What are the long-term positive/negatives of taking osteoporosis meds?

@sandy0257 : May I ask what the benefit of prunes is? I have Osteopenia. Trying to deal with via a product called Calciven. Bone density test coming up after one year. Will post to this site once I have results.

@lisamarechal
. The Landmark "Prune Study" (2022)
The most significant evidence comes from a large-scale, 12-month randomized controlled trial led by Pennsylvania State University.
• The Findings: Women who ate 50 grams of prunes (about 5–6 prunes) daily for one year maintained their total hip bone mineral density (BMD), while those who ate no prunes lost significant bone mass.
• Inflammation Control: The researchers found that prunes reduced levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are known to trigger bone breakdown.

@sandy0257 I hope this info helps. Some else told me about this and I researched and it’s a sure thing to help! I’ll let you know. Just started 6 months ago, 5 prunes a day. Also started the estrogen patch lowest dose since the black box warned was removed. I want to do this for a year before I start with any of the dangerous meds.

I have completed two months of Evenity injections. The first time I experienced severe joint aches including my jaw for five days,. The second time I had aches in my cervical area and jaw that lasted two days. I would like to continue the treatment plan, but my concern is that side effect of jaw pain is a precursor to osteonecrosis of the jaw. I've asked my doctors about it, and they said they've never had a patient contract cancer of the jaw as the result of the Evenity treatment. I'm diagnosed with severe osteo (-3.7) in the lumbar area I but have never fractured. I've been stable for years. I am actively looking for a physician that has an in-depth knowledge of Evenity side effects that can address my concerns.

@sandy0257 Thank you very much for this information. I will start eating prunes.

@bellablue

I can't help but wonder if bhrt could be helpful to you now. I have had many benefits after starting at 76 although my primary reason for
starting bhrt was not
bone health although I
knew bhrt would benefit
bones to some degree.
I've taken fosomax, forteo, evenity and Prolia so far. Best results seem to have been evenity.

@klpco Evenity works by a different action than a bisphosphonate or Prolia, both which can contribute to the formation of osteonecrosis of the jaw.

Both bisphosphonates and Prolia inhibit bone breakdown, causing an accumulation of old bone in the jaw. Because the bone is not being replaced, it can be prone to infection especially if one needs a dental procedure that involves working with that old bone.

This is one of the reasons that it's recommended that one take a break from medications like Fosamax or Reclast to give the bone an opportunity to refresh.

Evenity works by inhibiting a protein excreted by bone cells that inhibits bone building. Evenity encourages your body to grow new bone which would also include your jaw, avoiding the issue with old bone becoming necrotic like it does with bisphosphonates and Prolia.

I wonder if your jaw pain might be related to an inflammatory response from your shots? If you received your shots in your upper arm, it's conceivable that the response might spill over into your jaw area. I usually have very sore upper arms after my shots and take a couple of Tylenol just after I receive them to help with this.

Also, osteonecrosis of the jaw would take a long time to develop and would involve bone that now lacks a good blood supply due to it being old plus an invasive procedure or abscessed tooth that potentially introduces bacteria into the area.

@klpco Osteonecrosis is not cancer. This is what AI Assist says: Yes, Evenity (romosozumab) can rarely cause osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ), a serious condition where the jawbone loses its blood supply, leading to bone cell death. It is important to maintain good oral hygiene and inform your doctor of any dental issues before starting treatment."

Also, after taking Evenity, you will have to take a bisphosphonate of some kind to keep any gains you made in your BMD.

Regarding side effects from Evenity, I would do my own research. Many have commented on these sites that doctors dismiss or claim ignorance of any side effects that are plainly listed on the pharmacological literature.

Another resource for information is a Facebook support group called "Evenity (Osteoporosis Treatment) Education & Support".