List of questions for the MD - what do you wish you had asked?

These are likely already on your list, but here are the ones I’ve collected so far for my appointment in October:
-What is your current follow-up protocol for administration of Tymlos? Reclast vs Prolia vs Evenity?
-What are the most common side effects experienced by your patients taking Tymlos?
-Will I be able to start out with a minimal dose of Tymlos and build up my tolerance?
-What is your typical schedule for checking bone markers prior to and during treatment? Do you use CTx and P1NP? Calcium levels?
-Are there any other issues I should rule out before starting medication? Other tests?
-Have you had much success with Medicare/supplemental in negotiating patient costs?
-Do any of your patients take Strontium Citrate, either as primary treatment or to lock in gains from prescription meds? What are your feelings about trying that?
-What is your opinion about Echolight (REMS) and are you interested in seeing my results?
-Do you follow the research of Keith McCormick and/or are you willing to consult with him regarding my treatment?
I’m sure I will be adding or subtracting as time goes on based on my own research.

Thank you so much, @glojo! I will definitely be adding to my list.

Every aspect of this diagnosis is so much easier to navigate when we put our heads together. I appreciate your help.

Please let us know how your appointment goes. I hope 3rd time is a charm!

No intention to offend anyone here: Dr. K McCormick is not a researcher in basic or clinical science, nor a medical doctor. He is a doctor of chiropractic medicine.

According to his popular book “great bones”, which I have a copy, he personally had used FORTEO then fosamax for his own osteoporosis. He did extensive readings and reviews on this topic including etiology, diagnosis, treatments and management. He provided some case studies of his “clients” in his book. Undoubtedly it’s a valuable resource for those of us facing a new diagnosis of osteoporosis and trying to comb through the mirage of information out there.

Thank you for stating what I, too, believe. I am not willing to put him on a pedestal as others sometimes seem to be.

@glojo, Wouldn't that be nice?! Fingers crossed. I'll definitely let you know.

I’m sure you’d prioritize the questions that you have in mind. Often I found I don’t get all of mine answered due to time restrains. I imagine he’d process insurance and not charging you by minutes.

Your hip t score deviates from the rest, and does not follow a typical bone loss pattern due to estrogen deficiency among post menopausal women who have osteoporosis as a result. Maybe ask this endo the strategies to deal with this specifically?

Do you have a tbs score with your last Dexa? If not, is it worthwhile to get a new Dexa scan that has the capability, and have both sides of hip, femor neck scanned? My tbs score offered lots of comfort after I had my erroneous scan results at 13 mo FORTEO. I read there are ppl out there who has low t score at one side hip or femur neck only, for whatever reason. So it’s good to know if yours is bilateral or not.

Totally agree. Mainly included that question to be a generic inquiry about consulting with others regarding an individual case, whether that is McCormack or Mayo or any other specialist we might meet with. My brainstorming list is long, but it gets narrowed down drastically by the time I am in the office. Most docs are in a hurry.

Hi @mayblin,
Over the weekend, another person on a different site also mentioned the hip score deviating from my other scores. She thought it was odd because there is more trabecular bone (than cortical bone) in the hip so she thought that score was atypical and an outlier. No one else has mentioned that so I definitely will. She thought it may have been a positioning error on the DXA machine.

I do not have a TBS score. I'm going over to the imaging center today to see if I can get any more detail plus an actual copy of the images. I'd love to get another scan but have not found a location that has the TBS software. Maybe Dr. M. will have a recommendation.

Thank you for weighing in and for all else - and stay tuned.

mayblin,
Not offended. The problem that I face- and others face - is that Dr McCormick knows more than our doctors. I see an endocrinologist and a rheumatologist. Neither had heard of McCormick. Neither was interested. When I asked them questions that were generated by McCormick’s book, they were challenged.
Without his books, I would be navigating this disease blind. Just accepting whatever my under educated doctors tell me.