1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Evenity Advice?

Posted by maieva @maieva, Sep 26 11:14am

I am 66 years old and have been on Reclast for two years with some improvement in my scores, although the second year my spine score went down. My endocrinologist at Mayo Clinic discussed Evenity and Tymlos and I think I am going to try Evenity since it is one year and convenient to go once a month to the clinic to get the injections. I had concerns about the black box warnings regarding heart attack and stroke, but she reassured me that she has not heard of anyone experiencing this. I also have an appointment with my cardiologist to see what he says before I start. I don’t know what else to do and yes, I’m very nervous about taking this drug, but I know it’s supposed to give me big gains in my spine where I need it the most. Any additional advice?

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maieva | @maieva | Oct 17 12:39pm

Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal®
DiCalcium Malate)†
250 mg from Thorne.

I am drinking OJ every morning which has 325 mg of calcium and 2 cups of almond milk at 350 each=750 mg. For a total of 1075 each day. I’m not sure that I even need to take the supplement, especially since I’m probably getting more calcium in bits and pieces through my other meals. Mayo Clinic Endo said 1000 to 1200 daily. Advice?
Also, when should I get these levels checked? I don’t see her for another year.

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3 replies
gravity3 | @gravity3 | Oct 17 1:26pm
In reply to @maieva "Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal® DiCalcium Malate)† 250 mg from Thorne. I..." + (show)
@maieva

Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal®
DiCalcium Malate)†
250 mg from Thorne.

I am drinking OJ every morning which has 325 mg of calcium and 2 cups of almond milk at 350 each=750 mg. For a total of 1075 each day. I’m not sure that I even need to take the supplement, especially since I’m probably getting more calcium in bits and pieces through my other meals. Mayo Clinic Endo said 1000 to 1200 daily. Advice?
Also, when should I get these levels checked? I don’t see her for another year.

Jump to this post

Don't forget k2

REPLY
windyshores | @windyshores | Oct 17 3:09pm
In reply to @maieva "Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal® DiCalcium Malate)† 250 mg from Thorne. I..." + (show)
@maieva

Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal®
DiCalcium Malate)†
250 mg from Thorne.

I am drinking OJ every morning which has 325 mg of calcium and 2 cups of almond milk at 350 each=750 mg. For a total of 1075 each day. I’m not sure that I even need to take the supplement, especially since I’m probably getting more calcium in bits and pieces through my other meals. Mayo Clinic Endo said 1000 to 1200 daily. Advice?
Also, when should I get these levels checked? I don’t see her for another year.

Jump to this post

@maieva both oj and almond milk are fortified with calcium so I don't think that is really getting calcium from food. I mean no different from supplements. I was taking 800mg supplements (allergic to dairy) on Tymlos and have upped it on Reclast. Some drugs raise calcium and some lower it!

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lbtw | @lbtw | Oct 18 7:54am

@maieva
I’m 65 and started evenity in May after a big fall and surgery. I too was concerned about the black box warnings — I go to UNC in North Carolina— felt really good about the doctor explained it and read the head of the departments comments on it.
Have had no side effects what so ever and will finish in May ….the next question is how to lock in the gains with another drug.
Good luck and hope you to will have an easy go with Evenity

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awfultruth | @awfultruth | Oct 18 11:21am
In reply to @maieva "Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal® DiCalcium Malate)† 250 mg from Thorne. I..." + (show)
@maieva

Question: I bought calcium capsules DV Calcium (as DimaCal®
DiCalcium Malate)†
250 mg from Thorne.

I am drinking OJ every morning which has 325 mg of calcium and 2 cups of almond milk at 350 each=750 mg. For a total of 1075 each day. I’m not sure that I even need to take the supplement, especially since I’m probably getting more calcium in bits and pieces through my other meals. Mayo Clinic Endo said 1000 to 1200 daily. Advice?
Also, when should I get these levels checked? I don’t see her for another year.

Jump to this post

@maieva As @windyshores has already stated using OJ and almond milk to get calcium is not really getting food based calcium. It's just food with calcium added to it. Like sprinkling a powdered calcium supplement on your food. Also, almonds are quite high in oxalates which bind with calcium and other minerals and therefore interfere with your bodies utilization of those minerals. There seems to be disagreement as to how much oxalates interfere in that way but I think a conservative view might me to keep oxalates low. As in daily use of almond milk might not be a good way to get calcium.

Personally I think people are over reacting to possible dangers of supplements to the point that many people with osteoporosis may not be getting enough calcium. Sure it's probably best to get any nutrient from food but if you do not get 1000-1200mg of calcium in your diet, my thought is add the calcium in with a supplement to get it to that level.
Of course there are those that believe you don't need all that calcium anyway but I'll leave that one for another day.

REPLY
1 reply
maieva | @maieva | Oct 18 12:55pm
In reply to @awfultruth "@maieva As @windyshores has already stated using OJ and almond milk to get calcium is not..." + (show)
@awfultruth

@maieva As @windyshores has already stated using OJ and almond milk to get calcium is not really getting food based calcium. It's just food with calcium added to it. Like sprinkling a powdered calcium supplement on your food. Also, almonds are quite high in oxalates which bind with calcium and other minerals and therefore interfere with your bodies utilization of those minerals. There seems to be disagreement as to how much oxalates interfere in that way but I think a conservative view might me to keep oxalates low. As in daily use of almond milk might not be a good way to get calcium.

Personally I think people are over reacting to possible dangers of supplements to the point that many people with osteoporosis may not be getting enough calcium. Sure it's probably best to get any nutrient from food but if you do not get 1000-1200mg of calcium in your diet, my thought is add the calcium in with a supplement to get it to that level.
Of course there are those that believe you don't need all that calcium anyway but I'll leave that one for another day.

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Thank you for the advice. It’s so confusing, isn’t it? I’ll add 500mg of the supplements and see how that affects my stomach. I’ve had trouble with calcium supplements in the past.

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1 reply
4deborahrb | @4deborahrb | Oct 19 2:37pm
In reply to @maieva "Thank you. I feel that if I hadn’t read all these posts, I would not know..." + (show)
@maieva

Thank you. I feel that if I hadn’t read all these posts, I would not know any information. For one thing I didn’t realize we would have to be on one drug or another forever. I thought when we reached a safe level of bone density that we could stop taking drugs, but from my understanding in these posts is that this is not true. I will never take Prolia, I do know that for sure.

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Did you have a bad experience with Prolia ? I’ve taken it for 2 yrs with no side effects and mild improvement. It’s more of a maintenance med I think long term.

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1 reply
gravity3 | @gravity3 | Oct 19 11:03pm
In reply to @4deborahrb "Did you have a bad experience with Prolia ? I’ve taken it for 2 yrs with..." + (show)
@4deborahrb

Did you have a bad experience with Prolia ? I’ve taken it for 2 yrs with no side effects and mild improvement. It’s more of a maintenance med I think long term.

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May I ask how old you are?

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1 reply
4deborahrb | @4deborahrb | Oct 20 2:11am
In reply to @gravity3 "May I ask how old you are?" + (show)
@gravity3

May I ask how old you are?

Jump to this post

I am 71.

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1 reply
gravity3 | @gravity3 | Oct 20 2:29am
In reply to @4deborahrb "I am 71." + (show)
@4deborahrb

I am 71.

Jump to this post

I am 76 just finished Evenity and then my first prolia injection.
I don't mind a longer term use of Prolia but am trying towait until I am 80 (if I make it). Until then I will have two injections of prolia the hopefully back on Evenity. Then I'd have two years left til 80. I am worried about atypical femur fractures that have been reported with long term prolia use. Of course anything can happen and all could change. We each have to determine our own path on this bone journey. I forgot to mention that I just started bioidentical hormone replacement... estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. I am hoping that reintroducing these essential hormones will also help.
A great documentary on PBS.
The M Factor: Shredding the myths about menopause

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