Can Evenity cause weight gain? Heart or stroke issues?

@jga7 Hello and welcome to Connect. This is a patient forum, and not staffed by physicians. Your question is best directed to a physician who knows your health history. My elderly mom just started injections of Evenity and her endocrinologist discussed possible heart related symptoms with its use, and because she has not had a heart attack, she was cleared for Evenity. She has severe osteoporosis and recently had a spontaneous compression fracture of her spine at T12. She will have monthly injections of Evenity for a year.

Information is available here: https://www.evenityhcp.com/evenity-vs-placebo/integrated-safety

Here is a quote from the maker about Evenity and the risk of heart attack and stroke:

" IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

POTENTIAL RISK OF MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION, STROKE, AND CARDIOVASCULAR DEATH
EVENITY® may increase the risk of myocardial infarction, stroke and cardiovascular death. EVENITY® should not be initiated in patients who have had a myocardial infarction or stroke within the preceding year. Consider whether the benefits outweigh the risks in patients with other cardiovascular risk factors. Monitor for signs and symptoms of myocardial infarction and stroke and instruct patients to seek prompt medical attention if symptoms occur. If a patient experiences a myocardial infarction or stroke during therapy, EVENITY® should be discontinued.

In a randomized controlled trial in postmenopausal women, there was a higher rate of major adverse cardiac events (MACE), a composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction and nonfatal stroke, in patients treated with EVENITY® compared to those treated with alendronate.

Contraindications: EVENITY® is contraindicated in patients with hypocalcemia. Pre-existing hypocalcemia must be corrected prior to initiating therapy with EVENITY®. EVENITY® is contraindicated in patients with a history of systemic hypersensitivity to romosozumab or to any component of the product formulation. Reactions have included angioedema, erythema multiforme, and urticaria. "

Have you been seen by a specialist such as an endocrinologist about your bone density? Do you know your risk factors for heart attack or stroke?

From what I have read, it is not advised to take Evenity if you have had a heart attack or heart issues in the past year or so. Don't taken my word for it though do your research. My doctor had me get a Coronary Artery Calcium Score (CT Scan) because my family has a history of heart issues. My score is the best one could get. I figured it would be good because of the diet I have chosen and been on for 50 years. That diet may have also contributed to my osteoporosis unfortunately. I'll be starting Evenity in about a month.

I took 3 months of Evenity shots for low bone density because I have not had any prior stroke or heart incidents. After 3 months of Evenity shots, I developed severe heart arrhythmias that were occurring several times a day. I went to see my cardiologist and it happened while I was on his EKG machine, so they recorded the whole thing. My heart went to 230 beats per minute for a minute and then dropped back down to 120, then went back to 230. I was oscillating like that for quite a few minutes as I sat on a chair, after getting off the EKG machine. I suspect that if I had any vascular blockages in my system, I would have had a stroke right then and there. I think the Evenity shots caused the arrhythmia episodes. I had to have an ablation heart surgery within 2 weeks. So in order to prevent a POSSIBLE bone issue later in life, I ended having heart surgery immediately. This is NOT a good tradeoff.

Since getting off the Evenity, the arrhythmia episodes have all gone away, thank goodness.

kmp88, this is valuable information that isn't available anywhere. Thank you.

Kmp88, this was alarming news. I am due to start Evenity in a few weeks ...some things that I am curious about: your age bracket and any other info that could explain such an extreme outcome?
I thought that I had covered all of my prep for this by going to my dentist and my cardiologist to get approval for this drug. I am a pretty healthy 77 year old, who has postponed bone meds for about 17 yrs. Through a calcium rich diet...strength and cardio ex at least 3 days a week...active in between...now facing -3.5 in my femoral neck area. It seemed like the time is now to deal with it.

Kmp88...best of health to you in the future!

UPDATE: This is now 2024, about 2.5 years after I thought I would be starting Evenity in February or March of 2022. After contemplating this and having conversations with my Doctor, I decided against taking Evenity at all. It is suggested that once completing the year of Evenity one would need to begin taking Prolia for likely the rest of their lives. I have had major dental work over the years and I do not want to take the risk of any jaw necrosis that can be caused by using Prolia. I have decided to keep my muscles strong and hope for the best. I will be having a test this month to see if I am losing more bone, probably, but we all have to choose between our deamons....

I am back to diet and exercise. I now work out 7 days a week for about 45 minutes with both jogging and lifting weights to hopefully build bone. I am also told that new measurements such as trabecular scores are better measurements of bone quality than just bone density measurements. My trabecular scores are above average.

I am 67 years old and very active and healthy. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis quite a few years ago which was surprising to me. I suspect that being born in Asia, drinking milk was not the norm and also the local water was not floridated. I have not had a bone scan since the ablation surgery.

I don’t know if my reaction is just specific to me. It feels like the Evenity shots acted like stimulants to my system. I have never had any heart issues prior to taking Evenity and nobody in my immediate family has either.

thanks for your concern.

lillea,
Prolia isn’t the only option after Evenity. More doctors actually prescribe Reclast.
I finished 12 months of Evenity last month and will have a Reclast infusion this month. I am hoping the Reclast will be as easy as the
Evenity.