My Experience with Evenity

ella5321- Thank you for your great description of the side effects of Evenity. Why are you starting Prolia? Are there just a certain number of injections of Evenity?

Than you,
Merry

@ella5321 Thank you for posting your experience with Evenity. I’m curious whether any of the side effects you experienced did increase over time?

I will get my 4th month of injections next week. I have noticed joint pain/aches and nothing else. I get my injections in the abdomen even though I did not have any reactions to Evenity in the back of my upper arm. The nurse who gives me the injections said that the abdomen gives me a lot more space over time since she is careful not to give the injections in close to the same place as prior injections.

I receive my injections at an infusion center of a medical center. So far I haven’t seen the cost appear on my Medicare statements but I expect that the cost will be fully covered by Original Medicare (I have Parts A, B, and Supplement G).

I get blood tests every other month to check my calcium levels. My doctor told me that because how Evenity works it can lower blood calcium levels and if calcium drops into range that is too low I will delay the injections until I get my calcium levels back up. So far, so good.

I figure there are risks vs. benefits in whatever is prescribed including osteoporosis meds. We need to decide if the benefits outweigh the risks (side effects).

The plan for me is do what you are doing. After the 12 months of Evenity I will get another med such as Prolia to lock in the gains in bone density I have hopefully made on Evenity.

When will you get your next bone density scan?

Helen, I also have Traditional Medicare and it covers the Evenity injections 100%.
When I got my first statement from Medicare, the charge was $5,000+!
Wow! I told the nurses this at the infusion center and they maintained a poker face. I surmised that they had heard this from other patients.
The nurses are wonderful at the infusion center, but I always felt that they were careful about what they said to me regarding the drug.
A couple of months ago, I ran into one of the nurses at the planetarium. She was there with her kids and I was there with my grandson. This seemed to change the dynamic. She became more human and I guess I did too. Now, our conversations about the drugs feel more real. 🙂

@susanfalcon52 I figured Evenity injections would be really expensive. It's good to know that you are seeing Evenity covered at 100% by Traditional Medicare.

The nurses at the infusion center where I go are wonderful. I asked a few questions about what they had seen with their patients and they told me that there are only a few people getting Evenity at this point. One nurse that I see every time is very friendly so I imagine she might tell me more if she has the information.

I took forteo for two years, then I was on alendronate for 5 years. I just had my fifth set of evenity shots and will complete the full year. My doc wants me to take prolia then but I have an aversion to it based on many of the comments I have read here. I want reclast instead but he seems to believe that prolia would be better because I was on alendronate prior to evenity. Help needed.

Evenity is a 12 month course of injections, 2 each month. I experienced the muscle/joint aches pretty severely by month 8 or so. I stopped at month 11 and am on Actonel and doing well. I have posted previously about adverse reactions on this site. Hope this helps! Evenity improved my bone density most significantly in my spine and that was the worst site. Went from -3.8 to -2.1. Took all three test spots out of osteoporosis range. It did feel like I had bad arthritis, which I don't but after 6 months it went away for the most part. I think a bit of aching I have now may be from Actonel but easily tolerated and not debilitating like last months of Evenity. I don't regret doing it but at the time when I was so uncomfortably I thought I had made a terrible mistake. Best to you!

I'll completed my 12th injection of Evenity July, 2024 . Afterwards Actonel or Fosamax was recommended.
Presently past my 8th injection, I almost stopped Evenity because I felt so uncomfortable, but I plan to continue on course. Nutrition and appropriate exercises are important too.
Also the balance of calm and fear. Not to be fearful that I'll get another fracture due to my active lifestyle. I am careful, but accidents do happen. Don't want to give up cross country skiing and hiking. Just need to find the best outdoor conditions. Thank you for your comments and time.

Yes, we just need to keep at it. I downhill ski, hike, mountain bike etc. and want to keep active! The first six months of Evenity have the most bone building effects but if you can do all 12 that’s great. I just got to the point after 11 mos that I had so much difficulty moving without pain I cut it short 1 month.

What medication did you transition to after evenity?

I tried Fosomax for two months and all aching/joint pain came back. Switched to once a month Actonel and I’m fine. A little achy at times but totally manageable. Hope this helps! PS After struggling with Evenity I didn’t want Reclast yearly injection as I didn’t want to take a chance on same type adverse reaction.