A bone density scan gives you a T-score that helps determine whether you’re at risk for fractures. A T-score compares your bone density to the bone density of a healthy, young adult woman. A T-score of -2.5 or lower is defined as osteoporosis. The lower the score, the greater your fracture risk can be.

Osteoporosis Bone Density (risk of Fracture) Osteopenia Normal Bone Density

(-4.0 -3.5 -30 -2.5) -2.0 -1.5 (-1.0 -0.5 0 0.5 1.0)

At Azalia Clinic: My Wrist (said spine would be same as wrist) -4.4; Hip: -1.4. Told me I had extreme, dangerous osteoporosis and was in danger of spine collapsing. Took me right to an exam room and told me all about getting in the Forteo program and scheduled me for a class the following week. Told me no lifting, no housework, no bending, no twisting, no climbing stairs, etc. Scared me to death! Forteo would cost $900 a month and could have many and serious side effects. I left in a daze which did not go away for a couple of days.

At Trinity Health System: Spine: 1.3: above normal!! Hip: -1.2. Ostopenia, mild. Femur: -.09. Normal. These were in line with my bone scan in 2010.

Quite a significant difference! Even if we do have to pay for the follow-up scan. It is worth it!

MY ADVICE: DO NOT GO TO AZALEA CLINIC FOR BONE SCANS!!!!

I am thanking the Lord for the test results. Do not blindly accept bad results. Investigate further. If your heart is telling you something is not right, follow up. It just might be the Holy Spirit talking to you. At the least, it is the innate wisdom God gave you. Don’t let anyone push you into an extreme situation without first sitting back, thinking rationally and investigating further. Go to your primary care doctor and work with him or her. I have since found out that this same exact thing happened to one of my friends. Same place and same results!! Both referred by an Azelea surgeon. She also had mild osteopenia when tested further by her primary care physician.

I appreciate all the prayers you prayed for me. They certainly helped. Now I am upping my Vitamin D which was quite low, cutting out diet colas which are not good for bones, and eating more calcium, taking my calcium with meals, and walking and mild weight lifting (starting off slow and eas

continuation- I gave a BIG NO to the Doctor who try to convince me to take Fosamax wit the argument that woman have less fractures since the drug is in the market . I said to him : give me a natural way by which my body can repair my bones and I will do, as I was living he told me to use the way lifting of 3 lbs and to walk up the hill with a back pack wit way .
about the milk , have intolerance but I would like to know , the information about milk is done using raw milk , produced by caws raise the natural way feed with grass w/o pesticides , free of hormones , reciving plenty of sun , drinking clean natural water , fed also salt an molasses ???? that is the way our milk was in my south american countries before I came here . where I used Alta Dena raw milk until the FDA forced to put something in it then my intolerance began .

I have done Reclast 2 years now,had very bad side affects,my legs would hurt unbearable,to the point I would have to stop in walking.i recommend taking calcium with maginesium,if you think about a drug that is so strong that it last a year.i would read more about this drug before injecting this in my body.I wished I had read all the reviews before I had this done.most of the time the Dr’s really haven’t done research on some of the drugs there prescribing.please do your homework,before you inject Reclast in your body.

I refused the drugs except Forteo which really helped my spine and releived pain, 2 years. I follow Dr. Ronald Hoffman’s bone building protocol, brilliant holistic doctor, follow his salmon and salad diet, thanks.

I was told this and refused to take the drugs. Did everything naturally. Im a raw food eater. Im 63 and work in a paint shop picking up 10l pales of paint and mixing the colours all day long for retail and trade customers> A bit scary based on Drs coments. My bone density has not changed in 3 years. But they do try and put you on drugs and change your diet.

No, my doctor does not use “scare tactics”, at least not for bone density. He always recommends calcium supplementation with vitamin D3, and told me I was not a candidate for any osteoporosis drugs like Actonel, Foxamax, Boniva, Forteo, or Reclast, as he knows my system would not tolerate these drugs. Also, I have a recurrent duodenal ulcer that contraindicates those drugs, which are also hard on the stomach. What’s really scary about them is the rotting jaw syndrome which has been reported and confirmed. He does have me on calcitonin, in the form of a nasal spray, and totally bypasses the digestive system. He is neither pro nor con about strontium, which I take alternately with calcium (One day on calcium and the next on strontium, since they cannot be used concurrently at the same time. He also recommends weight-bearing exercises. So I feel he is on the right track, and since he has been our family physician for years, I trust his expertise.

A Very reassuring artile sine I have been doing these things for years. I do get very angry at doctors who advocate milk. i wlaways thought it was pure poison and refused to drink it in school. They didn’t like that at all, until I learned the word “allergic” which wasn’t rue of course. Thank you so much for informing people aout this. I guess I am lucky that my own research has reached the same conclusions and that I did have osteoporosid ( could feel the softness in my bones. Burt they are strong now. I am 71 years old.

It’s nice that you are so thorough explaining the acid/base diet. But you don’t say much about other natural approaches. Do you have any comments about vitamin K2 or natto?

this is exactly what happened to me and after about 10 yrs on fosamax i now have femur fxs–now the new dr wants to put me on forteo, i tried it for 3 mos and went off it against the drs wishes-side effect of that one is possible bone cancer!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i will now take me chances. the drs are supposed to help you but so far i am out of luck— thanks for letting me comment–no more osteoporosis meds for me

Funny that I read the same scare tactic my primary doc. used on me this week, regarding my bone densinty test. Was told I need to take the med. to correct problem. Going to a Rumatolagist Dec. 1st. Sorry unable to spell name of med. doc.

I AM 71 WAS ON FOSOMAX FOR 4 YEARS;ASKED MY DR IF I COULD TAKE A HOLIDAY, FIRST HE SAID YES, THEN HIS NURSE CALL AND SAID, NO AS MY T SCORES 3-1 HAD COME BACK WORSE THAN WHEN i STARTED ON THE FOSOMAX’ I STOPPED IT MYSELF. AND ASKED TO SEE AN ENDOCRONOLIGIST,I KEPT MY APPOINTMENT SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT MY CONCERNS AND HE AGREED TO TAKE ME OFF IT,AND DO ANOTHER SCAN IN ONE YEAR. TOLD HIM ABOUT SAVE OUR BONES AND THAT I HAD CHANGED MY DIET FOR THE BETTER, CALCIUM 1500MG. D3 5000MG. MAGNESIUM 500 MG,THESE ALL DAILY, PLUS MULTI VITAMIN.GO TO CURVES AND WALK THREE TIMES A WEEK.HE WAS VERY PLEASED TO HEAR THIS,IT FEEL SO GOOD TO TALK WITH A DR THAT LISTENS AND WONT PUSH MEDICATIONS ON YOU,HE SAID I WAS DOING ALL THE RIGHT THING,SO I;M GOING TO WORK REALLY HARD

Astronauts lose bone density in space. Look at how healthy and fit they are before they climb into the “ship.” When they get back, they have to rebuild their bones…we should all have that information.
I took myacalcin for years and my t-scores were worse every time. I took reclast last spring and have vowed that I will do everything to avoid taking any more of the bis-phosphanates. Also, I had breast cancer before I learned about ph. and then I learned that a slightly alkaline ph might have protected me from cancer. I had to beg my doc for a Vitamin D test, the results came back at 25, he said to take a supplement… hmmm. I then found out that the reason I didn’t have good bones was that I hadn’t ever taken a D3 supplement! A year later I learned of the breast cancer and the need for a D3 level of 70 – 90 if you have had a serious health challenge. Some doctor!

Vivian, I’m so happy you are on the internet. I sent the information to my daughter “Terri Morrison” to look up & read. She has two daughters, 19-25 and I wanted them to start eating and drinking the right foods too. Because I’m only on Social Security and can’t afford your book. I was pleasently suprised when Terri said, “You will receive the book in about a week”. Needless to say I will read every word. My bone density is -3.2 due to a 2003 accident & compplications, loss of appetite, energy etc.

i enjoy learning new things and discovering that there is so much one can do to prevent your bones getting weak. thank you

I have osteoporosis, which I had reversed through diet, supplementation, pro-gest cream, and exercise. My scores went from -3.4 to -2.5.Life was good and then I suddenly became ill and a year later I had breast cancer. Now I am cancer free but I take arimidex to suppress estrogen. This drug also increases bone loss and gives joint pain. My osteo scores have gone to -2.8, primarily because of 2 years with little exercise. Now my onc wants me to take fosamax or boniva, but I am concerned about the side effests. Oh, did I also mention that I have dental and chronic back problems. It is all very overwhelming. I have increased my VIt D, take stronthium and tissue salts, plus calcium and other vitamins.I take daily walks, and have begun to lift small weights.I eat mostly organic foods. What else can I do?

Yes, I had one doc do this scare thing. Then I went to a very experienced endocrinologist who said I was the third one in his office today with a bad T-score and he said they got all new DEXA bone density machines in our area and they are giving false info. He said I do not need any of those bone meds, he agrees with your research, and he is going to just run some blood and urine tests to be sure my magnesium, Vit K, Vit D, calcium and so on are in balance. Then he is going to help me find out my estrogen levels and in a few years taper to a bit lower amount to where I don’t have hot flashes, yet he said forever just wear that tapered amount of transdermal estrogen patch. So I finally found a doc who believes in a natural approach to bone preservation and he agreed that the Fosomax, etc is bad because like you say it stops bone regeneration and it prevents new healthy bone from being produced as is natural to our bodies. He also said that once people get labelled osteoporosis it can interfere with them getting long term care health insurance so he told me to get no more bone density scans as my spine is -2.4 and – 2.5 is the osteoporosis label. So know that there are some docs out there that are totally with you. Rosemary

No, no one never has. Even though I will be 86 next month I have never had osteoporosis or
osteopenia. I do have a bad back but other than that three doctors, on looking at my x-rays and other tests (blood pressure, heart, etc,) have said I was a lot healthier than they were.

I am a vegetarian and have been since I was 18 and eat lots of fruits and vegetables, no dairy of any kind (use soy products instead)–and I do come from a long-lived family. My great grandfather lived to be 113 and managed his large farm until about two years before he died.

Both my dad and grandmother were well unto their 90’s when they died and both were alert and had good lives until a couple of years before they died (Dad more so than my grandmother.) I guess they passed their good genes on to me. God has been very good to me and I am grateful.

I would like sample daily menus (just a few) am so confused on the acid/alkaline diet. I cut out many things I had normally been eating but not sure if I am doing every thing correctly or not. Lots of veggies, very little meat and no dairy and lots of fruit. I do have the book! Guess I need to be spoon fed a little more info.

Hello Vivian-

Thought I’d share this bit of my Fosamax/Actonel history:

I had breast cancer in 1991 at age 44, followed by radiation and chemotherapy, which put me into early menopause. The doctors did not mention how this might affect my bone health or prescribe any change to my nutrition. Around 1995 I read a Reader’s Digest article that mentioned bone loss in women after menopause and how we should have a bone density test. I mentioned it to my doctor, got a test, and yes, it showed the beginnings of bone loss…so, he prescribed Fosamax, which I took until 2006, when I moved and changed doctors. Eleven years of Fosamax! The new health provider, a nurse practitioner, wanted me to start on Bonavita, but on learning I had had breast cancer, switched me to Actonel.(She was also a trainer for the Bonavita company, holding evening classes to explain how to do the injections. She must have been getting paid to do that, so it would be to her benefit to want to prescribe it.) When I changed doctors again, the new one took me off Actonel immediately; he knew that bisphosphonates where not to be taken for so long. However…another problem came up, which I will explain further on.

My dentist was the first person to alert me to the possible dangers of long-term Fosamax use. While I had read about the possibility of people getting necrosis of the jaw from dental work, I wasn’t too worried, since the reports were concerning people who had received the drug in much higher doses, intravenously. However, when I a discussed it with a dental surgeon when my dentist thought I should have a troublesome wisdom tooth extracted, he said I should hold off on an extraction for as long as possible unless it absolutely had to come out, even though the chances were slim that I’d have a problem.

About the physician who took me off Actonel: I know he was right about it. However, he doesn’t seem to understand osteoporosis and other drugs, or else I don’t. At my first visit, I told him my health history and showed him all my bone density scan results. Yes, he saw the diagnosis of osteopenia and osteoporosis, and asked about my diet, exercise, vitamin D levels, and ordered blood and urine tests. Then we discussed my new problem of exercise-induced asthma. I had been prescribed an inhaler by the previous nurse practioner, but he wanted me to add another drug, Pulmacort. I am now in the habit of checking drugs on-line for warnings and adverse reactions about prescriptions…and what did I find? The first warning was that people with osteoporosis should not use that drug! Why did he prescribe it???

I am glad to receive your reports to help me sort out all the conflicting information about bone health. I have hope now that I will be able to have meaningful discussions with my health providers about my body, and also to present some alternatives to address my situation. Thanks for all you do. I’m not a medical researcher, and it’s hard to make sense of all the reports and medical news. Thanks for your work in clarifying the very murky waters and presenting things in a way us “ordinary people” can understand.

Yes I have had Dr.s tell me this. I commented awhile ago that I took Fozamax about 4 years and got worse, though I seemed to improve with Forteo. Now they want me to take Reclast,( I canceled my apointment) and ordered Vivian’s book. What I would like to know is what calcium is best to take as some of them do not help me. I Found a new one Elemental Calcium from Microcrystalline Hydroxyapatite. What do you know about this Calcium, is it worth taking, or will you diet provide what I need? Thanks for your help.

I broke my tibla in 08 they put the usual metal in my knee now they say that i have to have a new knee in because i have 0stherits in my knee .Would your book help me in any way?
thank you
BETTY.

After being treated for breast cancer with a mastectomy followed by chemo 7 1/2 years ago I was given a bone density test which revealed that I had osteoporosis. Of course they scared me into taking Fosamax which I didn’t then they tried to get me to take the once a year drug and I didn’t then my doctor tried to set me up with a “specialist” to convince me to take the osteoporosis meds, saying if I didn’t I would end up bent over or in a wheelchair. I’m 55 years old and been exercising 5 days a week for the past 20 years. Is it possible that the chemo helped me get osteoporosis? I still exercise daily like to walk take vitamins and try to get enough sun without sunscreen. What else can I do to help it?