Significant osteoporosis: I need a bone plan

Are you post-menopausal? If so the reference range might be higher-? With those high values it would seem you need medication! I was between a rock and a hard place for 14 years unable to take meds but with worsening DEXA scores and finally fractures. I finally found a doc who works well with me and as I said, starting low dose helped. It is easier to do that with Tymlos than Forteo because the pen has clicks. Even if you could do 4 clicks (half dose) it would help.

Has anyone checked your parathyroid? The Inspire forum for osteoporosis has a lot of info on that. A small tumor there could explain the high calcium. It can cause osteoporosis. People on Inspire go to a certain center (sorry can't remember) that is good with this and have the tumor removed. Your calcium was pretty darn high. How much were you taking in on Tymlos? I only take 800mg supplements and no dairy and am still in normal range.

@lorkay Since Sept. I have now progressed to 7 clicks with very few side effects. Will try for 8 and be at full dose if I do not have any problems. But they say staying at 6 & 7 clicks is a good dosage to build bone.
What did you decide to try? And how are you doing? I hope the results are great for you. Keep in touch and stay safe and well. KLH

I'm in my 5th month on Forteo. Side effects have been minimal and went away long ago.

Does anyone have some more feedback on reclast the once a year infusion?

I am interested in Reclast also. May have to switch from Prolia.

Wow, I feel like I'm following you down the same rabbit hole! After being diagnosed recently with osteoporosis, among the many studies I've dug up are:

* Is bone mineral density predictive of fracture risk reduction?
<at nih gov site>
and
* Bone microarchitecture assessed by TBS predicts osteoporotic fractures independent of
bone density: The manitoba study
<at asbmr online library>

If I'm interpreting that latter study right, a TBS score is, or at least *can* be "derived" from a *prior* DXA scan. Search on the word "derived" and see what you come up with as far as interpreting this. Studies are so hard to interpret! I want at least a CliffNotes Version Conclusions section. 🙂 What this study concluded as far as the *helpfulness* of TBS scores, at least in this particular study, is even fuzzier to me than whether a TBS score can be figured *after the fact* (= after a DXA scan, then taken from the DXA scan figures/images).

I had also seen the article you're referencing, called "A Meta-Analysis of Trabecular Bone Score in Fracture Risk Prediction and Its Relationship to FRAX" from a Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (JBMR) -- Vol. 31, No. 5, May 2016, pp 940–948a. I got it from Sara Meeks, a physical therapist who has many videos on YouTube and is quite an exercise/physical therapy expert. That study says: "When additionally adjusted for FRAX 10-year probability of major osteoporotic fracture, TBS remained a significant, independent predictor for fracture."

I am a 60 year old female post menopausal who started on Reclast in February. The plan is yearly injection. So far only side effect is constipation.
My Doc and I sat down and went through the osteo drug list of options and this appeared the one that checked the boxes for me and my health situation.

Good luck with your choices. We are so lucky to have so many options!

Hi @catluvr999, I found also out about TBS from Sara Meeks.
GE sells equipment for the TBS that is added to the equipment used for the dexascan. I read Medicare just approved the payment of cost for TBS. Maybe those scans will become more common and easier to get.
I also found this
https://www.medimapsgroup.com/download/
You can download the link for more information about TBS.
There was also a site I found, I think by googling, "can I get a TBS in my state" that did a search of places I could get one. . That group (medimaps) sent me the link above. TBS are available on a neighbor island. I haven't pursued that yet.
In addition to a whole body vibration exercise plate, I just found Dr. Fishman's "12 Poses vs Osteoporosis" You can google that and read up on his research at sciataca.org.
My husband broke his hip three and a half months ago and I've been doing the exercises with him daily. We just had an outpatient assessment with a Physical Therapist and he's made great progress. So here's hoping it helped my bones too!
I hope you can find a TBS facility near you.

Hi. Thanks for posting back.😆 After reading your info I signed up on that medimaps group site and asked for where in my city I can possibly get a DXA that includes a tbs score. Will see if they respond. I've also nabbed the YouTube link for the 12 yoga poses. Will be sure to ask my upcoming endocrinologist about making my next DXA a DXA-TBS. Dunno yet if the TBS only brings bad news or might tell us, in essence, that "your DXA shows osteoporosis but your tbs negates the risk." I'm holding out hope for that. Thanks again.

Hi @catluvr99, it took a couple of days for the Medimaps group to respond, but they did. I think the study of TBS I read showed that 30% of the study participants who were diagnosed did not have osteoporosis. I got my diagnosis Of osteoporosis after a year of being sidelined from strength training because of an autoimmune disorder that made it impossible to move without excruciating pain. Prior to COVID, I was doing Judo, taking hard falls and doing many of the moves and exercises that can cause spinal fractures. So I secretly think I don't have it, but I follow all the protocols anyway just in case I do.
I hope you have success in your quest for a TBS.