One of my most rewarding experiences is to visit different parts of the country and to lecture on osteoporosis and ostepenia to fellow “truth seekers” like you. All are eager to learn and share their experiences, and I'm eager to teach and listen.
One of issues that never fails to come up is the fear mongering used by their doctors. It typically goes something like this:
“If you don't take the prescription medicine (Fosamax, Boniva, Actonel, Evista, Reclast, Forteo, Protelos, etc.) , one day you'll fall, break a hip, end up in a wheel chair… and die.”
Now that's a grim outlook, if I ever heard one! But you don't have to stand for it. Armed with the truth, you can “filter” through this scare tactic.
And most importantly, you can make intelligent decisions about your bone and overall health. The key is to make decisions based on knowledge… not fear.
As explained in great detail in The Osteoporosis Reversal Program (Chapters 2 and 3), there is a lot more to predicting future fracture risk than a simple T-score, which is the only guideline doctors use. The problem is that they're missing the other half of the equation.
That's why a study conducted by the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine led by Karen Mauck, MD, MSC, reports that in reality, only 13% to 18% of women older than 50 meet the correct diagnosis criteria for osteoporosis.
So yet again, we have another sobering example of cookie-cutter medicine failing up to 87% of women that may have been incorrectly diagnosed. This alone should be cause for alarm to you when trying to pursue a life of wellness.
So if your doctor ever tries to scare you by painting a grim picture of your future, don't let that get in the way of true knowledge and your pursuit of happiness.
Has your doctor done this to you? Share your story with our community below.
My rheumatology nurse physician was really nasty because I wasn’t taking monthy drugs for awhile (they make me goofy) I need to go the natural way as I have autonomic neuropathy and don’t break meds down right.
I also have multiple chemical sensitivity. Nurse said I have severe osteoporsis (“my bones are crap”) Was going to test for heavy metal from naturapath but my back wont allow that right now. (degenerative discs)
I am concerned because I am very low on zinc, even when I supplement it. I am also low in amino acids (many not even traced in blood!) so I supplement that too. I know you can get osteoporosis from heavy metals and that you need zinc for many things.
Do you know how come I do not absorb zinc? Any suggestions? I also read that zinc is regulated by sulfur amino acids. I am allergic to sulfur (at least the kind that is in antibiotics for bladder infections……..
What to do? I want to correct this. help!
I have always been a sports person.
After having hysther recto my and removed my Fallopian tubes, I have taken a Hormone supplement called ” Progynova” 2 mg. for years.
never had problems whit my bones, til my Doctor told me this medication was not available in Canada, and she wold not let me have any hormone supplements.
then it all started.
i have started to get the medication sent from ” Norway’ and are all ready feeling better.
much hello from Britt.
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.
No , my doctor has never done this to me. But then I live in Britain, where we have a reliable national health service, like almost all European countries. You Americans would do much better to establish something like that yourselves.
I couldn’t disagree more with the post about the NHS in Britain! Its underfunded and overstretched and many of the tests etc readily available in USA are not available in UK. I’ve just waited 12 weeks for an MRI marked ‘urgent’!!!
There has been a history of osteoporosis in my family and three dexa scans have put me in the osteopena category. My doctor contacted me with a view to taking fosamax, but I’ve seen how useless its been in treating my mother who suffers with severe osteoporosis so I looked for an alternative. Here’s something of importance. She has been prescribed Calcium and Vitamin D tablets by her doctor (as have I). However its important to take high grade vitamins that the body can easily absorb (not the cheaper varieties prescribed by the NHS). I’ve learned that as we age the acid in our gut weakens and doesn’t break things down as effectively as it did when we were younger. So yes, take high grade calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 but they need to be taken with other things so that the body absorbs them correctly. I’m not medically trained so I’m now seeing a nutritional therapist for help with this and also weight bearing exercise.
On a personal level, for me two things have helped me more than anything to begin to maintain a healthy ph level. I stopped drinking tea/coffee and started drinking lots of filtered water with either lemon or lime (both are very alkalizing in the body.) The second is to use ph paper and keep a diary to see which foods lower my ph. Its taken time and patience to increase it from below ph5 to ph7-7.5 and I still find it down to ph6 some days so I have to check back to see what I need to change. It can be challenging when you are cooking for a family who can eat all sorts of things and still have great ph scores but I guess this underlines the need for education as this is something that slowly changes. I’ve been losing weight with the diet changes which for me isn’t particularly helpful so I’ve added in extra olive oils and nuts such as almonds and cashews. I was very strict with my diet at first and interestingly I now find that I no longer enjoy all the sugary cakes and candy I used to crave.
When a woman takes calcium, vitamin D3, k2, I think
she should also take magnesium–to avoid constipation.
Most of the almond milk/soy milk/rice milk contain D2.
Almond milk helps with keeping a higher ph. I like the
book, “Alkalize or die.” My friends and I believe that
bacteria doesn’t survive in a slightly alkaline body
and even go so far to believe that this will help
prevent breast cancer and/or its recurrance.
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.
I would like to have some of your recipes & menus. I have read the book. Very much impressed, and want more information.
This is my second time to leave a comment. I was diagnosided with osteoporosis November of 2006, as was given Actonel. January, 2008, I turned and ended up on the ground, a broken right femur. I had to see an oral surgeon in August for a couple of bad teeth, and he immediately tolk me to quit taking Actonel because it was not good for me. Upon leaving the oral surgeon, my doctor called and said I had severe anemia. I was given three units of blood because my blood count was 6.6 instead of 14-16. There was both a colonostomy and a endoscopy trying to find why I had low blood. Once, the word Actonel was mentioned, but was not mentioned again. I think they knew why I was not making blood. A year ago, my brother was told he had osteoporosis and was given Actonel. He told lme last week, the last two physicals showed he had a low blood count. Actonel is not nice.
I would very much like to know whether this natural therapy can be of any help to a young man suffering from Klinefelter Syndrome whereby he cannot produce enough testosterone which may lead to osteoporosis. The doctor advised him to apply the testosterone gel but he doesn’t know what are the long term side effects and is looking for an alternative safer method without drugs.
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.
I am not sure about fosamax that doctor tod me to take it but I am confused about this fosamax because I have read about it to cause me afraid to take it. I need to know what do without like fosamax but I have women 1 a Day vitamin supplement and vitamin D deficient but I am not sure go ahead to take vitamin D deficient how about should I start multimineral supplyment and vitamin D deficient and calcium??? so do you have any idea without fosamax any suggest?
Don’t take any vitamin that you can buy at Walmart or any other “popular” store. They are synthetic with the wrong forms of every one of their ingredients, and are not even broken out of their pill form (check your poo), let alone absorbed by the body. They have cyanocabalamin, which actually is worse than taking no B12. Dairy and cheap vitamins have Vitamin D2, which is a synthetic fraud and should be totally avoided. Centrum is one of the biggest hoaxes ever, and nothing GNC has for vitamins is what you want–I would even avoid their essential oils, etc. Only take whole food vitamins, your body will know what to do with them. Do not even judge them until you’ve been on them steadily for 3 months. The least expensive acceptable vitamins–tho not perfect–I’ve found are from health freedom usa dot org…less than $40/month. Vivian no doubt has some good ones too. I’m not a health pro, I just know who to trust from reading so much.
Niacin is a vitamin that can be used in prescription strength to treat high cholesterol. Is there any information on this? How do you get the best absorbable calcium capsules, and from where?
When I asked two different doctors the results of my bone scans, neither would explain the results. I tried one 150 mg sample Boniva and got a migraine, diarrhea lasting 5 weeks and a pounding heart. When I asked the first doctor about possible jaw problems he said it was rare. 10 out of 100 is not that rare. When I explained my side effects, he offered no solutions. I don’t go to him anymore. I also have lupus, but do not use prednisone since it simply doesn’t work. I have either lots of sensitivities to foods and therefore to drugs or remedies that work for others simply refuse to work for me.
Two weeks ago, my dr’s nurse called to give me the results of my bone density test. She said ” The dr. said you have the worst case of osteoporosis he has ever seen and he wants you to take Forteo!” I told her I had done research on the side effects of the bisphosphonates AND Forteo and didn’t have any intention of taking any of them. Then, she said “Have you ever heard of ‘spontaneous fracture? You could be standing at the kitchen sink and break a bone!'” I still stuck to my guns and plan to “sink or swim” the natural way. (I am a 77 year old, active female).
My Dr. has tried to put me on Rx s for bone loss for years. She says I have Osteopenia of the spine, and Osteoporosis of the hip. My spine showed improvement from two years ago, hip a little worse. Have you heard of this before? I am an active gardener and walk twice a day. I have taken D3 for two years, and Coral Calcium. I am 73, retired nurse.
What do you think about Protos (medication)??
Thanks!
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 Haven’t Been Told That Yet By MY Doctor, But I DO Have A FRIEND, Whose Dr. Told HER Things To That Affect.
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.
by June 1 I must make decision re: daily injections of Forteo…(after very light lifting: simultaneously twisted & turned )in 2008 fractured L1 & L3…this year fractured L4….drs say “risk continued fractures or….Forteo”…insurance approved it…after much study…I may just do it..very scary…in past I refused all meds…but now..my physically active body needs something…over years have done proper nutrition, exercises, etc…but the osteoporosis is very real & may be in part due to(my belief) genetics & meds used 40 years ago: diet pills & 3 months on intravenous meds to remedy situation caused by an IUD)…your articles have helped me speak intelligently with dr’s..especially re: osteoblasts/clasts…thanks…wish me luck…
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?
It would be excellent to take a good multimineral. The best I know is Usana’s multivitamins and minerals. Also if you have access to Yoplait yogurt, they offer ASANA Yoplait with Milk Basic Protein, a fraction of milk used successfully in Japan to treat osteoporosis. Also consider taking Vitamin K2 about 50 mg per day.
I would add Biosil for silicon about 50 mg a day. This will help in all fronts and is within the safe side without excess. Calcium must be about 1200 mg and Magnesium about 500 mg. More Magnesium may cause diarrhea.
If you check the PH (acidity) of the urine and keep it alcaline, it will help reduce the loss of bone Calcium needed to counterbalance food and/or metabolic acidity. (some say make your body less acid, but it is in fact reducing the acid load from the food and the actual breakdown of the food in the body)
But before taking all this together, please ask a knowledgeable health practitioner who knows your condition, just to be on the safe side.
I am a man 55 with osteoporosis ( the result of a childhood spent in constant anxiety) and will take this formula after approval by my doctor.
PS I have no financial interest in the companies cited above)
I wish you good success !
I was taking fosomax for approximately 4-5 years and when I visited a holistic doctor he told me to stop taking it. He then did a body typing on me and found that my body needed more magnesium than calcium. He increased my vitamin D also. The last dexascan showed an improvement in my spine but not my hip – however it is holding its own. Also, I ordered the “Save my Bones” program and received my down loads but not my book – I ordered in May 1st
3 weeks ago I was told that I have osteopenia (I had a 2.5 T score I think) about 2 weeks latwer when I returned back to my doctors office I was told that the latest results of my dexascan revealed that I had osteoporsis. I was given a perscription for fosamax. I am now taking it once a week(on sdunday a.m.). I also take 1800 milligrams of calcium daily and more than 600 milligrams of vitamin D daily (multi vitamin too). I am taking up weightlifting and yoga also. My question is “will I be able to beat osteoporsis in future?
well , if its any relief to anyone I have the mother of all t-scores. . . -4. I have no broken bones, (did break one a couple years ago when I took a really bad fall). That was used as evidence of my “disease” and they insisted that I use forteo fir 18 months. I did and stopped. real improvement. So I did all that but here I am, at 69, running a farm, doing yoga daily and now following the Save out Bones diet. I found that stopping the spring water from the farm helped immediately with my “arthritis’ aches and pains and my PH immediately jumped up. I had seen a kineseologist for severe shoulder pain 2 years ago (the docs wanted to replace my shoulder!) and he was the first to alert me to the PH connection and my osteoporosis situation. And, oh yeah, he treated me for tendonitis in my shoulder successfully. You’ve gotta watch it all the time!!
I don’t generally have pain to speak of and my life is, has always been, very active. Maybe I’ll collapse tomorrow but today .. . well .. . .I have a long list of outside work that will get done and if I have a “disease” then I guess I do. But I don’t think of myself as weak or ill with a disease. I lift 40 and 50 lb bales of straw and hay, run farm equipment, do all repairs, etc. So right there . .. . something is wrong with the picture. IF I was so fragile that I was ready to disappear, how come I can still do all this work? I should be like the wicked witch in the wizard of OZ .. just a puddle on the floor. But right now, I’ve got 20 acres to mow and its a great day. I love Vivian’s diet and recommendations. ITs the best medical advice I’ve received in 20 years.
I’m now a retired 2nd gr. school teacher and four years ago I was diagnosed with a bone density score of Z – 1.48. I was on 35 mg of Fosamax for the last four years, and now my score is a -3.1 in my spine. I’m only 58 years old and have now been told that I’m at risk for a fracture! My doctor doubled my Fosamax but now I refuse to take it since my jaw is aching. What do you recommend? I’m scared to death to hear this bad news! Please help me!!!
I went for my annual GYN appointment today and also to discuss the results of my recent Dexascan. When she started to suggest the Reclast injection, she gave me the opening I needed to tell her of my research and my desire to follow the Save Our Bones program. I told her that I had been doing research and had already started to change my diet and lifestyle. I also told her that I had stopped my Fosamax three weeks ago and, since then, I have hardly use any Ibuprofen for joint pain which I thought was arthritis, and I haven’t had an ophthalmic migraine in over a week. I told her I had even been to a neurologist and had an MRI of the brain because of so many of these migraines. Then when I started to tell her that I knew that the osteoporosis medications did the exact opposite of what they claim to do, she stopped me and said, “I know — They make your bones brittle”. I was so shocked. She knew that but was still willing to send me for an injection!! She seemed very happy to see that I wanted to go the natural and organic way. She wrote in my chart that I refused medication and told me she would see me in a year. Unbelievable.
Are ther recipes for the Osteoporosis Reversal Program?
I, too, would like specific recipes.
Could you please send some menus so I could see if I understand the 80 to 20 ratio. Can Agave nectar take the place of honey?
I realized a few months ago that in addition to a diagnosis of osteopenia a couple of other health issues were all related to the ph in my body which was very acidic. This was motivation to be really radical about what I was eating/drinking. I stopped drinking all tea/coffee and drink water with maybe organic lemon/lime juice (bought from the supermarket). If you like it you could maybe use apple cider vinegar, ginger, cinnamon for flavouring etc. The first weeks were disheartening because my ph didn’t move beyond 5.5-6.0 and I began to feel I couldn’t face another lettuce leaf! I even wondered if the ph was reading incorrectly but testing water etc quickly proved it was. During this time I found reading this and other websites like Women2Women helped motivate me to continue and after a while it registered at ph 7.00. I am finding now I can eat a relatively normal diet providing I only have VERY small amounts of white flour, rice or sugar and keep things organic. (Yes, its expensive but cheaper than medications). What works for me is something like a breakfast of organic cereal (porridge/muesli) with fruit (no pasturised milk as this becomes acidic in the body). Salad (no mayonnaise but olive oil or avocado oil dressing etc) or organic soup (shop bought – check the ingredients), or jacket potato for lunch. 4-6oz portions of meat/fish (I understand beef is the most acidic) with lots of vegetables, sweet potato is good! Different fruits with plain yogurt for desert. Snacks can be raisins, cashews, almonds, chestnuts are really good too. Seems like all the herbs and spices are good. Check out the acid/alkaline charts online. Some things conflict but overall things are classified similarly. Hope this helps a little.
I have refused to take the drug strontum as it gave me so many side effects. I would like to know what drinks i should avoid . I drink alot of green and wite teas and eat alot of veg and fruit ,I also take vitiman d calsichew on prescription I have been told that i ha osteporous can you help me .Yours bridgette
There is an aspect to this condition that you may not be aware of …
I’ve been doing it for about 6 months now on recommendation of my acupuncturist … IT’S CALLED … ORTHOPEDIC MASSAGE.
We have in our body a wonderful covering called FASCIA. It’s a substance/network that lays/connects (between) our skin and bones’
I understand that its a “sticky” substance and when we get older that is what it does … its “glues” to the parts of our body that we hope will be functional, and when it isn’t we get all kinds of aches/pains. The job of the orthopedic massage therapist is to work at releasing the substance to allow more mobility in such chronic cases as arthritis, carpal tunnel, stress & etc.
I suggest reading up on fascia; I have and it’s very enlightening! It is an aspect that affects these conditions even as we concentrate on the proper nutrition.
HOPE THIS HELPS! It has this body!
I have recently started going to a new physician and was questioning about my arm and my left shoulder blade which constantly aches especially when its cold outdoors and damp. Well,she sent me for a exray and the results came back unconclusive. So,I then went to a complete bone scan,now she is saying I have soft tissues in my shoulder and no results on my arm. The next test she wants me to go is MRI.I still think something should have shown up on the body scan and Im undecided if Im going for the MRI. I dont take and medicines for my bones,I gave up on that along time ago,like 2 doctors back. Maureen
I would like to know if T scores continue to reverse after a few years on this program. I have taken Boniva for the 4th and final time and am beginning the Save Our Bones program but would like to hear from someone who has done this for a few years. Do you continue to reverse your score or even maintain–or, does your T score continue to drop?
I like the simplicity of the heel exercise.Thank you. I also am impressed how you push your book, but it is unatainable for some of us. It,s steep cost plus shipping !!!!
Adilia
the person that said the program was expensive. That may be but how much is the cost of Fosamax for one or two or three months. pretty costly. If this can help me I think its fairly cheap.
I ALSO WOULD LOVE TO BUY YOUR BOOK, AND HAVE TRIED TO PURCHASE IT ON CA
AMAZON BOOKS AS I LIVE IN ENGLAND AND ONLY HAVE A MAESTRO HIGHLINE,
Oh yes…the scare tactics. Don’t they just love to try to tell us. You stopped taking your actenol when? Why would you do that? Well, I say, there are a heck of a lot better ways then santify the greed of a large number of pharmaceutical corporations. Something as simple as bicarbonate of soda works wonders. It’s top of the list for shifting the PH toward Alkalining effect on the system. I take just 1/4 teaspoon to 2/3 cup of water, generally daily.
I scratch my head many a time though trying to figure out the acidic and alkalinity of foods. Our society leans so into acidic (forming foods)because of the “diet”. Gads, to attempt through the balance of acidity and alkaline lifestyle is quite the adventure. Help?
I too am having problems figuring out the acid/alkiline diet. I guess I need to be spoon fed with a few sample menus
My doctor didn’t do that to me but when I was with my mother-in-law our doctor gave her that medication without sending her for a test. Stating that once you get to a certain age one has to take the medication. So when & if any doctor tell me that, I’ll know better! So again thanks for all the info!
Yes, my Dr. made that comment to me. I was taking Fosamax due to being scared to death but have discontinued. I felt worse taking it and am trying to find natural alternative ways.. I am 75 on a tight budget but will get your program when I can.
I cannot find much info on Mayo web page other than the standard meds and the side effects.
Thank you.
I can idenify with the scare tactic, because that is what the Dr. did when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. But after reading the side effects and the cost I opted not to take it and started looking for help in other ways. That is when I found and ordered you book on the internet. I have, for the most part, put your advise into action. Thank Your for all you are doing for us. Carolyn Shirley
Hello,
I am 52 now and had a bone density test last year, I think. My doc put me right on Boniva. Well I thought it works for Sally Field it must be good. BUT my friend said she went to a seminar on womens health and started telling me about the side effects, etc. So my hubby went on the internet & we studied it and I said no way I am not taking that any more! I think what bothers me the most is “we can’t trust our doctors anymore”? I know in my Mom’s day you could always trust the local doc. Oh well, times are a changing, eh? 🙂
Now I am reading Vivian’s handbook because I want to have healthy bones and keep them healthy the natural way.
I agree with you on this, my dr said the same thing to me and i was terrified that if i didnt take the medictions that i could be in a wheel chair or end up in a nursing home or possibly die, so i took one dose of it and was extremely sick the whole week i took it.I went on the web and learned what it can do to you and i told my dr i will not take this anymore because the side effects are more deadly then ny bones just starting to thin in one area in my body!! so i am also trying to do this the all natural way as i feel everyone should do because its not about keeping us healthy anymore its all about who makes the most money off of each patient and thats soooo wrong!!
I had the scan about 1 month ago and was told my lower spine was at the collapsable stage and my hip was just as bad. Wanted to put me on Actonel, Fosamax or Boniva. My insurance would only pay for Fosamax, but after reading all the side effects, I did not fill the prescription. I’m trying to eat more of the right foods and taking Calcium and Vitamin D supplements. I will be going back to the Doctor in 4 weeks. I have had severe back, hip and knee pain for approximately 5 years, but partly from accidents. Two serious falls and being thrown from a horse. I went thru the Disc Decompression treatments for two years thru a Chiropractor and that got me back on my feet, but I am still in pain, but at least I’m not still on the cane. I am not going to take those horrible drugs that make matters even worse. I’m looking for more healthful ideas (?)
When my dr. told me I had Osteoporosis & said I needed to go on Fosamax I went on the internet & looked it up. I spoke to my husband & read the side effects & even he agreed with me the answer is no, I can’t afford to take those risks as I already have heart problems & fatty liver, so I told my dr. on the next visit what I decided & she said do you realise what can happen, & I said I do, but I believe it will take a lot longer to happen without the drugs. So I am doing it my way
If anyone would like another independent report that backs up Vivian’s very good articles, this is it:
https://www.healthwatchersnews.com/2010/02/bisphosphonates-bone-strengtheners-or-bone-hardeners/
Maybe the title says it all “Bisphosphonates: Bone strengtheners or bone hardeners?”
I have stopped taking alendronic acid (only took it for two months) and will be relying on good diet (following Vivian’s program) and bone-building exercise, plus vitamin supplements.
I had my first DEXA when I was 52. My total T-Score was -1.2. My doctor talked to me about taking an osteoporosis medicine. I didn’t. This year I had my second DEXA. I am now 57. My total T-Score this time was -2.4. My doctor ( a new doctor ) wrote me an Rx for Actonel once monthly. He did not use scare tactics, but he told me he thought the benefits outweighed the risks. I believe in Naturalpathic medicine and I know medicines are just bandaids. I realize that drugs don’t get to the actual cause of the problem. After reading a few books and doing research on the internet, I am very happy I never took any Actonel and I never will. I am addressing the condition with a change of diet and mineral supplements.
Hi i have been told by Dr that eventually i will end up in a wheel chair,especially if i have a fall ,im 52 yrs old and have problems with my back ,at first they said it was osteoporous .now they r saying its degenerated disc deseise ,i am now having it furthur ivestedgated ,with an mr i , the pain i suffer every day is unbearabarable,of course giving me meds i cant take ,wish ther was some help for me ,because thers some days i almost wish i was in a wheel chair ,so i wont have anymore pain .thanks for listening ,
after having bone density test, my doctor immediately wanted to put me on forteo, as he said that I had 4 bones in a line in middle of upper spine, I have RA and have taken meds for that for about 5 years. I am on remicade injections for about a year. The side affects of this med. are enough for me to handle. I do manage to “keep going” day to day, but suffer joint pain, muscle spasms occasionally. The thoughts of adding more drugs into my system, just (blows my mind) so to speak. I am due to see my rheumatoid doctor in about two weeks, and from the research I have gathered, I have decided not to go with the forteo, and add more side effect drugs into my system.
any suggestions?
Thanks for reading,
Joyce
Realmente mi medico no puso el rostro como aparece en su articulo OSTEOSPOROSIS SCARE TACTICS, pero cuando le pregunte sobre los efectos secundarios derivados del tratamiento para mi OSTEOPENIA con ZOMETA, me contesto que era preferible dichos “efectos secundarios” que llegar a padecer de OSTEOSPOROSIS, sin hablarme de otra alternativa, como usted plantea en su libro SAVE OUR BONES.
I have just been diagnosed with osteoperosis of the spine – at 56 years of age and living a healthy life with plenty of exercise and a good diet. I told my doctor that I wanted some time to research different therapies but that I was not happy about taking Fosamax for the rest of my life. She said she would be ‘extremely concerned’ and ‘not at all happy’ if I chose not to take her precribed treatment hinting that she could take no responsibility for my future health if I chose to go against her advice and pursue an ‘untested alternative route’. we agreed to meet again in 2 weeks when I have more information, but it was made very clear to me that, as far as she is concerned, it is drug therapy or rapid and irreversable bone loss leading to a future of likely disability for which I would only have myself to blame.
Hello,
i am Bernadette, aged 60 yrs and fit and active, but recently diagnosesed with osteopenia in my hips, not my spine. I am concerned to have been put on 3000 adcal daily, but i have decided to take cider vinegar,msm, and magnesium. i have also improved my mineral intake and have decided to take spiruluina and also to go on natural progesterone cream. Have i done the right thing with all this?
best wishes, Bernadette xx
Bernadette, 3000 mg of calcium carbonate is a huge dose and can do more harm than good. I think you’re on the right track, but you should check out the Osteoporosis Reversal Program. You have no risk whatsoever with my one year money back guarantee 🙂
About a month ago I started having severe tooth pain. Since my tooth already had a crown and a root canal, my dentist advised me to have it pulled because the tooth was probably fractured.
When I called the oral surgeon’s office to set up the appointment, they asked me if I was on osteoporosis meds. When I told them that I had been on Evista for several years, they told me that I would have to get my primary care physician’s approval before extracting the tooth because in rare cases osteoporosis meds (even though Evista is not suppose to be one of these meds)can cause osteonecrosis.
After an arduous couple of weeks of debilitating pain while we waited for an MRI and the results, I was able to have the tooth extracted.
my doctor tried to scare me with the same bs.
I switched Doctors immediately.
my doctor never used “fear”…i took evista for at least l0 years, but suffered blood clots in both eyes…then i read the side effects…..love, betty
Yes my doctors have done exactly that. They said that I had to take the fosmax. After doing much research and taking that type of medicine in the past, I know that it does more harm that good. Taking care of yourself, eating right, taking vitamins and follow your plan will be better for mes than any of that harmful medicine. Thank you.
I fell down stairs in Oct. and broke both ankles. The orthopod said my ankle bones did not look bad. I do have osteopenia, worst in the hip. I cannot do the jumping exercises in the video. What other exercises targeting the hips can I do?
My Kidney doctor put me on to finding out more about my bones. I have taken boniva for several years, and actonal several years before changing to boniva. Also Caltrate twice aday. I had a dexa scan last week and my bones are a little worse, so I am wondering about all of this information.
I have had a very stressful life over many years taking care of my family with health issues. I just thought that taking a pill was easier than worrying about having time to help myself. I am afraid I have been the last person on my list to help. You know, Time.
The nurse who looked at my bone density test results told me I had “severe osteoporosis”. This scared me as I am recovering from a fracture on both sides of my ankle. This occurred May 15, 2009. Today, Feb. 17, 2010, I am still unable to walk properly. I use a walker most of the time.
I truly don’t what to do. I have taken Evista, 60mg for several years. The Dr. gave me prescription for Reclast,but after reading about
100 comments on the Net about the side effects I decided I couldn’t go throuogh any more pain.
I am still on Evista and I pray I don’t fall again. Any suggestions? Sue
Sue, I hope you’re doing better now. Did you check out the Osteoporosis Reversal Program? You’ll find your answers there.
I am 70 years old and a week ago my doctor gave me
this same story of a broken hip leading to death from pneumonia. I refuse to take fosomax, yet she insisted on giving me a prescription. I will not fill it, but this is what led me to this site. Thanks for all the information. I will continue my search for an alternative solution.
I was told I had osteoporosis at the age of 45. I was given Actonel to take once monthly. I took one dose and was paralyzed for three days, and it took weeks to recover. I never wanted to take any of this type of medicine again. But, my doctors told me that I was a “break waiting to happen”. So I took Fosomax recently. Only two weekly doses later, my bones, joints, and muscles are in pain. It has caused my right hand and my left ankle to be in severe pain. I will now never touch any osteoporosis medicine again. I wouldn’t wish this type of pain for anyone, so beware of what you are taking. Do your research. I am doing that now!
I took Actinol for 10 weeks and stopped because of the dreadful side effects, my doctor was very supportive and totally understood, I’m not so sure how my endocrinologist will feel when I visit him in May.
Good for you!
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis a few weeks ago. I am 55, have never had a fracture, and in no pain. I was shocked when my doctor immediately prescribed daily injections of Forteo. He did a blood test and found that I am vitamin D deficient. I decided not to take any of the drugs. Instead I am on daily vitamin supplements, eating healthy foods, and exercising daily.
Oh yes, my doctor told me that if I didn’t take the meds I would end up a cripple – the look on her face said it all! I haven’t been back to her since.
I am so thankful that I came across Vivians website.
My doctor referred me a month ago to the clinic to get the once dosage IV Reclast. When I asked about the side effects she said flu-like symptons, muscular aches, etc. she said nothing about the serious side effects mentioned in Vivian’s book. Thank you Vivian for the research and I have started following your natural regiment. I was schedule for the reclast twice but both times cancelled, just couldn’t go through with it. I haven’t been back to the doctor yet but I should possibly go back in 6 mos. I was told that my bone density T-score for the lumbar spine is compatible with osteopenia (-1.4) in 2007.
The doctor told me I had osteoporosis after a bone density test.Since then I have been using the Calcitonin spray as Actonal upset my stomach.I can,t take big pills and have been waiting for something to take that i can live with.I don,t have much pain,even in my back were I have three compressed fractures and sometimesI get a pain in my hip which goes away quickly.Please give me some hope that I can get my bones stronger and not worry about breaking any bones.
Bones are constantly changing, so they regenerate provided you do the right things to achieve success. Drugs don’t offer a long-term solution.
My doctor said that even just opening a window could fracture my spine!!! That scared the living daylights out of me. Then I was all for Forteo/Reclast — till I starting reading about all the side effects & before I found all the “real” information about osteoporous.