Hesitant to begin drug treatment for my osteoporosis

My hip has very mild osteopenia, and it has gotten a little better on medication. It's never been an issue - just my spine. My doctor isn't concerned at all about my hip. Also, I run and do hip exercises, so that helps.

You'd have to determine with your doctor the best course of action. Unfortunately there are never any simple answers with osteoporosis.

Same with me, my spine is worse than my hips.
Have you had any problems with your forearms while on the drug? I can't afford loss of bone in my forearms.

hello artistel81 (@artistel81)
I was recently diagnosed with osteoporosis and was petrified of having the Reclast infusion. The more I read about Reclast, the more afraid I was, but I also read that breaking a bone with osteoporosis is life altering and painful. I am 65 and pretty active and have been for most of my adult life thinking I would age without a lot of health issues, but it is what it is. I had my first Reclast infusion on July 3rd. I did have side effects, flu like systems and fever, but I went out to dinner on 7/3 and 7/4. I did take it easy and rest and drank lots of water and Gatorade. Prior to having the infusion, I ate very light meals and drank a lot of water and by a lot, I had about 90 ounces a day. On the day of the infusion, I continued drinking a lot of water and also took a Claritin pill which the nurse recommended would help with the side effects. I was also on Tylenol every 4 to 6 hours. The side effects were not pleasant, but I believe I made the best decision for me. We are all different and all of react differently to medication but staying active is extremely important not only for my physical but emotional health as well. And that is what was the deal breaker for me. I am sure you will make the right decision for you.

Hi mic1953. I sympathize with you as I was diagnosed this past April with osteoporosis. I'm still recovering from the shock but have and will be taking the more holistic approach, as you are doing. (diet geared towards bones, strength training/impact exercises) I had to reply because you have EVERY RIGHT to request YOUR DEXA report and UNDERSTAND it. It's YOUR body! Just FYI, the DEXA scan looks at the Femoral Neck of each Hip and the Lower Spine. They do this because these are the areas of the body that over time have shown are most prone to fracture as bone density decreases with age (as it does with EVERYONE!). The DEXA I had didn't include the wrist, but I've heard some do.

For the lower spine, they list it as L1, L2, L3, L4 and then provide a TOTAL #. Each lumbar spine is followed by a BMD number (Bone Mineral Density) and also includes a T-score. You should ask your osteoporosis specialist to show you the report and EXPLAIN it to you. I find it rather confusing and even confounding, as they come up with this score based on the HEALTHY BONES of a 30-year old! Then, they calculate how far you "deviate" with that standard deviation from the NORM. That's the T-score part. When I asked my doctor for the score to show how you compare to those your OWN age, as in, also the aging population (!!), she asked the radiologist, who scolded her for asking! They only give that out (I think it's called the Z-score), if you do NOT have osteoporosis. No fair! In any case, my lower spine is bad -- I do know I have some disc degeneration, so I often wonder if that's related. My doctor didn't know. I've done all sorts of core and spine exercises over the years, so the muscle will protect the bone. That is critical. Make sure you add strength training to your routine, 3 times a week. I went to a physical therapist and she put me on a program with 11 different exercises. I highly recommend you explore that. I lost my confidence at the gym after my diagnosis. I was so afraid I'd break a bone. I'm not afraid any more. In fact, I had a good workout today at the local YMCA fitness center. Muscle protects the bone. Balance exercises are good for you, too.

I wish the DEXA scan considered all the other bones in the body. Some bone experts say that bone density isn't the same as bone quality. The TBS, also known as Trabecular Bone Score analyzes the bone for bone quality using software. So you also will get a TBS score.

I wish you all the best with your bone and muscle strengthening program and lifestyle. I know it's not an easy diagnosis to deal with. I've been upset about it. My world has never been the same, but I'm coping with it. My doc said I have two years to turn this around without turning to medication. She believes I can do it! (she's such a supportive doctor!). Maybe because I'm on the younger side of "elderly" at 65 she's giving me this time? She knows I've been going to the gym for over a year - had taken a break from it during the pandemic - but before the pandemic, worked out fairly regularly for many years. I have to get another DEXA two years from now, and then we go from there. I have some other issue that may have contributed, but I won't get into here. I will say it relates to whether or not the calcium from my diet & supplementation was reaching the bones. After many months of research and even taking the CTX and P1NP bone marker tests so I know where I stand NOW, at the beginning, I finally started taking Vitamin K-2 on July 1st. That's a whole different topic. Check out that topic online. Vitamin K-2 as M-7 helps direct the calcium to your bones and not to your arteries. (another topic!) I did a lot of research on that before I made my purchase and started taking it. We'll see if that's been part of my problem. . . jury it out!

All the best to you. Check back and let us know how you're doing! Try to stay positive. I hope you found this helpful in some way? I've put so much time & energy into all of this, I like to share what I've learned with others in the hopes I can help. We're all in this together! You are not alone! 🙂

No. My forearm has osteopenia, but I do weights at the gym so I'm not concerned about it.

The side effects scare me also. Dr. first prescribed Fosomax, after reading all the reviews I told her it was not appropriate for me. It’s not recommended for people with heartburn issues or implants. Had a girlfriend on it made her sick on a daily basis. Her Dr switched to another medication.
I am 80 this would be my first treatment. Whatever I decide to use. Still researching.
Good luck

This was most helpful for me as I am currently considering Reclast infusion.
Someone also recommended taking an anti nausea pill prior to treatment.
Did you experience nausea at anytime?

No nausea whatsoever but a bit lightheaded. We are all different so I would definitely do all the preventative meds. All in all it wasn’t pleasant but not as awful as I thought and so far the infusion has not altered my life or lifestyle. The Monday after the infusion I did a Pilates class-mostly stretching and elongating but was able to do the class. For me, it is about continuing to hike and do all the things that make me happy. At this point in my life, I’m looking at whatever time I have left on this earth to make them count and do all the things that bring me joy. This is a very personal decision and my experience may not be yours but I would do it all over again. If you finally decide to have the infusion, please let me know how it goes. I am absolutely positive that you will make the right decision for you.

Thank you for your replies. Best wishes to you on your bone journey!

Thanks mayblin. I used the frax calculator and if I filled it out correctly, the ten year probability of a hip fracture is 2.4 and major osteoporotic is 11. I don’t know if those numbers are alarming or not.
My endocrinologist was set on getting me on meds: the first time I saw her, I told her that I was reluctant to take osteo drugs since I walk and lift weights/take multivitamins, calcium, k2, d3/eat healthy/on HRT everyday. She said I should be on meds and gave me a choice of 3—Fosamax, forteo or reclast. Then she wanted bloodwork (that’s another nightmare horror story about the phlebotomist at Labcorp) so at my next appointment, she prescribed Fosamax. I asked her if going on Fosamax was necessary because I showed bone growth and an improvement in my Dexa since I’ve been on HRT. She was adamant about taking the Fosamax. I haven’t started taking the Fosamax.
When I see my gyn, I will ask her if there’s an HRT she could prescribe with a natural form of progesterone.