Treating Osteoporosis: What works for you?

Thanks, @windyshores. Mine was an older post and I've read what you've since posted about the strontium question and haven't added any to my regime. I'm staying with the trifrcta of calcium/D3/K2 and working on better diet. I read a study questioning whether osteoporosis is really understood as it looked at patients with multiple compression fractures but good DEXA scores and those with poor DEXA scores but yet oddly strong bones with no fracture history. Therefore suggesting, as structural engineers might, that the science needs to relook at bone attributes and inherent strength. The analogy was to the many variables that can make cement, or steel, hard or dense, but weak, versus lighter, less dense material that can absorb and transmit shock or load without damage (e.g., bamboo). For Mr, I'm staying with the trifecta of calcium/D3/K2 and hoping that organically-grown fruits and vegetables I've increased in diet will absorb the trace minerals we need.

Strontium throws off the DEXA because it is heavier (denser) than calcium and replaces it in the bones. I have posted on this before. It is well known. Forums like Inspire also have folks posting about the improvements on strontium and the doc there informs people why it can affect DEXA.

That said, strontium ranelate, which was by prescription in Europe/UK, was used for osteoporosis when a patient could not tolerate anything else. It is no longer available or approved because of clot and cardiovascular risk.

Strontium citrate is sold in supplements in the US and is over the counter. As I wrote before, several companies have stopped selling it (Dr.'s Best is one) and the amounts in some supplements is negligible. The dose suggested for bones was 680mg.

If strontium does work, it works slowly so may not be appropriate for some of us anyway.

Noone seems to know if the citrate has the same risks as the ranelate.

I took strontium on my own 15 years ago, before it was taken off the market. Only because I could not tolerate any of the other meds (Tymlos did not exist yet). I would not take it now.

@annevan @windyshores I am like both of you. I was going through life doing what I wanted to do until I started to realize that I had suffered some breaks over a three year period. First a wrist, then a collarbone, then a toe, then another bone in my foot. All except the last resulted from fairly serious impacts during sports or play but - still - I'd never broken parts of my body before, so all of these within a few years seemed very unusual. I knew I was at risk for osteoporosis due to family history and early onset menopause and I'd been watching my bone density for decades. I had another test in 2022 and sure enough, I'd entered the osteoporosis range. That woke me up to the fact that my recent broken bones are probably related to a loss of bone density. I have a good doctor, who patiently went through everything with me and as a result I just started taking Tymlos about a week ago. So far, it is ok. I don't like giving myself a shot everyday, but it's not painful and it will hopefully turn into part of my nightly routine given time. If there are others who are on Tymlos, especially close to the start of their course of treatment, I'd be happy to compare notes and/or commiserate as appropriate.

I'll research the strontium question further. So far I'm reading the osteopenia3.com website as this woman swears she reversed osteoporosis as have others. I spoke with her and she's a retired professor of philosophy from a Catholic college and not selling anyhing just sharing what she did. I think some of its dated but I liked the page about some of the factors contributing to osteoporosis.

@annevan I think you have brought up an interesting problem. Osteoporosis, at least we are told, does not hurt, nor does it restrict movement. This lessens motivation to treat it with meds. Before my fractures I was doing strenuous sword tai chi and feeling like an athlete. All it took was one unfortunate movement and I had three painful lumbar fractures.

It's kind of Russian roulette. Eventually I realized I could no longer count on luck!

Hi @callalloo, I'm on the fence about strontium. I don't take it because I've read so much conflicting information about it and I don't know what to believe. It's supposed to improve bone density, but I've read that it tricks the dexa scan. I should ask my rheumatologist if he has any patients who are taking it and what their results are. I also take biotin and silica. Maybe members of Connect who are taking strontium can share their experiences.

Teri, are you taking strontium? If so, which form. I recently read some studies about the importance of ortisilicic acid to bones so added Bio-Sil to my regime. I don't know for sure that it'll help bones but the stylist at local hair salon swears by it for healthy strong hair. Maybe it'll help me grow fingernails wee as nothing else ever has including the biotin and zinc taken faithfully.

Before you took Forteo, were you on other Osteoporosis medicines such as Fosamax or Reclast? The reason I asked is that I have heard that prior use of those medicines may decrease the effectiveness of Forteo.

I had good results from Forteo. Suffered no side effects. After two years had 12% increase in spine and 5% in hips. Good luck!

I had good results from Forteo. Suffered no side effects. After two years had 12% increase in spine and 5% in hips. Good luck!