My Experience on Evenity for Treating Osteoporosis

My Experience on Evenity

I have learned so much helpful information from everyone else on this site over the past year that I thought I would share my experience as well. This morning I conferred with my endocrinologist after a year on Evenity and my final Dexa scan. I am 75 years old, 5’ 6”, 118 pounds and have always had an active life style, lots of sports, backpacking, etc. Other conditions include arthritis in my hands and recently a lot of muscle loss despite walking (no longer running), and yoga. I had my first Dexa scan in 2008 (at 60 years old) and I started taking Evista which I continued until 2021 when my primary suggested a “drug holiday” and referred me to an endocrinologist. This is a history of my scores:

DATE FEMORAL NECK HIP SPINE
T score/BMD T score/BMD T score/BMD

12/9/08 -0.9 BMD 0.749 -.9 BMD .749 -2.5 BMD 0.775

9/9/11 -1.5 BMD .683 -1.5 BMD .683 -2.7 BMD .747

11/23/21 -1.8 BMD .652 -2.1 BMD .688 -3.3 BMD .683

11/7/22 -2.0 BMD .632 -2.2 BMD .674 -3.8 BMD .603

1/5/24 -1.5 BMD .678 -2.0 BMD .682 -2.9 BMD. .694

After viewing the results of the 2022 scan (lower scores after drug holiday). I started taking Evenity in January 2023. This is around the time that I discovered the Mayo support group and I started taking a lot of the advice shared on this site. Here are some of the things I found most helpful:

-Great Bones by Keith McCormick and I also listened to several of his podcasts
-Margie Bissinger podcast – lots of various interviews and she hosts the upcoming summit on osteoporosis
-Melio Guide – Margaret Martin, many osteo safe exercise plans (also posture) to build strength safely and she is reasonably priced.
-Dr. Fishman’s 12 yoga poses for osteoporosis – You can google. I actually find that these move too quickly from one pose to another for me and I prefer
-Kendra Fitzgerald’s version – you tube. She has the 12 poses and a variety of other good videos and she explains everything carefully.
-National Osteoporsis Foundation- a variety of short videos on lifting, posture, etc. (https://vimeo.com/showcase/4034464/video/170183408). They also have a pdf guide of safe and unsafe yoga poses.
-From Harvard Health Publications – Exercises for Bone Strength (51pp) and Osteoporosis (~50 pp). Both contain good overviews as well as detailed explanations.
-Combined and Sequential Approaches to Osteoporosis Therapy- Benjamin Leonard, MD search for on Youtube. Good to learn about drug sequence.

I’m sure there are more but I can’t think of them now. I did not have any serious reactions to the Evenity shots. I always drank a lot of water before and after the shot. I always got a small headache which was relieved with several ibuprofen. It is possible that it caused my hands to ache from time to time but I am not certain I can attribute that to Evenity. I tracked my protein and calcium intake every day with an app and tried as much as possible to get nutrients from food. I ended up eating a lot of dairy as it contained lots of protein and calcium. I kept a bottle of New Chapter Bone Strength on hand (300 mg per pill) in case I fell short. I exercised every day -yoga, or walking 2 miles, or resistance videos. I met with my endocrinologist today and thanks to everyone here I was prepared with many questions. We discussed starting Reclast and he agreed to request a slow infusion so that will be my next step. My primary physician has been urging me to try Pilates so I am starting this week.
*I also had a dental implant in April with no problems and posted about it already.

@swgarrard thank you for the resources list! One small correction: It is actually Dr. Ben Leder, not Leonard.

"-Combined and Sequential Approaches to Osteoporosis Therapy- Benjamin Leonard, MD search for on Youtube. Good to learn about drug sequence."

Thanks for that correction - I was squinting at the slide on my phone.

After Evenity I tried Fosomax but had same negative effects, terrible muscle/joint aches and stiffness. Switched to Actonel and once a month and am doing well on it. I didn’t do Reclast as after the effects of Evenity was concerned about a drug that lasted a year. It took about 6 months for muscle joint pain to subside from Evenity but doing well now. Best to you!

I’ve been on Evenity for 7 months. Since starting back in June my back pain has increased. Hs anyone else noticed this? I walk everyday and stretch and do light resistance training.

Thank you swgarrard! Can I ask what app you use to track your protein and calcium intake? I need to start doing that. Thank you!

I had my last Evenity shots on Wednesday. In 6 weeks I’ll have a Reclast infusion. It is annually, I was confusing it with my Simponi infusions for rheumatoid arthritis,🙄 which was bi monthly. Doc isn’t sure yet if she’ll do 2 or 3 years as I’ve already had 3 years of it in 2019+.

I am going on my 6th month and have noticed more back and neck discomfort than usual . I am hoping that my next injection next week won’t increase this level of discomfort .

I lasted 8 months but decided (with my endocrinologist) to stop due to side effects:
Rash on scalp/face like eczema, brain fog, constant cough & sinus drainage, fatigue. It all cleared up after stopping. I did have good gains.
Did a Reclast infusion ( had knee swell up, insomnia, nausea, aches & pains still) but most went away now after 6 months.

I agree this is wonderful site for all . I had a recent CTX that I am so excited about it was 316 down from 933. Going on my6th month of Evenity . Still waiting for my N1NP to come back .