1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health
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Should a Dexa Scan be fone right after the course of Evrnity completes

Posted by shorty321 @shorty321, May 15 6:00am

After my 12 injections of Evenity completes, when should the DEXA Scan be done? My bone specialist wanted to do it right after I was done with my 12 Evenity injections. My rheumatologist wants me to have my next DEXA scan 2 years after the last one. My last Evenity injection is around Jan. 26, 2027. Two years from my last DEXA scan would be around July 25, 2027. I plan to do Reclast after Evenity. Isn’t it better to have a DEXA scan in Feb. and not end of July? I am questioning if the rheumatologist knows what she is doing. After my Evenity treatment is over, I am thinking of possibly switching back to the bone specialist even though I don’t like the extra hospital facility charges that gets tacked on when I see her at the clinic in the hospital.

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cat1203 | @cat1203 | 6 days ago
In reply to @naturegirl5 "@ahorty321. I see an endocrinologist. He recommended a bone density scan after I finished Evenity which..." + (show)
Profile picture for Helen, Volunteer Mentor @naturegirl5

@ahorty321. I see an endocrinologist. He recommended a bone density scan after I finished Evenity which I did within a few weeks. Then, based on that bone density scan he could then recommend the next step. My bone density scan showed an increase in bone density that he was looking for so then the next step was the Reclast infusion. He recommended that I scheduled Reclast within a month of completing Evenity. The reason was that while Evenity “builds” density, it does not help to maintain the density. That’s where Reclast comes in.

So, with that, it sounds to me that you might go back to your bone specialist. The recommendation from the rheumatologist is not the recommended time interval according to my endocrinologist.

The hospital facility fee sounds suspicious to me. I would call my insurance company and ask about that fee. These days there are all sorts of fees that get added that we didn’t see several yeas ago.

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@naturegirl5 What was the increase in bone density, by percentage, and what was your T-score, after Evenity? Thanks.

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cat1203 | @cat1203 | 6 days ago
In reply to @jeanvarney "My bone specialist at Georgetown Medstar Hospital in Washington DC had me do my DXA immediately..." + (show)
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My bone specialist at Georgetown Medstar Hospital in Washington DC had me do my DXA immediately following the Evenity treatment (within 2 weeks). She told me I would need to go on a bone maintaining drug immediately following my last Evenity so I wouldn't lose any of the bone mass I gained. I gained 10-12% on the Evenity injections and started Reclast 1 month after finishing the Evenity. Hope this helps.

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@jeanvarney what was your T-score at the end of Evenity? Had you been on any osteo drugs prior to that and if so, which one? Thanks.

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cat1203 | @cat1203 | 6 days ago
In reply to @jeanvarney "We definitely had similar paths and I too weight lift and remain VERY active. I however..." + (show)
Profile picture for jeanvarney @jeanvarney

We definitely had similar paths and I too weight lift and remain VERY active. I however spread my 4th and last Reclast treatment out over 2 years and during those 2 years lost 5% of my bone mass. I'm back on Evenity for round 2. Thereafter, I will not take a break from maintenance drugs! 🙂

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@jeanvarney Won't your Reclast infusions blunt the effectiveness of your second round of Evenity?

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cat1203 | @cat1203 | 6 days ago
In reply to @jgmmsw "@jgmmsw after one year of of Evenity and improvement in my DEXA scan he’s recommending Reclast...." + (show)
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@jgmmsw after one year of of Evenity and improvement in my DEXA scan he’s recommending Reclast. To me the biggest benefit of that is that I might not need it every year depending on my bone markers one can even go three years before the next infusion.

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@jgmmsw what was your percentage of improvement and what was your T-score after Evenity? Thanks.

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jgmmsw | @jgmmsw | 6 days ago

I had an 18.7 increase in bone density in the lumbar spine and 11.8% increase in the hip. T score in the spine -1.7. From -2.9 before Evenity and -3.4 for the hip versus -4.0 before Evenity.

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jgmmsw | @jgmmsw | 6 days ago

My endocrinologist said that as long as my bone markers look good I might be able to go off of rec class in five years and take a five year holiday. By then I will be almost 90 years old and I don’t really think I’m going to be caring much about osteoporosis.

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jeanvarney | @jeanvarney | 6 days ago
In reply to @cat1203 "@jeanvarney Won't your Reclast infusions blunt the effectiveness of your second round of Evenity?" + (show)
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@jeanvarney Won't your Reclast infusions blunt the effectiveness of your second round of Evenity?

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@cat1203 my last reclast was 18 months ago. Second round of Evenity just started, so no.

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jeanvarney | @jeanvarney | 6 days ago
In reply to @cat1203 "@jeanvarney what was your T-score at the end of Evenity? Had you been on any osteo..." + (show)
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@jeanvarney what was your T-score at the end of Evenity? Had you been on any osteo drugs prior to that and if so, which one? Thanks.

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@cat1203 I don't recall my exact T-score but I was back in the osteopenia range and close to normal in my spine! I had not taken any osteo drugs prior to starting Evenity because I had 4 compression fractures in my upper spine by the time I was diagnosed and was only 56. So, my doctor argued successfully to my insurance company that it was absurd to maintain my bone mass at current level and instead I needed to build it which of course Evenity does. Hope this makes sense.

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Helen, Volunteer Mentor | @naturegirl5 | 6 days ago
In reply to @cat1203 "@jeanvarney what was your T-score at the end of Evenity? Had you been on any osteo..." + (show)
Profile picture for cat1203 @cat1203

@jeanvarney what was your T-score at the end of Evenity? Had you been on any osteo drugs prior to that and if so, which one? Thanks.

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@cat1203 Here are my scores:

After 12 months on Evenity, DEXA scan on 11/2024

Hip t= -1.4. gain = 6.1%
Spine t= -1.7. gain = 4.0%

I had a Reclast infusion one month after the above Dexa Scan, then another Dexa Scan one year later. During that year I continued strength training (weight lifting) with particular emphasis on hips, and axial spine.

DEXA Scan on 12/2025

Hip t = -1.5. gain -1.6%
Spine t = -0.9. gain 9.7%

Prior to Evenity I took Fosamax for 4.5 years. I stopped Fosamax in 2021.

My endocrinologist was very pleased with these results. I continue with monitoring my diet getting my calcium and other nutrients from diet and on occasion supplements. I also continue with weight bearing exercise including strength training.

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birdie78 | @birdie78 | 6 days ago

I asked for a bone density one year after Evenity rather than wait the two years. The results were very positive and I have resumed Fosamax. I will ask for another bone density in year sequences even if I have to pay out of pocket. I want to know if Evenity is long term or not.

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