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Treating Osteoporosis: What works for you?
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Sep 2 10:11am | Replies (1085)Comment receiving replies
@julie2020, @gailb, @sue225 and everyone else who has unanswered questions about osteoporosis medications.
1. There are three medications that work by building bone. Only three.
Forteo
Tymlos
Evenity
The length of time to be on one is determined by the condition of your bones at the entry point.
For example, I have only 5 more months of Tymlos. At that point, based upon where I started, all the work to be done by this medication will have been done. I can't stay on Tymlos after that point.
If you are on or considering being on either of the three, you may want to know when the road ends for you so that you can make a more informed decision for your initial bone-building medication. It appears that the bone-building benefit will last approximately two years after discontinuance and conservative medical support. At that time you will be faced with the next decision: What bone preservative will meet your needs for the rest of your lifetime?
Other conditions to watch while building bone are your levels of calcium and Vitamin D. The dosage amount has a lot to do with where you are now and what the demands will be for the direction you chose to take.
You will probably be comfortable about being able to handle any osteoporosis side effects with a medication dosage that lasts a short period of time. Daily would be preferred, but weekly is better than monthly, etc. etc. Make sure you can stop any time you choose without having to wait months for it to be out of your body.
2. There are post-bone-building continuation options at this time and the group is called bisphosphonates including:
Fosamax
Boniva
Actonel
Reclast.
This will be an important decision. The bone-building results last about 2 years and then you will need support from a preservative medication to protect the bone you have built.
For those of us who are highly sensitive to medications and find the side effects of bisphosphonates like Boniva impossible to handle, we will have to hope that there will be a post medication developed that does not have so many side effects. There may be one under development right now. I will continue to search. Anyone else have information to share?
Please leave me your questions, concerns, and share your decisions so we can all learn from each other. I am discovering that this situation has challenging complexity.
May you all be safe, free, and protected.
Chris
Replies to "@julie2020, @gailb, @sue225 and everyone else who has unanswered questions about osteoporosis medications. 1. There are..."
Fosamax does not build bones. Supposedly, it helps maintain bones as they are. I have been taking it since last November; but am considering discontinuing it, because of numerous cases of femoral fractures, jaw problems, and some cases of cancer of the esophagus. Because I have had radiation for breast cancer, I cannot take any bone-building meds except Evenity--which I will not take because possible side effects include stroke and heart attack. The FDA refused to approve Evenity until (finally) April 2019. I take vitamin and mineral supplements, and exercise regularly. Of course, all of us must make our own decisions. Good luck to everyone!
Thanks, @artscaping did Medicare cover Tymlos? If not how costly was it? I believe cost is a reason that my endocrinologist is not suggesting it.
I had planned to start on something after my April MRI. I wanted that out of the way with good results before embarking on a regimen with one of these drugs. Now I’m delaying it until after October when I will have another DEXA and a consultation with another endocrinologist. This is such a complicated decision that I feel that input from two endocrinologists, both very highly regarded, is a good thing to do.
I wrote on the portal to the endocrinologist I have already seen mentioning information I have gained. I was pleased with her reaction, she praised me for researching things, not resent it as I hear some doctors do. I had a NP in the transplant department tell me to stop my silly habit of googling! I have avoided contact with her since then. I think when medical professionals react that way it’s because they feel threatened.
JK
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Thank you, Chris. I've been researching Forteo and Tymlos. As of 12/31/18, it appears there were three reported cases of osteosarcoma in individuals who took Forteo. Tymlos is a newer drug and I can't find many studies on that. Did your doctor talk with you about this? My Endo just stated the threat of bone cancer exists only in the higher doses. She recommends one of these two drugs for me to start on for 18 - 24 months, followed by Reclast infusion. I'm just trying to decide if I feel comfortable with this. Does anyone out there know anything more about the link of bone cancer with Forteo or Tymlos? Thanks for your feedback!