Reclast Appointment Cancelled Morning of Appointment!
Very upsetting early phone call this morning...at 7:15 am from my clinic telling me that I was no longer "eligible for Reclast" and not to come in for the 9am appt. I was floored not only because the cancellation came so early in the morning but also because it had been a struggle with delays to get the appt. scheduled in the first place.
Didn't ask why the day of the appt I was just getting the call but had to wait until office opened at 8am to find out from P.A. assistant that because I'd completed my 5th yr on Reclast, I would have to go off it for a full year. Hadn't realized I'd been on it that long or that there was a definite cut-off period.
Asked what to do for bone density in the interim? (have been on many other osteo meds) and was told that request for Prolia would be sent for ins/Medicare approval before appt could be set. I range between stage 2 and 3 chronic kidney disease (ckd) am, prediabetic and diagnosed with chronic bronchitis. Had read some time ago about negative side effects of Prolia and now unsure about starting it without information from others. Need to do some online reading about it but still in shock and disappointed about the sudden cancelled appt.
Have others here had experience with Prolia and if so, how did you do or are you doing on it? The assistant said that while both annual Dexa and bloodwork would still be required, there was no cut off time once on Prolia and that the infusion is given every 6 months.
I'm wondering if I might ask to go back on one of the other meds prescribed in the past if Prolia sounds too risky. Hoping for some member experiences please?
Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.
I'll try to answer as best I can.
I don’t really know why the Endocrinologist ordered the 24-hour urine test.
Here’s my history of the last 7 months.
I had become very tired. Actually, incredibly exhausted. I was on a mission to find out what was wrong. I am in my 60’s. When I was growing up I was very, very ill. I was in Children’s Hospital (for Dr visits, not usually hospital stays) very frequently. In my 30’s I thought it might be useful to get my medical records from them. I got them, never looked at them, threw them in a box.
This last winter, after I had been so tired for so long, I ran across the records in the original folder as they came from Children’s. I started reading them and realized the health answers might be contained in them. The first Dr I showed them to was one of my spinal Dr’s (I have 2 of them plus a surgeon). He was great but that was not his field. I showed them to my GP. She blew me off. I talked about fractures (14 plus – randomly spread out over decades – many were discovered years later in x-rays). She said that was normal childhood stuff (I broke the large bone, lower leg, vertically (up the middle). I told her I was 23 when it happened. “Still childhood”. I dumped her.
I looked for every type of doctor specialty that was contained in those medical records. Endocrinologist was one of them. I found what I thought was a good one and made and appointment. His comment when reading my med records was “this is gold”. He began running lots of tests. (including 24 hour urine test). I have no idea what he was looking for but results began to come in. First significant one was hypogammaglobulinemia. This showed up in a PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS, SERUM test.
At the same time, I ended up in Gastroenterology and had a full work up. (I’d been given Pneumovax 23 vaccine (first GP – the one that I fired). The next day my health fell of the table.) Lymphocytic Colitis. First one to actually give a diagnosis was his GI nurse. She’d spent 30 years as an Oncology nurse. She read the test results from Endocrinology as well. (I learned from my medical team that my Lymphocytic Colitis was immune system related.) She gave detailed information about hypogammaglobulinemia. My other doctors had commented, impressed with her detailed write-up.
I talked with the new GP. He dismissed the hypogammaglobulinemia and instead, wanted to do a sleep study. I never went back to him.
I went to an Immunologist. He looked at Endocrinologist’s tests and began testing. He’s a good Immunologist but he wanted me to do a second Pneumovax 23 shot as a test to see if I developed more antibodies the second time around. He proposed a third time as well. I wasn’t comfortable. I waited. I read. I found a very recent NIH study on multiple Pneumovax 23 shots. The results of the study were shocking. The study was so recently released I’m sure my Immunologist had not seen it yet.
I wanted a second opinion.
I contacted Children’s Hospital (same one I’d been to so many times as a child) to get a referral for an Immunologist. I was transferred to the Immunology Department where I was told that Children’s Hospital now accepts adult patients in the fields of Immunology and Heart.
I had to go through a battery of very complex tests to get accepted at Children’s. I passed, or failed, depending on how you look at it. I was accepted.
At this point I’d had so many tests / results that I was having to call the other doctors in my “group” and give them test results so they would have it to help in diagnostics. I asked the clinic (I go to a very large clinic) for a case manager. I was approved – that included a new GP as well.
At this point also, my Endocrinologist diagnosed me with Osteoporosis based on the number (14+ including my back) and type of fractures (my bone density was fine). He prescribed Forteo.
I had my first Children’s Hospital appointment in July. Many more tests. In August I was officially diagnosed with CVID (common variable immunodeficiency). I started antibody treatment last week.
I started Forteo about 10 days ago.
Remember that second GP, the one that wanted to do the sleep study? One thing in his notes, he wrote “This patient self-refers”. I’m honored!
@lkel Wow, you have really persevered! And finally gotten an answer! You have been through so much and never gave up. I hope things will continue to go smoothly for you!
Are you feeling any better since you started treatment?
The first day following, I felt better. Not so much now, but I had been told it would be normal to not feel well at first. 2nd infusion is scheduled for tomorrow. Weekly thereafter (trying for always on a Monday).
Number? 14+? That meant osteoporosis? Calcium and D3 are vital to take. But w your knowledge you could be your own doctor too. Impressed!
Hi fiesty76! I'm glad Forteo went well for you. I'm just into my 4th month on Forteo. The nausea subsided after 2 months, but now I have joint and muscle aches, pains, cramps, and some weakness, mostly in wrists, hands, fingers, legs, ankles, feet, toes,....the location varies daily. I have seen my doctor and had labs checked. I'm wondering if anyone else has had these side effects, if they subside/disappear eventually, and did these side effects last AFTER you completed the 2 yrs of Forteo?