1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Treating Osteoporosis: What works for you?

Posted by heritage1955 @heritage1955, Apr 1, 2016

Hi. I'm new to the site and am interested in treating osteoperosis. I'm 39 yo and recently had a bone density that showed I'm at -2.4. So, going through the intial "I can't believe it" stuff. 🙂

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

jocelynes | @jocelynes | Jun 2, 2022
In reply to @artscaping "Good afternoon @jocelynes, welcome to this amazing group of patients, caregivers, and mentors. We believe that..." + (show)
@artscaping

Good afternoon @jocelynes, welcome to this amazing group of patients, caregivers, and mentors. We believe that knowledge is power, Sharing knowledge on Connect helps so many folks who are looking for assistance with understanding and treating medical conditions.

You asked about Forteo and Tymlos. Perhaps I can help with Tymlos. I did the daily injections for two years. I had no side effects after the first week or so when I was a little dismayed about how to manage the treatment process. I chose Tymlos over Forteo because I was traveling quite a bit at the time and I didn't want to deal with the refrigeration requirement.

At the end of two years.....my DEXA scan showed that in some areas my prior osteoporosis had declined to osteopenia. Other areas had stabilized.

Do you have any other specific inquiries? Just let me know.

May you be content and at ease.
Chris

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Thank you Chris for your help. It does put my mind at peace to hear that others have used these medications. I also do travel quite a bit and was leaning towards Tymlos.

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windyshores | @windyshores | Jun 3, 2022

I prefer Tymlos because the pen has 8 clicks, and you can start with 2 or 4 clicks if you have side effects with a full dose. I started with 2 and slowly ramped up, and have been on 7 clicks for 8 months. My doc was happy with 6.

With Forteo, only a full dose is possible. I tried to get on it years ago but could not tolerate it. But that's me.

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mariegroh | @mariegroh | Jun 3, 2022
In reply to @jocelynes "Hello, I am new to this group. I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis and given a choice..." + (show)
@jocelynes

Hello,
I am new to this group. I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis and given a choice to go on either Forteo or Tymlos medication. I would be interested to hear anyone's experience with these two different medication and which one is the most natural out of the two choices that I have been given. Thank you!

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https://www.endocrinologyadvisor.com/home/topics/bone-metabolism/anti-osteoporosis-medications-have-varying-effects-after-spinal-fracture/
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lioness | @lioness | Jun 3, 2022
In reply to @arielneva "@annevan @windyshores I am like both of you. I was going through life doing what I..." + (show)
@arielneva

@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.

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@windyshores I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis several years ago .The Dr started me on Relast infusion it's once a year also told me to take calcium and Vit D3 I take a product Bone Support it has both also Vit K Strontium and my last d.scan showed improvement so I'm happy about this .

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2 replies
arielneva | @arielneva | Jun 3, 2022
In reply to @lioness "@windyshores I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis several years ago .The Dr started me on Relast infusion..." + (show)
@lioness

@windyshores I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis several years ago .The Dr started me on Relast infusion it's once a year also told me to take calcium and Vit D3 I take a product Bone Support it has both also Vit K Strontium and my last d.scan showed improvement so I'm happy about this .

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That is good news! I am happy to hear that you are seeing improvement.

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egrolman | @egrolman | Jun 3, 2022
In reply to @jocelynes "Hello, I am new to this group. I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis and given a choice..." + (show)
@jocelynes

Hello,
I am new to this group. I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis and given a choice to go on either Forteo or Tymlos medication. I would be interested to hear anyone's experience with these two different medication and which one is the most natural out of the two choices that I have been given. Thank you!

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I’m close to finishing up my 2nd and last year on Forteo. No side effects at all. Year one scan showed improvement in most areas; am hopeful for the same in the upcoming DEXA in July. Highly recommend Forteo.

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1 reply
windyshores | @windyshores | Jun 4, 2022
In reply to @lioness "@windyshores I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis several years ago .The Dr started me on Relast infusion..." + (show)
@lioness

@windyshores I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis several years ago .The Dr started me on Relast infusion it's once a year also told me to take calcium and Vit D3 I take a product Bone Support it has both also Vit K Strontium and my last d.scan showed improvement so I'm happy about this .

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Total Bone Support if that is what you are taking has 500mg strontium. The therapeutic dose was 680mg but 500 is a considerable amount, and will make your DEXA scan look like your bones are better than they are. In other words, that amount of strontium throws off your DEXA. Strontium replaces calcium in the bone and is denser by nature, so the DEXA looks denser. Sorry but this is a well-known factor in what looks like improvement.

That said, you may have some improvement from the Reclast and even the strontium: you just cannot tell.

Europe/UK no longer approve the ranelate form of strontium due to clots/cardiovascular risks. Some US companies have stopped making the citrate form.

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1 reply
bee1950 | @bee1950 | Jun 4, 2022
In reply to @egrolman "I’m close to finishing up my 2nd and last year on Forteo. No side effects at..." + (show)
@egrolman

I’m close to finishing up my 2nd and last year on Forteo. No side effects at all. Year one scan showed improvement in most areas; am hopeful for the same in the upcoming DEXA in July. Highly recommend Forteo.

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I began Forteo in March & so far no side effects. An endocrinologist first recommended Forteo 17 yrs. ago when I was 55. I tried the other recommended meds at that time, as well as diet & exercise to build bone, but my osteoporosis continued to worsen. I hope you find a medication that you feel comfortable with & that is effective for you!

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hlp123 | @hlp123 | Jun 6, 2022
In reply to @callalloo "Thanks, @windyshores. Mine was an older post and I've read what you've since posted about the..." + (show)
@callalloo

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.

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Thank you so much for your information.
Would you be willing to give us an amount of each of the members of the trifecta. How much calcium/D3/K2 per each day should we take ? I am not on a plant based diet and hope to eventually get off of all of the Osteoporosis medications. Also, has anyone read "The Whole Body Approach to Oseoporoses" book? If so, I would love to know if I should purchase it, if it was helpful
Thank you !

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callalloo | @callalloo | Jun 6, 2022

I'm no expert at all on osteopenia/osteoporosis but have been taking the Alive! Bone Support (formerly called Bone Formula) for several years after buying it for a friend healing from a broken neck. A DEXA last year was almost identical to one six years earlier so it's probably helping. After comparing the two DEXAs, my PCP stopped recommending I consider taking Fosamax at least.

The 4-tablet dose contains 1300 mg calcium from red algae, 100 mg vitamin D3, 150 mg vitamin K2 and magnesium and some fruit, vegetable and greens stuff and an insignificant 9 mg of strontium also from the red algae.

I also take orthosilicic acid because a few studies I read noted its role in bone renewal (brand name Bio-Sil) and Biotin Forte (3,000 mcg biotin and 30 mg zinc). The latter two also help hair, skin and nails in theory. I have thick hair that seems to be growing faster since adding the Bio-Sil. I'm not sure that that's a desired side effect but it's interesting. And, to me, is a reminder that the body's innate propensity is to regenerate when the environment supports it in ways we don't yet fully understand.

But again I'm no expert about this stuff. Am just taking stuff that peer-reviewed studies suggest are important in bone health and renewal.

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