xgeva or zoledronic acid for bones ?

[Tinkudi]

One MO has prescribed Xgeva and another MO has prescribed zoledronic acid to strengthen dad’s bones as he has to start ADT from Tomorrow.

What are most people taking and how do you react to it ?

Do you take it at the same as taking the ADT injection ?

[Tall_Allen]

What is his bone mineral density on a DXA scan?

[Tinkudi in reply to Tall_Allen]

Hi Allen 😊. That has not been done yet. Doctor said it can be done later. Should I get one done before as baseline ?

[Tall_Allen in reply to Tinkudi]

It no longer surprises me that your doctors are incompetent. They want to give him a powerful drug that he may not need. Giving him things he doesn't need seems to be their modus operandi. They will probably not give him what he does need.

[Tinkudi in reply to Tall_Allen]

Which is why I am trying hard to be my dad’s best advocate and do the correct things and ask the right questions.

From what I gather , I should do a dexa first right. His vitamin d levels are 40 and calcium was also within range in the blood test

[JohnInTheMiddle in reply to Tall_Allen]

100% agree with TA. These are powerful drugs and maybe appropriate in some circumstances.

But kind of shocking no bone density scan ahead of time. I don't know if anybody's mentioned exercise but exercise including a little bit of weight-bearing exercise that can be tolerated is extremely important to maintain bone density.

Maybe your dad has decent bone density now, for his age. And so then the concern is to maintain that as well as one can with exercise to ward off the effects of ADT. Exercise requires planning the right kind of resistance exercise which helps maintain bones and consistent every day and week, even while fighting fatigue.

I can't remember but I'm assuming your Dad does not have any bone metastases yet. As you know prostate cancer metastasizes first of all usually to lymph nodes and the skeleton. In my case to my spine. Icm not taking these bone drugs yet and hopefully never.

[Tinkudi in reply to JohnInTheMiddle]

Dad does have bone mets Will get him to exercise more and do resistance training with bands

[middlejoel in reply to Tall_Allen]

TA,.... U the man, love your post

[j-o-h-n in reply to middlejoel]

p.s. I'm da man too, love my posts...

Good Luck, Good Health and Good Humor.

j-o-h-n