Years ago, I was diagnosed with osteopenia! Too long ago to recall what prescription I took.

Then after another bone density scan it had developed into osteoperosis. Was put on the weekly pill you take when you get up and can not lay back down or eat for 30 minutes. It 's the generic Fosamax.

I have been diligenly doing water aerobics for at least 15 years, and the past 4-5 years, included in my exercise using the machines at the gym.

Last time I had my regular scheduled bone density scan, 2 years ago, my osteo had reversed and I now have osteopenia.

Am due for my bone density scan this coming June and anxious to see if the scan hopefully is the same results of osteopenia.

When I got the results last time, I asked my doctor if I could stop taking that weekly pill and he said NO. Best to be safe and continue taking it.

Don't know if this helped you, but just sharing what's what with me.

Truly believe my staying with exercising regularly benefits and showed on the last bone density scan.

I'm 74 and NOT the oldest at the gym :o)

I'm having great results with Forteo.

Went for another Dexa scan in August - my endocrinologist was thrilled, said I'd gained 12% and that was before I'd completed the first year of the 22-24 mo treatment.

We'd been watching my bone density for years, her feeling was I'd lost some with hyperactive thyroid and we knew it could become a problem at some point. Then after treating thyroid and staying stable for more than 15 more years, my numbers took another dive with decreased estrogen - when I stopped HRT.

I'll be done with it this Fall and may go on some kind of maintenance program then, I have a late September appointment to discuss possibilities.

Thanks Glenda & morz8 for the replies. This helps a lot. : )

I also take generic Fosamax.

Here's my story--4 different meds:

I took Fosamax and had a rare side effect of femur fracture which required surgery to fix. Not to scare you about Fosamax; as I said it's rare.

Then I took the two-year course of Forteo. It is very expensive, injectable. Considered a "black box" medication as it has serious side effects, but I didn't have them.

Then switched to Boniva which was stupid because it's similar to Fosamax, and now I have the beginning of a fracture in the other femur. (I know this sounds crazy.)

Now I take Evista. Haven't had a bone test recently; will do in another year or so.

After all these meds, basically the osteopenia/osteoporosis has not gotten worse and has improved slightly (but not 12%). It's hard to say if it's worth doing or not because you don't know where you would be without the meds.

Older women have probably been having thinning bones for hundreds of years, but we have modern medicines which are supposed to help us, so I feel I need to try to take something to ward off debilitating fractures.

Good for you Morz, that 12% increase is remarkable. I think my bone density began to drop when I stopped hormone replacement therapy.

Pianolady, be sure to ask your doctor about the side effects of whatever medications s/he discusses with you so you can decide which med you are most comfortable with.

I too am on Evista.
I take a variety of mineral supplements: calcium, magnesium, D3, MK7, and Strontium. I am slowly gaining back bone density.

I'm not a candidate for any of these because I have had kidney stones, including one really BIG one, a staghorn calculus that required surgery.

I have to wonder if 'osteopenia' hasn't come along because we can now *measure* bone density -- and, gosh, there's a profitable *medication* for it. I'd guess many people will take a med but not do as Glenda does...exercise to build bone (along with all the other benefits of exercise).

Thank you all so much ! I wondered if you could reverse bone loss! I had a scan at a health fair yesterday and they said I was a high risk for bone loss.

Littlebit, did you have a heel or finger scan? My endo says those are essentially worthless, my ob/gyn had put in the finger type equipment for measuring bone density and she was just 'shakin her head, mystified as to why.

I wouldn't put much into results you were given if you had other than a Dexa scan. Then a second 12-18 months later so they can compare and see if you are one who just has less dense bones (as you may if Caucasian, small framed, female) or if you are actually losing. Don't panic yet ;)

My own doctor not only wanted to begin with the 2 to compare, she wanted them done by the same tech and the same equipment for most accurate comparisons, she doesn't medicate casually.

I have osteopenia and probably osteoporosis by now. I've had two Dexa scans and don't get them any more because I won't take the meds for it. Too many horror stories. I am very small boned, have wrists like a six year old. Small hands and feet. 5'6"( or 5'5 1/2 shrank a little) and weigh 109. Instead I walk three fast miles with the dogs and then two more faster ones on the treadmill and do ten weight lifts. It's going to have to work because meds and I do not agree. I take no prescription ones, just vitamins. I take six of them.

My bone density test showed osteopena. My mom is so bent over, it's a big insentive to stay ahead of osteoporosis. I was on Boniva for a while... and now, I am off. To many bad incidents with it. So far, so good. Above all, start some weight bearing exercises. Swimming and bicycling are not helpful at all.

Which really sucks, since I so love cycling. Free weights, walking, weight exercise equipment at a gym should all help, but I don't pay for a gym, I just used hand held weights at home.

Moni

Thank you everybody for responding. This information will help me decide which medication to take. I knew I could depend on y'all to help. : )

I get a Prolia shot twice a year. I'm scheduled for my next bone density test in March.

I can't take Boniva and other meds in that class - side effects include feeling like I have a severe case of the flu for 2-3 days each month. They're the only medications I've been allergic to.

I was diagnosed with osteopenia in September. I am on generic Fosomax, like Monica. Will have a scan again when the dr. says I need to, hopefully it will help. I was worried about the spiral fractures, but the dr. said they are rare.