Treating Osteoporosis: What works for you?

hi gail: I too am not a fan of taking these very dangerous drugs called biophosphonates to help with osteoporosis. So I don't do anything except drink more milk with calcium, and taking 2000 units of Vit. D. I'm also wondering if I should take Fosamax, what to do, what to do, I'm in a quandry. My walking is becoming very difficult. Caress

Just dropped by when I saw @caress back again. We shared some ideas several months ago. Today she said she's not a fan of bisphosphonates. She's also wondering about taking Fosamax. Others have suggested that Fosomax and Reclast have reversed their osteoporosis. NO THEY HAVEN'T! For the last three years or more, the FDA has had a lot to say about Fosamax, Reclast, Boniva, and other drugs which are bisphosphonates. The FDA message: These drugs prevent calcium from leaving the bones, but do nothing to rebuild them. If bone density is improving, something else deserves the credit -- probably the patient's good sense and strong-willed determination to "beat the rap." I got into this because my wife -- who was diagnosed with osteoporosis 12 years ago -- took Fosamax for several years, but a switch in primary care doctors put an end to that. Follow-up bone exams dropped that diagnosis, changed it to osteopenia (less drastic), dropped prescription medication, and switched her to calcium supplement and Vitamin D3 supplement -- both at relatively moderate levels. Her heavy exercise regimen also has put her in a place where her bones are almost invincible. Finally, her primary care physician ran some lab tests to see about the status of her parathyroid glands and found them to be in good shape -- totally capable of handling the role of managing calcium levels in blood and bones. Hope this information is helpful again now as it was a year ago. Martin

Hi Teresa....that was submitted to Connect long time ago. Maybe Colleen can find and resurrect it if you think worthwhile.! The Mayo Dx back in Nov 2013, was Myotonic Dystrophy type 2. Not sure when submitted to Connect. I see you joined before me in 2016, so maybe you have seen it. I have been known to play practical jokes on some of my doctors and therapists! But they unknowingly set them selves up for it! Strange, I never thought of my self as a practical joker! gailfaith

@gailfaith Hi Gail: I found an earlier post about MD - it appears as if the MD was connected to a shot for your knee - is that correct? Teresa

hiMartin: My rheumatologist suggested I get my calcium in foods, but now am wondering if I should take calcium supplements too. If I may ask how
much Vit. D is your wife taking? I take 2000 Vit. D wondering if I should take more. Thank you for your report.

Hi @caress. Calcium in foods is a good choice, but in my wife's case, lab tests of her parathyroid and of calcium in her blood defined her need for a calcium supplement of 600mg daily. Annual lab tests confirm she should continue at that level. As to Vitamin D, she gets 400IU with her calcium supplement and 1000IU more in a D3 pill. Maximum recommended is 4000IU daily. More on Vitamin D in this comprehensive paper from NIH: https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminD-HealthProfessional/. Ask your doctor about any change, now that summer is upon us and the sun will be manufacturing Vitamin D in your skin. What's with your walking? Hope that's not too problematic.

Hi Teresa,,,Yes. Before my first TKR he was alternating between cortisone and Synvisc injections into my L knee to hold off surgery as long as possible. My appts with him were always on a Friday. One Friday, he injected cortisone and I was fine for the weekend as usual, but woke up Monday morning weak. I did nothing all week, except to sit in the sun to read. By Friday I was OK again. I mentioned it to him at my next appt and he said, "we'll never give you a big shot of cortisone". Two years later I had the R knee replaced and two months after that very successful surgery, ( I got 132 degrees of bend in less than 2-3 weeks without pain.) I went for a post surgical check and he noticed fluid in the knee and removed it However he left that job for his resident who couldn 't do the aspiration and I said to get the Dr in here. He came in and preformed the aspiration, but apparently switched a prepared syringe and injected cortisone. Not being able to see what was going on, I just left and again was fine for the weekend but woke up Mon morning very weak. It was then I realized he had injected cortisone. I though OK by Friday I will be fine again but this time the damage was permanent. All my doctors said I could get worse, but never better, but no one put a name to my weakness. After I moved to retirement community in 2010, and all the doctors there said the same thing, I decided to fly to Mayo with my service dog from PA. After many tests and a biopsy, they said I had Myotonic Dystrophy type 2. I started weekly PT when I got home and will be in PT as long as I can get to my therapist. Even though I now no longer have a car a friend-RN has committed herself to getting me to my weekly appts. I had hoped to get a therapist who would "stand on me" to get me to work hard in PT, but I got a therapist and we get along so good, I work hard in PT just to see his smile! We have a lot in common so we understand each other pretty well. One of things I do is a lot of walking and have measured about 95 different route on the campus. So now each week, he writes what how far he wants me to walk each day. He will put down something like 0.5 miles and I will pick something from 0.50 to 0.5999. One day I wrote on a piece of paper maybe 10 different distances within the requested distance and I asked him which one did he think I would pick and without looking at the paper he said "I KNOW you.....you'd pick 0.59999999! " We have a ball together.

Hi Teresa,
Here's more about @gailfaith's story:

- Myotonic Dystrophy type 2 https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/myotonic-dystrophy-type-2/
- Muscular Dystrophy & Diverticulitis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/muscular-dystrophy-diverticulitis/

She is fascinating, tenacious and I think perhaps a wee bit of a humorous imp. 🙂

Welcome to Connect, @texasmimi. Thanks for sharing your osteoporosis situation and treatment.
Can you explain a bit more about how lack of exposure to the sun precludes you from taking vitamin D and calcium?

thank you predictable for the information. I will check with my doctor on the thyroid and if I can take more calcium
supplements. Thank you for the Vit.D website. I will check it out. Yes, my walking is a problem, I feel like my life is over
because I can't walk that long, maybe ten minutes and I have to sit down somewhere, feel like I can't plan any trips. If I speak to doctor
and ask him about the added calcium supplement and maybe more Vit. D. will help. I will need to find out. Thank you for your reply. I appreciate it.