Prolia treatment for osteoporosis: What is your experience?

My third and final shot was in June of 2018. I stopped because of side effects and concerns about how Prolia works. I did not go on a relay drug, which is now suggested, and so far I have not suffered rebound fractures.

@mabel343 thanks for telling me this. I am thinking of trying that option. I'm sure the endocrinologist will do her best to discourage me from doing so. I have until June/July to decide.

You are fortunate that this has worked for you! When I was in my late 40’s, I was diagnosed with osteopenia and di all the things you did and quickly fell into the range of osteoporosis. Thus, each person is unique and what works for one person may not work for another.

@sue225. That makes sense. I have been reading the book “Strong Women Strong Bones” and that has made me aware that in your 30s you really need to doing things to preserve your bones, My daughter is in her 30s, petite, and her main exercises are walking and swimming, neither of which are very helpful in making strong bones. I intend to buy the book for her.
I am taking calcium, D3, and K. I need to keep track of how much calcium I get from food sources so I don’t overdo it. From what I understand, too much calcium can cause hypercalcemia which can actually weaken your bones! 1200 mg of calcium is the typical max.
I have used MyFitnessPal in the past to track nutrients when trying to lose weight. I’m going to have to get serious about using it to track calcium - you can choose which nutrients you want to track.

Here is one of the best articles I’ve read on knowing how to read your DEXA scan results.

This article explains why the bone dr I was sent to after my scan results showed osteoporosis wasn’t worried at all....even with a -3.7 score. Bone strength and bone density are different. So are density scores of small framed people vs larger boned people.

@contentandwell best to get as much calcium as possible from food (sometimes hard to do). Better to take the supplement in small doses (body can only absorb, cant remember the amount now, so much at a time. Calcium citrate unlike carbonate doesn't need to be taken with food and is more easily absorbed (and doesn't cause constipation!) I do think walking is good for osteoporosis: it is considered a form of weight bearing exercise.

@contentandwell just checked the amount of calcium the body can absorb in supplement form: 500mg .

Since stopping Prolia in June of 2018, I had been totally focused on bone health when in July of 2019, to my great shock, I got a stent in my heart for a 99% blockage! The diet I was on for bone health was not necessarily one that was good for my heart, not that there was evidence of the problem suddenly manifesting itself in that year. I had only recently learned that Vitamin K2-MK7 plays a role in directing calcium to the bones helping to avoid deposits elsewhere, so I make sure to take that every day along with the large collection of medications that I must now take. There is an excellent book on K2 and its interaction with calcium written by Kate Rheaume-Bleue. It is true that the body can only absorb so much calcium at a time, so essential to spread it out throughout the day. And given my situation, I am now very careful not to consume too much!

@sue225 According to the book I mentioned above, "Strong Women Strong Bones”, regular walking with no real impact does not help. It's still a very good exercise but not a help for your bones. There needs to be some impact. I used to use the elliptical when I work out at my health club but now I use the treadmill and make sure I have some impact.
I am trying to get it from food but being lactose intolerant it can be a challenge. I do use almond milk and that does have a good amount of calcium in it too, and I try to eat a couple of cubes of aged cheese every day. The challenge is eating calcium but not overdoing calories. Myfitnesspal gives a percentage in the calcium column, and it says I had 45% of my calcium requirement for today in this morning's breakfast but I don't know how many mgs of calcium they are basing that on.
I found out this weekend that prunes are good for your bones! That was a surprise. This is a good article I came across after I googled to find out if prunes really were good for your bones.
https://health.usnews.com/wellness/food/articles/2018-01-03/eating-for-your-bones
JK

@contentandwell if it's okay, I still disagree about walking. Check out the Mayo Clinic site : "Exercising with Osteoporosis". Walking is classified as a form of "weight-bearing aerobic exercise" because you are on your feet and your bones are supporting your weight (osteo is the one disease where carrying extra weight is good for you!). The other forms of exercise in this category are: dancing, eliptical training machine, stair climbing and gardening. These exercises "work directly on your bones in your legs, hips and lower spine to slow bone loss."
Will read your prune article. Dried figs are a good source of calcium too.
Over twenty years ago (in my osteopenic years) I was a volunteer on the help-line at the Osteoporosis Society of Canada and although I didn't always practice what I preached, the knowledge was valuable.