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My Experience on Evenity for Treating Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Apr 16 11:23am | Replies (967)Comment receiving replies
Hello everyone - I appreciated reading everyone's posts when I first decided to start Evenity this summer for the information and emotional support. I would like to give back with a post myself!
I am 58 years old with T-scores this summer of -1.8 in each hip (femoral neck) and -3.0 in my spine. My low bone density may be due to taking prednisone for 6 months when I was 30 as part of a chemo regimen for Hodgkin's disease. Luckily, my doctor thought to check my bone density with a Dexa scan this year to check for problems rather than waiting until I had a fracture.
I was able to get Evenity approved by Anthem Blue Cross. I mentioned to my endocrinologist that I've had some root canals previously and could need another in the next year. She noted that on her submission for approval to my insurance. Evenity has less of a risk of jaw necrosis caused by dental work than other drugs because it does not shut down bone growth. However, I am hoping that I won't need a root canal.
I recently started a weekly yoga class to improve bone density. I recommend looking at Dr. Fishman's Youtube video and reading about his research at https://sciatica.org. I also walk a mile 5 days a week, lift weights at a gym once a week and try to do a little yoga on my own at home. I also do heel bounces while the coffee brews that I learned about in the Facebook group called The Strong Bones Challenge. All of this is time consuming since I also work, but I know it is worth it! This exercise has also been good for my balance and sense of well-being.
I've had 3 Evenity injections so far. They were all done in my stomach and weren't too painful. I wear low-waisted pants for a few days afterward so that no waistband rubs the injection site. My stomach looks very slightly swollen afterward but not too bad. I wish all of you the best on your journey toward stronger bones!
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Hello @californiakaren! Thank you so much for sharing. It's much appreciated. Thanks also for sharing your exercise routine and about Dr. Fishman's 12 poses for osteoporosis.
I'm 60 and my T-scores are really unchanged from 2018. Currently:
PA LUMBAR SPINE(L1 - L4): -3.4
LEFT TOTAL HIP: -2.5
LEFT FEMORAL NECK: -2.6
LEFT 1/3 DISTAL RADIUS: -4.9
In 2018 my PCP prescribed one Reclast infusion and after she retired, my new PCP preferred to have Rheumatology manage treatment. I haven't asked but I'm guessing that the low bone density is related to a small body frame and a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis over 35 years ago (when I was 26). I have never broken a bone and feel that my bones are quite strong, despite the T-scores. I do think there are other, better measures of bone density that are not yet standard for osteoporosis diagnosis. And from reading previous comments, it seems that bones can break with better scores than mine.
I was initially in agreement about treatment with Evenity, until my insurer (GEHA (Government Employee Health Association), which is administered by Aetna), declined it and tried to push Tymlos (which was my doctor's second choice). Apparently, Evenity is not on their formulary, though the costs are similar. I wasn't happy with my health insurer trying to be my doctor.
Then I began reading and researching about the pros and cons of these meds and the bisphosphonates (and HRT) and, the possibility that I could run out of options before I'm 70 (after dealing with whatever side effects arise during treatment) was not ideal. As my doc said, "We can treat with anabolic meds for 1-2 years, then use bisphosphonates for a few years afterwards to maintain the improvements, and then we'll wait and see." Hmmm!
I really appreciate having this site to mull over others' experiences before making a decision about following this course of treatment and when to begin. Thanks again for sharing. I hope you will continue to post updates as you progress through treatment.