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My Experience on Evenity for Treating Osteoporosis
Thought I would share for those considering or on Evenity for osteoporosis:
Afer much research and discussions with my GP and Cardiologist, I have decided to start my treatment with Evenity injections. As with all drugs, there are many side effects. My biggest concerns were stroke and heart attack. However, considering that I do no have any history for either, for me personally, the benefits outweigh the risks. As my GP said to me, "if everyone only thought about the side effects of the drugs, no one would be taking them".
I had my first injections (subcutaneously in the back of each arm) on June 30th. The nurse that administered the injections discussed the drug in depth, along with all the possibilities that may occur. She also mentioned that for all the patients that she has seen, none has had any side effects.
The injections are once a month for only one year, so I'm hoping that this works well for me and I can improve my bone density, especially in my spine, where I need it the most.
My endocronologist has also prescribed Hydrochlorthiazide for my idiopathic hypocalcemia. I have an appointment with an allergist this month to confirm whether I still have an allergy to sulfa drugs, since this drug contains sulfa. Apart from this I take D3 orally and try to obtain additional calcium through foods not supplements. Trying to walk 3-4 times a week and will begin with a few weight bearing exercises.
My journey began September, 2019 when I was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis. After waiting to see three doctors, receiving three denials from insurance company for Evenity, which took several months, I am hopefully on my way for a favorful outcome.
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The information I saw said Evenity stops the bone erosion process, unlike other osteoporsis medicines that create more bone. That Evenity does not have the bisphosphaes (sp?)
Because of my history of overreacting to medications, I would only start if I could take a half dose for the first two months The NP at the osteoporosis clinic would not even consider that.
@lashu the bone building drugs are Forteo, Tymlos and Evenity. Of the three, Evenity also has anti-resorptive qualities similar to, but at a lesser extent than, bisphosphonate and Prolia.
Evenity is a strong bone builder and the combo with anti-resorptive qualities explains the "turbocharge" term.
I just started Evenity and I’ve noticed tingling feeling in my right arm. I don’t know if this is related to the medication. Has anyone else had this happen?
Thank you. Have you had this Evenity treatment? Saw my dentist today, got the green light to go ahead with it.
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1 ReactionI saw my dentist before going on Evenity. She seemed knowledgeable about it, but didn’t discourage me about taking it. She had recently X-rayed all of my teeth, so had a baseline. She said that I would have to take an antibiotic before a dental procedure, but I would have had to do that anyway as I had a hip replacement recently.
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2 ReactionsMy dentist examined my teeth, and I declined an X-ray to avoid radiation. I also received a green light to go ahead with Evenity, she saw no problems to interfere with it. She said the worry is when an extraction of a tooth is needed: that is when bone is exposed, and that exposure can cause the necrosis.
Have you begun your treatment? I would very much like to hear about your experience while on it.
Thank you for sharing.
Day after tomorrow, I’ll have my fourth injections. I have felt okay other than fatigue a couple of days after the injections. Because two of the potential side effects are stroke and heart attack, I saw my cardiologist and my neurologist before I started Evenity. These are both serious, thoughtful physicians who seemed to know a lot about it. The neurologist sent me for an mri of the brain and a carotid artery ultrasound. Those were clear. The cardiologist had recently done some tests and he thought I was fit for Evenity treatment.
Two months ago, I had a hip replacement. I had a great surgeon who seemed supportive of the Evenity treatment. I told him that I had “mushy bones” and especially my right hip. He said not to worry- he was replacing that one with titanium. That all went well.
I am reading Keith McCormick’s book “Great Bones” He has a video on YouTube in which he discusses just drug treatment. He talks about all of the osteoporosis drugs.
He speaks pretty positively about Evenity. I think the medical world is excited about Evenity because it does what it is supposed to do and gets results.
I have a couple who I’ve been friends with for 35 years. We have coffee once a month and talk - and laugh - about our “radical drugs”. She is on a new drug for Parkinson’s and he’s getting chemo for a pretty serious cancer. They congratulated me for taking a drug that had had the black box warning removed.
So, I am hoping that I will get good results from Evenity and that I will continue to be symptom free except for the fatigue that one day. I did switch my injection to a Friday so that the fatigue would be over the weekend.
People have posted on here that they too were symptom free until their 5th or 6th injection. I am hoping that I will not experience that.
If I start to have other symptoms, but can live with them, I will finish the course of Evenity.
I’m 71 and still working full time. I work from my home office as a psychotherapist.
I pick two grandchildren up from school twice a week.
I am part of an environmental group and my focus is invasive species. I take one of my grandchildren on outings to study this and to destroy invasive species when we find them. Don’t cringe - we aren’t attacking animals - more like Chinese Tallow trees and Apple Snail eggs.
This is a long post- I apologize for that - but all that is to say that I am taking Evenity in the hopes that I can continue all these activities by avoiding a fracture.
I will report on my 4th injection which is in two days.
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6 ReactionsI was hoping to get a consult with McCormick before I start my Evenity treatment. I have not had any success yet in getting someone from hhis office to return my call. Has anyone had a consult with Dr. McCormick?
Hi gretch19, I met with McCormick last May. I received a call back a few days after I left a message. I believe Dr McCormick's admin is only in the office a few days a week. I could be wrong. Plus, August is usually a high vacation month. Once we did connect, it took a month to get in to see him.