Wow! I agree that they need to find out if there is a cause before prescribing meds. What do you mean when you said your bone density crashed? I believe you are doung much better now from your response to some other question I posted! When did you get diagnosed initially before starting the meds and what were your numbers? Thanks for sharing.

I had blood tests done to see what toxins were in my system. I have always been a healthy eater and grew up on a dairy farm, but was diagnosed with osteoporosis at age 56. It was hard to find someone to do the tests and I did have to pay for them myself, but I figured I must have heavy metals in my system to have such poor bones. I had been treated for osteoporosis but when I had my hips replaced (4 years apart) both surgeons said that my bones were very small and soft. That sounded more like rickets than osteoporosis. With the second hip replacement my femur tore when they were tapping the joint in and they had to put bands around. So I started asking every doctor who would listen why I had this problem!? Finally I was referred to a specialist who focused on finding what toxins and deficiencies I had. It has to be someone licensed in the field to administer the test. Turns out I have multiple heavy metals in my system, including mercury, lead, chromium and toxic levels of tin. Tin is an ingredient in pesticides and I live in the country where pesticides are sprayed freely on the fields all around us with crop dusting planes. She said that good foods to eat to help eliminate the heavy metals are parsley, cilantro and asparagus. I would like to be re-tested to see if the levels have improved but she is extremely busy and didn't really have time for much follow-up. It is sad that this is not the first thing that doctors do - find out the cause - before just throwing drugs at the problem with no real knowledge of whether or not they will be effective in your situation. I have taken osteo drugs in every category and basically cannot and will not take any more. I took Alendronate and had terrible pain all over my body. So then they recommended Forteo as I had fractured a rib and a vertebrae. I took it every day for two years and at the end of the two years I had multiple breast lumps and malignant melanoma. It seemed more than a coincidence. Also, during this time I had my first hip replacement and though the bone health specialist had told me my bone density was improving, the surgeon who did my hip said my bones were very small and very soft. After I went off of the Forteo, the bone health clinic told me I would have to have Prolea injections every 6 months for an indefinite time period to maintain the bone I had gained on the Forteo. I had terrible side effects, including recurring urinary tract infections, rashes, cracked teeth and pain and weakness in my femurs. So I went off of all drugs and then they told me that my bone density would crash which was a side-effect of going off of the Prolia. I had not been told this before starting the injections. I had those injections for 2 years and when I stopped my bone density did crash.

I'd imagine they can do blood tests.

Hello. I'm just now
finding my Bone Scan Report. It reads :
The patient has osteoporosis, based on the Total Spine T-Score . No significant bone loss was observed.
Kind of still do t understand, but next Dexi Scan I'm going to ask more questions. BLESSING Debbie

Here in Canada, we call it 'A bone density scan'!