Anyone take a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis while on prednisolone?

@macferse i was taking alendronate while i took prednisone. The prednisone caused pretty bad osteoporosis. I have since learned from my sister that it’s best to start bisphosphamates at the same time as steroids. Unfortunately, the doctors were so busy pulling me out of my non-responsive state that side effects didn’t cross their minds. Oh, well, I’m still here ! I would urge you to listen to your doctors.
Will you be taking the steroids for a long time?

Thank you so much, Colleen. These other streams are really illuminating as to how varied the medications are and how complicated the decision process.

Thanks, Becky for your suport. It is wonderful to be able to have the benefit of others experiences. I have been on steroids now for 3 months and only now GP is starting to discuss Osteoporosis with possibility of Bisphosphenate medication. Still awaiting an appointment for a DEXA scan to assess the situation.

@macferse If I were you and knowing what i know now about prednisone and osteoporosis, I would take the bisphosphamate meds and now have to worry about osteoporosis . You said that you may have to wait a year for the DEXA and you’ll be on the prednisone all that time. It’s all worth a good discussion with your GP.
Will you let me know what you decide?

I'm down to 3 mgs Prednisone after two years, and my doctor has recommended I take 200 mgs of Plaquenil with it. I am also on 1200 mgs of Calcium with D3. (600 in the morning and 600 at night) My last bone scan showed no bone loss and my nails are the strongest they have ever been.

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in 2019 and my doctor recommended Prolia treatment. However, before I began the treatment, I was diagnosed with PMR after a Covid shot and placed on prednisone for pain control and reduction of inflammation. The rheumatologist I was seeing for the PMR advised me to go ahead with the Prolia so I received one shot, which did not cause any immediate side effects, but two months later, I experienced severe jaw pain with signs of infection around dental implants that had been in place for twenty years. After removal of the implants, the area failed to heal and a bone was exposed, causing intense pain. I was then diagnosed with ONJ, which was very upsetting since there is no effective treatment or cure for ONJ. Some people heal and others are left with a long term problem. I was very fortunate in this regard, as my jaw eventually healed although only after several months of intense pain. While all of this was going on, I was tapering the prednisone for PMR. I eventually managed to be pain free from both conditions and am now trying decide how to treat the osteoporosis, since doctors recommended against further Prolia or other similar medications.

For helpful information on osteoporosis, exercise videos, etc, check out the Better Bones website, directed by Dr Susan Brown, a certified clinical nutritionist specializing in osteoporosis, osteopenia, bone health regeneration, and auto-immune disease. I also take New Chapter Bone Strength calcium supplements (available on Amazon) which have kept my osteoporosis stable for four years, since I was diagnosed.

Thanks for sharing your experience. It makes me doubly determined to try to evaluate all the benefits and risks of what the medics so casually recommend.

Two books I recommend are "No Nonsense Bone Health Guide", by Dr Lani Simpson. Most osteoporosis drugs can only be taken for up to five years and "within a year of stopping some medications you may lose the bone you gained (assuming you gained any). Bone loss following bisphosphonate use can resume after approximately two years." Another good book is "The Complete Book of Bone Health" by Dr Diane Schneider. Walking and strength training are also very important.

I'm not on any bone meds but I did have the discussion of bone meds and the possibility of ONJ with my dentist and she said if I ever did develop ONJ the treatment for it would be hyperbaric chamber treatments.

I'm sorry you developed ONJ with just one shot of Prolia which seems very unusual after just one shot.

Were you on any bisphosphonate prior to Prolia?