Reclast, Actonel or Evista?

I do Prolia shot now. Did actonel for over 5 years way back when... that was too long.
At least with shots I dont have indigestion. Also they are set every 6 months ..and after a certain time limit you have to stop. When I was on actonel no one ever told me to stop...

@jamiemj
When Gynecologist put me on Fosomax I didn’t question it, didn’t even look up side effects. He just said to take with a big glass of water and don’t lie down afterward. It took me 3 weeks of back pain before I looked up side effects. When I figured it out and called office he said he couldn’t say the pain was from the Fosomax, but go ahead and stop taking it. Even when he called me a few weeks about diagnosis he said same thing. Can’t say that’s what it was from, probably was, but he couldn’t say for sure. Seriously?! I couldn’t roll over in bed! It was excruciating. Stopped the med and pain stopped. Seems pretty logical to me 😠

@rudysmom
I'm reading what you went through and have to say, that is one doctor who does not know how to help someone who is anxious about their "lifestyle change." If that is so simple why do I read week after week women reaching out for support in these Osteoporosis discussions?!
We're at a time in our lives when we have so much more lived wisdom/life wisdom than any doctor (unless he's practicing in his 60's and 70's). If you feel dismissed, believe your feelings.

At least you have created a clear summary of meeting him, as the 1st endocrinologist or 2.
I hope you keep your appointment at the end of the month! And write for us another summary. I think what bothered me is that comment about "switching a lot of patients to Reclast." Could it be that all of those patients need to be switched? I guess it just feels like he doesn't want to be bothered and if you are his patient that's what you'll get.

Fingers crossed for next appointment!

He may be the dr but you are the patient and it's your body. He can be changed, if uou deem it necessary.
When I went back to the rheumatologist, he almost couldn't misguide or dismiss me because I had done so much research using AI. I had the summary of all my concerns and questions right in front of me. You can always seek a second opinion.

@boneappetite
I have an appointment in a couple weeks with a different Endocrinologist. I had made a list of things I wanted to ask. I got a couple of them answered , but he just didn’t want to hear what I said. Made comment about how he had to go to Belle Tire and he just did what they told him needed to be done. So basically he was saying I shouldn’t question him. When he told me the Belle Tire story and everything they did my friend who was with me said, oh they got you. He just laughed. I don’t think he was getting the point. lol

I think you are wise to consult another endo. I personally couldn't deal with someone with his dismissive GOD attitude. I have an appointment with a new rheum next month. In her bio she talks about how she encourages patients to bring in any info and questions they have from their own research, support groups, etc. I hope she lives up to that.

I too was just told to take Fosamax when first diagnosed with just a one-page cursory "explainer" about osteoporosis and no info about possible side effects. I somehow came up with the idea that I could be on it for 5 years then have a drug holiday which I hoped/expected to be long, maybe even permanent. Ha! Even though your diagnosis isn't "life-threatening" as your endo put it, it's still upsetting and disheartening when you realize this is something you're going to have to manage for the rest of your life. Especially when there are potentially serious side effects with all the drugs.

In my case, I was on Fosamax for 3.5 years (with no side effects whatsoever) before I had another DEXA. I had no gains in BMD at all. It was still considered a "win" because I at least stayed stable, but the new PCPrecommended I see a specialist for a bone-building drug, and I went on Forteo, with some gain in BMD but not as much as I had hoped. So now I'd like to try Evenity because I still have severe osteoporosis and am considered a high fracture risk.

It sounds like your osteoporosis is mild (do you have your T-scores?). Since you had trouble with Fosamax, you might also with Actonel or Reclast, which also are bisphosphonates, with Reclast being the strongest. Also, if you do need to take an anabolic, bone-building drug in the future, the effect will be blunted if you've taken a bisphosphonate first (which is why I think I didn't have as much gain from Forteo as I had hoped). Evista might be a good choice for you.

I think you'll find this article helpful. https://medshadow.org/conditions-treatments/osteopenia-osteoporosis/osteoporosis-treatment-screening-medications/

@cat1203
Thank you. That’s a great article. My spine T score is -2.7. My hips are Right -2.0 and Left total -1.8. I’m leaning towards the Evista. I’d like to do a HRT patch but I don’t think that’s an option as I’m 60 and have no clue when I went through menopause as I had an ablation when I was 43 and my periods stopped. Dr made comment about if I take the Actonel and have pain again we can stop. Umm, ok but what about the Reclast? Can’t stop that. According to what I’m reading odds are I’d have a similar if not worse reaction to Reclast. I took birth control pills for years when I was younger and had no issues. Not sure if it’s the same estrogen as what’s in Evista but hoping I would do ok on it as well.

@rudysmom
Remember, these are consultations, but you must be the chief decision-maker. He simply doesn't understand his role if he thinks he should not be questioned. It is his job to inform you.

@rudysmom
Had my first Reclast infusion four days ago. There were no issues with it. No nausea as others have experienced, but eight hours later I started to feel immense pain in all my arthritic joints. Neck, lower back thumbs and right foot. It is getting better each day. Tylenol arthritis pain medicine worked the best for reducing the pain temporarily.
It’s a once a year infusion, some people do well with as little as two infusions

@rudysmom Age/years since menopause alone should not eliminate HRT as a possible option. Have a look at some of the other threads on this site for discussion and links. I and others have started HRT well beyond your young age 60 and I went through menopause at the same age that you had your ablation.

Here is a great success story about HRT by @patwerthman:
https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hrt-safety/
Excerpt: " ... I opted for the BHRT at age 67 ..."

Not saying that transdermal HRT is the best path for you, but it is a possible way to go.