not like it, he briefly nodded yes or no to one or two questions, then walked out. Whereas my primary physician loves and encourages me to do that. I will post my experience with this new endocrinologist ... I pray he will walk me thru the right path. Thank you for your response.
Have a fantastic day,
Toni

Hello,
I just joined this group. I am interested in the various ways of treating Osteoporosis without taking the medications. Is that possible? I am 68 and had a DEXA scan with a T-Score of -2.5 in the Spine L1-L4. All my other scores (hip, neck) were not great but better than that. I know that gives me a diagnosis of osteoporosis because it hits the -2.5 mark. Has anyone been able to improve their T-scores without taking the usual prescribed medications?

Chris, am I correct in assuming that Hologic uses gm/cm² bone density as the unit of measurement and the standard T-zone scald? If so, aren't you in the osteopenic, not osteoporotic, range when looking at lumbar and femur neck numbers? If so, do you need to be taking any meds at the moment or do you need to continue on them because you were (incorrectly) put on them earlier when a doctor used your wrist bone density as the deciding variable?