It's fascinating here on the different recommendations we have received from our respective physicians.

I see an endocrinologist. I had an appointment with him on November 25. I did 12 months of Evenity injections and finished those on October 31. My endocrinologist told me that the gains that I made on Evenity as evidenced by my bone density scan results of November 18 (6% gain in my left hip which is significant and 4% gain in lower spine which isn't significant but still a gain) would rapidly decrease the longer that I wait to start the biophosphonate to lock in those gains. He said that by 3 months after Evenity much of the gain is lost and it's best to start the next step of biophosphonate within one month of finishing Evenity. This assumes, of course, that one can get everything lined up perfectly such as bone density scan and appointment with your doctor.

I am getting my first Reclast infusion on December 4. The plan is to do this annually for 3 doses. My endocrinologist said I may experience flu-like symptoms for a day or two and to take Tylenol if that occurs. He did not say anything about taking Claritin prior to the infusion. I take a daily certrizine (Zyrtec) for allergies and I won't add Claritin on top of that. I see no harm in proactively taking a 1000mg of Tylenol prior to the infusion.

If I experience side effects from the Reclast infusion I'm hoping these are short-lived. Side effects are far preferable to frailty, pain, and the compression fractures that my mother experienced when she was my age (72 years old). For my mother, this was in the 1980's and early 1990's before there were the options that we have now. My mother's quality of life would have been so much better had she had the options that we have now.