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Osteoporosis treatment or strontium citrate?
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: May 1 5:50pm | Replies (239)Comment receiving replies
You raised every concern I have about the nasty side effects and risks of the drugs to 'treat' osteoporosis. I have 'mild osteopenia and a breast cancer lumpectomy in October, 2021 and really worried about taking the recommended aromatase inhibitor because it would have necessitated taking bone anti-resorptive meds and all have nasty side effects. Or worse unintended consequences. An endocrinologist planned the classes of them to me, bisphosphonates to monoclonal antibodies to SERM to parathyroid-related approaches and I dont want to have to take any if them so declined anastrozole. [I also declined it due to cardiac-related side effects so the bone loss concern wasn't the sole reason.] The endocrinologist also mentioned that the drugs don't actually redensify bone as harden the remaining bone. Which makes the bones more brittle. Note, maybe the newest drugs do remind healthy bone but this consult was last week. He also pointed out that some if the drugs, if discontinued, 'take back' more bone than that gained from taking them! So I also welcome anything anyone knows about maintaining bone health. I'm addressing diet, taking a calcium/D3/K2 formula and adding weight-bearing exercise. If boron or trace minerals or other supplements can help here, I'm among those grateful to read about them.
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Tymlos, Forteo and Evenity do "dedensify" bone. Prolia and biphosponates affect resorption, as does Evenity but to a lesser degree. Brittle bones may occur after several years, with Prolia and biphosphonates Prolia is the one that can result in quick drop in density after stopping: not true of biphosphonates. For osteopenia, there have been changes in favor of not treating in many cases.
Anastrazole will increase bone loss similar to the loss at menopause but I found that after the first year this loss lessened. I took an aromatase inhibitor with full-blown osteoporosis even though bone meds were not possible (long story). My Oncotype was low but for me there was no question I would do everything I could for my cancer.
What heart conditions specifically are you wary of from anastrazole? I have paroxysmal afib but it did not affect that.
You could consider anastrazole without meds and then do a bone-growing med if your bone density worsens. (Again, I had actual osteoporosis for 14 years so there is wiggle room. Your bones don't turn to dust instantly when you cross -2.5.)