1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Reclast and Omeprazole

Posted by mistea @mistea, Sep 19, 2022

Hi! I just joined after extensively researching for an answer to my dilemma. At 65, and after supplementing and exercising, I have osteoporosis in my lumbar spine of 2.9. My endocrinologist initially recommended Fosamax (which I had previously taken for 10 years, ending 10 years ago). But after an endoscopy found Barretts esophagus with no dysplasia, my GI recommends lifelong Omeprazole, starting immediately and my Endocrine recommends Reclast. I am deeply concerned about the effect of Omeprazole on my bone health - warnings include osteoporosis, and a reclast injection with side effects. Both drugs have a risk of kidney complications.
Don't know what to do - does anyone have any thoughts or experience with this? Thank you!

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osteoporosis63 | @osteoporosis63 | Sep 20, 2022

I have no experience with omeprazole. However, I was given Reclast after 3 years of Prolia. The doctor said 3 years of Prolia was long enough, and, the DXA scan showed very good gains. She gave me the one Reclast infusion for the 4th year of treatment. When I had my next DXA scan, all of the gains I'd made on Prolia were gone, and, I was back to my original readings before having had any prescription osteoporosis treatment! For the 5th year, she prescribed Forteo. I haven't had my annual DXA to know if there's any improvement.

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mistea | @mistea | Sep 20, 2022

Thank you for your response. My dr. said that Reclast can give a 10 percent improvement in bone density, but I don't recall now if that's the first year or over time. Anyway, it seems that taking Omeprazole will virtually guarantee an ongoing need to take something to counteract its potential for causing osteoporosis, which I already have in my lumbar spine, while at the same time risking serious side effects from each of these drugs.

In the meantime, I am working on my diet to increase calcium absorption by timing foods that have calcium at one meal while avoiding foods that interfere with calcium absorption at the same meal. Seems there are an awful lot of foods that can combine with calcium and block absorption. Also adding Vitamin K2 with MK 7 which is supposed to help calcium get into bones and doing exercises for balance and strength.

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1 reply
me49 | @me49 | Sep 24, 2022
In reply to @mistea "Thank you for your response. My dr. said that Reclast can give a 10 percent improvement..." + (show)
@mistea

Thank you for your response. My dr. said that Reclast can give a 10 percent improvement in bone density, but I don't recall now if that's the first year or over time. Anyway, it seems that taking Omeprazole will virtually guarantee an ongoing need to take something to counteract its potential for causing osteoporosis, which I already have in my lumbar spine, while at the same time risking serious side effects from each of these drugs.

In the meantime, I am working on my diet to increase calcium absorption by timing foods that have calcium at one meal while avoiding foods that interfere with calcium absorption at the same meal. Seems there are an awful lot of foods that can combine with calcium and block absorption. Also adding Vitamin K2 with MK 7 which is supposed to help calcium get into bones and doing exercises for balance and strength.

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Mistea
I was on Actonel for 10 years and developed Barretts esophagus. I was given 80 mg/day omeprazole for 1 year along with a diet of no gluten, dairy, citrus, coffee, tea or any foods that were acidic. Three months into this protocol, I was experiencing excess hair loss and my nails were breaking. I also developed diarrhea and very smelly gas. Basically, I was eating chicken, fish and greens. Harder to digest foods were off limits, like legumes and cruciferous vegetables. I learned that to fix one problem, you create others. I feel my body did not get sufficient nutrition when stomach acid was shut down to heal the esophagus. I lost bone when I had a dexa a couple of years later. If I had to do again, I would have asked a nutritionist to manage my diet and possibly get vitamin infusions during the course of treatment. I hope that things work out for you. These treatment decisions are not easy to make.

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2 replies
etartaglione | @etartaglione | Sep 24, 2022
In reply to @me49 "Mistea I was on Actonel for 10 years and developed Barretts esophagus. I was given 80..." + (show)
@me49

Mistea
I was on Actonel for 10 years and developed Barretts esophagus. I was given 80 mg/day omeprazole for 1 year along with a diet of no gluten, dairy, citrus, coffee, tea or any foods that were acidic. Three months into this protocol, I was experiencing excess hair loss and my nails were breaking. I also developed diarrhea and very smelly gas. Basically, I was eating chicken, fish and greens. Harder to digest foods were off limits, like legumes and cruciferous vegetables. I learned that to fix one problem, you create others. I feel my body did not get sufficient nutrition when stomach acid was shut down to heal the esophagus. I lost bone when I had a dexa a couple of years later. If I had to do again, I would have asked a nutritionist to manage my diet and possibly get vitamin infusions during the course of treatment. I hope that things work out for you. These treatment decisions are not easy to make.

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Mistea I have had ahalf my stomack out 45 years ago that is why I have osteoporosis I was good for 15 years than had stomack problems again I started taking wheat grass daily and it cured the stomack problems now I juice 50 oz a vegetables daily it is GREAT GREAT But a pain in the ass and expensive Good luck!!!

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1 reply
mistea | @mistea | Sep 25, 2022
In reply to @me49 "Mistea I was on Actonel for 10 years and developed Barretts esophagus. I was given 80..." + (show)
@me49

Mistea
I was on Actonel for 10 years and developed Barretts esophagus. I was given 80 mg/day omeprazole for 1 year along with a diet of no gluten, dairy, citrus, coffee, tea or any foods that were acidic. Three months into this protocol, I was experiencing excess hair loss and my nails were breaking. I also developed diarrhea and very smelly gas. Basically, I was eating chicken, fish and greens. Harder to digest foods were off limits, like legumes and cruciferous vegetables. I learned that to fix one problem, you create others. I feel my body did not get sufficient nutrition when stomach acid was shut down to heal the esophagus. I lost bone when I had a dexa a couple of years later. If I had to do again, I would have asked a nutritionist to manage my diet and possibly get vitamin infusions during the course of treatment. I hope that things work out for you. These treatment decisions are not easy to make.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Since I last posted, I went to my GP, sort as a tie-breaker/second opinion on the Endocrinologist and GI recommendations. She said she does not like to have any of her patients on long term Omeprazole due to calcium and vitamin deficiencies it causes. She explained that my biopsy was actually inconclusive for Barretts and told me to take the Omeprazole for 3 months and ween off it. She also recommended DGL - deglycyrrhizinated Licorice tabs 1 - 2 a day, before meals, which she herself takes and recommends to other patients. With no definitive diagnosis of Barretts, and no dysplasia, she suggested Fosamax, not Reclast and is referring me to a Rheumatologist who treats osteoporosis. Since I know that I tolerated Fosamax in the past, that's probably how I'll go if the endrocrinologist or Reumatologist will prescribe it. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I sincerely hope that your problems are resolving and you are on the mend!

REPLY
1 reply
mistea | @mistea | Sep 25, 2022
In reply to @etartaglione "Mistea I have had ahalf my stomack out 45 years ago that is why I have..." + (show)
@etartaglione

Mistea I have had ahalf my stomack out 45 years ago that is why I have osteoporosis I was good for 15 years than had stomack problems again I started taking wheat grass daily and it cured the stomack problems now I juice 50 oz a vegetables daily it is GREAT GREAT But a pain in the ass and expensive Good luck!!!

Jump to this post

I agree, natural is best if we can do it! I posted about my visit to my GP, who gave me comfort and confidence that lifetime Omeprazole was not the way to go and with inconclusive Barretts, and no dysplasia, Fosamax should be okay. I'm a little bit hopeful to have a plan that might work for me.

REPLY
me49 | @me49 | Sep 25, 2022
In reply to @mistea "Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Since I last posted, I went to my..." + (show)
@mistea

Thank you so much for sharing your experiences. Since I last posted, I went to my GP, sort as a tie-breaker/second opinion on the Endocrinologist and GI recommendations. She said she does not like to have any of her patients on long term Omeprazole due to calcium and vitamin deficiencies it causes. She explained that my biopsy was actually inconclusive for Barretts and told me to take the Omeprazole for 3 months and ween off it. She also recommended DGL - deglycyrrhizinated Licorice tabs 1 - 2 a day, before meals, which she herself takes and recommends to other patients. With no definitive diagnosis of Barretts, and no dysplasia, she suggested Fosamax, not Reclast and is referring me to a Rheumatologist who treats osteoporosis. Since I know that I tolerated Fosamax in the past, that's probably how I'll go if the endrocrinologist or Reumatologist will prescribe it. Keeping my fingers crossed.
I sincerely hope that your problems are resolving and you are on the mend!

Jump to this post

It sounds as if you have a great GP!

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mistea | @mistea | Sep 25, 2022

me49 - First time I really needed her for a real health problem and wasn't sure what to expect from her. What a relief that she understood my concerns and came up with a plan! I hope things work out with the Rheumatologist she recommended - getting an appt. and getting insurance co. to pay.

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