Hi @kris1130, I know getting an osteoporosis diagnosis at 57 can feel overwhelming and starting Prolia would be a significant decision. I’d want to understand the ‘why’ behind your doctor’s proposal, mainly because:
- Prolia comes with a rebound risk if it’s ever stopped, so it’s a long-term commitment
- If bone turnover (via blood test CTX and P1NP) is already very low, Prolia might not be the best first option
- There are several choices in osteoporosis treatment, and sequencing matters - a lot of experts actually prefer starting with an anabolic (bone-building) drug first, then following with an antiresorptive like bisphosphonate
If you don’t mind sharing, what are your DEXA results (including TBS) and or your FRAX score? Also, have secondary cause(s) for osteoporosis been checked (certain disease states, certain medication usage, calcium and VitD level etc.)?
For what it’s worth, I was diagnosed at 59, used Forteo first then transitioned to HRT, and went from osteoporosis to osteopenia. So there are definitely different ways forward. You’re not alone in figuring this out.
Hello Mayblin,
I'm pasting my Dexa report because I'm not sure on some of your questions. I have had recent blood work done, below results.
Calcium 10.3
vitamin D-25-Hydroxy 74
I am only on 1 prescription and take a handful of supplements for gut, VitD, Omegas, Multi-Vit over 50.
Dexa Scan
COMPARISON: None available.
LUMBAR SPINE: L1-L4
- Bone mineral density (BMD) = 0.878 g/cm2.
- T-score = -2.6
- Change (%) since most recent prior (if available): None available.
FEMUR: NECK MEAN
- Bone mineral density (BMD) = 0.809 g/cm2.
- T-score = -1.6
- Change (%) since most recent prior (if available): None available.
IMPRESSION:
1. WHO Classification: OSTEOPOROSIS. Fracture Risk: HIGH.
FRAX generally not reported for patients with normal or osteoporotic BMD, in
patients younger than age 40 or older than age 90, in non-steroid-treated
patients younger than age 50, or in patients currently undergoing
pharmacotherapy.
TREATMENT RECOMMENDATION:
The Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation recommends consideration to initiate
pharmacologic treatment in postmenopausal women and men >= 50 years of age who
have the following:
- OSTEOPOROSIS: T-score < = -2.5 at the femoral neck, total hip, lumbar spine,
33% radius by DXA
- OSTEOPENIA / LOW BONE MASS: T-score between -1.0 and -2.5 at the femoral neck
or total hip by DXA with a 10-year hip fracture risk >= 3% or a 10-year major
osteoporosis-related fracture risk >= 20% (i.e., clinical vertebral, hip,
forearm, or proximal humerus) based on the US-adapted FRAX model.
NOTE: All decisions for treatment should be discussed between the patient and
one of their individual healthcare providers.
============================================================
WHO CLASSIFICATION:
The T-score compares the patient's BMD to the average BMD of a young adult. The
criteria below are from the World Health Organization:
- NORMAL: T-score -1.0 or above
- OSTEOPENIA / LOW BONE MASS: T-score -1.1 to < -2.5
- OSTEOPOROSIS: T-score -2.5 or lower
ISCD International Society for Clinical Densitometry's 2013 consensus
conference:
In Postmenopausal Women and in Men Age 50 and Older:
- T-scores are preferred.
- The WHO densitometric classification is applicable.
In Women prior to menopause and Men less than Age 50:
- Z-scores, not T-scores are preferred. This is particularly important in
children.
- A Z-score of -2.0 or lower is defined as 'below the expected range for age'
and a Z-score above -2.0 is 'within the expected range for age.'
- The WHO diagnostic criteria may be applied in women in the menopausal
transition.
- Osteoporosis cannot be diagnosed in men under age 50 on the basis of BMD
alone.
THANK YOU for any and all information. It's all new to me and I'm pretty good at researching but Osteoporosis is all over the place.