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Prolia treatment for osteoporosis: What is your experience?
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Jul 13 3:27pm | Replies (1246)Comment receiving replies
One possible side effect of Prolia is a rebound effect. After taking it a couple of years, it can cause what it is supposed to prevent. Suddenly all the bones are fragile and fractures abound. Of course, not everyone who takes Prolia has that problem. I've had experience with a rebound effect with another drug, so that one caught my eye. With every drug we decide to take, we are saying, "I'm betting that I'm in the group of people who are not going to suffer any disabling side effects." And with every drug we decide not to take, we are saying, "I'm hoping that I'm in that group of people who are going to do just fine without the drug." Unfortunately, nothing is 100% -- neither good results nor bad results. There is always risk.
Replies to "One possible side effect of Prolia is a rebound effect. After taking it a couple of..."
Hi @writerbroad — to quote your post above— "Unfortunately, nothing is 100% — neither good results nor bad results. There is always risk." So, so, true about all of these drugs and it will never change because there's no 100% guarantee in life about anything and betting is always risky business! Thanks for your post, I've been away from the group for a couple of weeks and have no idea where to begin to catch up!!
What is the incidence of this happening - the rebound? Is it 1 in 500, is it 1 in 1000, is it 1 in a million?
Does anyone have this answer??
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The thing about Prolia, which I will never, ever take, that makes me curious is what does it actually do when it's taking back the gains? Clearly bone is being shed, in record time no less, so does Prolia withdrawal, in the absence of a 'protective relay' drug, somehow dissolve bone and flood the bloodstream with calcium? I'm curious about how bone can dissapear so fast. And, is it real, healthy bone or just brittler old bone that would have ordinarily been replaced in a younger body?
I have osteopenia but I dug out an DEXA from 6 years ago to show my new PCP and his comment was, "Hmm. There's hardly any change at all and the hip density is actually better. " At which point he un-recommended any drugs and suggested more calcium-rich foods and tai chi or other exercise that strengthened balance response.
So I think the rate of loss might be under-considered. For those of us who might have list bone early during heavy-coffee consumption, cigarette-smoking student and early career years but have long since discontinued the Young Invincible lifestyle, but are now more health-aware, rate of change could be part of the diagnostic picture?