Struggling with making an osteoporosis treatment decision

I am in orlando and looking for osteoporosis specialist, who are you seeing? Have you found a closer place for REMS scan? How about a Functional Medicine Dr.

Most osteostrong locations have echo light scanning ability. I think it travels from location to location but I know there is an Osteostrong in Orlando. My doctor, after my latest dexa, just called the pharmacy and ordered fosomax for me even though I said I would take no medication. Good luck to you!

Change drs at once. Evenity is also made by AMGEN who make Prolia. How convenient to have another of their drugs available. And these guys are working for AMGEN. Well done finding that out. We all in the same boat and feel depressed that we have been advised to take drugs that hasn't had long term data. I read that some women have had increased bone density with Prolia. What a joke as l believe those new 'bones' are mere camouflage jobs. I read thar it's like renovating a house, where you cover up the problem but it is still poorly maintained underneath. Same with Prolia bones. That's why you are lucky if you can get an Echolight scan that shows you the quality of the bones. Good luck to all of us.

I feel grateful that these drugs are available to those of us who want to go that route. During my bone journey I've taken fosomax. Forteo, evenity and now Prolia. The "worst" side effect was a bit of gird with fosomax. I didn't want to go the route of my sister in laws mother who was bed ridden and in agony from osteoporosis and no meds available. I recognize that some people have good results from other methods but those were not my path. Good luck to you.

I think you are right to be concerned and shouldn't let yourself be backed into a corner. I am 70, just diagnosed with osteoporosis, with a T-score of -3.1. It was kind of shocking because I've walked at least 5 hours a week for the last 25 years, done strength training on a regular basis, until the last year when I got really sick (but managed to keep walking through it). I also was just diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder that requires me to be on prednisone, a bone thinning drug. It will be long term. I have a rheumatologist I trust and a close friend who is an excellent doctor. The rheumatologist prescribed Alendronate and my friend supported that. It has been around for years. My mom took it (as Fosamax). She had bad osteoporosis - with the dowager's hump. She did not get additional fractures. My aunt, who took no drugs, died from spinal fractures. The Alendronate is a once a week dose. I'm going to try to build my bones back better so keep walking and do targeted exercises for the osteoporosis and try to get off the drug. They know enough about it now, that after 5 years on it, a drug holiday is taken. Carol Michaels is a PT and an expert on Osteoporosis. She has videos on You Tube - safe strength and stretching exercises for osteoporosis - with no forward flexion of the spine. By the way, I am not a paid consultant for Alendronate! Wishing you the best.

To everyone who is apprehensive about taking drugs for osteoporosis I want to say try Evenity especially if your osteoporosis is severe. Somehow I managed to ignore several years of Dexascan results telling me that I had osteoporosis so when I finally paid attention it was already severe. My endocrinologist recommended Evemity, one of several new drugs that can rebuild bone. I was pleasantly surprised when I got a new Dexa after only a few months that showed considerable improvement in my spine. However I lost more bone in my hip joint which I attribute to the fact that I was not exercising. I think that it really is important to exercise along with taking supplemental calcium and Vitamin D3, getting enough protein and eating a healthy diet overall. I have other health problems and pain meds I take for those makes it difficult to keep exercising, but I am trying harder now.

I want to urge those who are hesitant to take the new osteoporosis drugs to take it from me they are safe and nothing else will help you rebuild your bones like Evenity. I was cautious at first and instead of taking a drug I thought I could eat a lot of yogurt and drink more milk and eat veggies that have calcium in them. Using those foods to fight this disease is fine if you have osteopenia or earlier osteoporosis but if your condition is severe like mine you should be looking for something to give you a quick start. I usually have a negative reaction to drugs but I did not have any real problems with Evenity and it is only a once a month injection in the doctor's office. After 12 months you have to switch to something else. My doctor recommended Prolia. I finished Evenity in June and I've had 1 Prolia injection which was fine. Prolia is injected only twice a year and is said to help maintain the gains you make with Evenity and even build more bone.

You don't want to mess around with osteoporosis. This is not COVID and these new drugs have been around long enough to know what to expect. No one will give out rewards if you try to muscle through this without the benefit of drugs that are proven winners. You only get one life and for most of us by the time we get osteoporosis we are half way through our alloted years. Don't waste time. Be smart. The only consideration is cost if you don't have insurance. You may qualify for assistance from the manufacturer if you don't have insurance. Evenity is effective and my Dexa shows that. I believe it is safe or I would have found out by now ( I was a medical librarian before I retired and I researched medical literature and still do). I would trust a doctor who recommends Evenity before I would trust a doctor or anyone that promotes some supplement which has not undergone the testing and scrutiny of medicines in the U.S.

@tsc Teri are you taking 70 mg once a week of alenondrate? Is it building new bone?? How have your T-scores been since using it?currently I'm on that until I see my rheumatologist on 11/12.. I'm 57 my last T-score was -2.7 in September..