Introduction and Strontium Ranelate

[salagoo]

Hello, I thought I would introduce myself: I was on this forum a few years ago when the last of the NOS forums was closed, but then I lapsed reading posts and posting myself, so here I am again, at least for a while !

I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 17 years ago, this was on DEXA but also x-ray showed I had several compression fractures in my spine which I was totally unaware of as they didn’t cause pain. I was put on Strontium Ranelate and have been on it ever since. No more fractures in all this time and I remain the same height as when diagnosed. I've never had any side effects either. Rheumatologist very pleased with the Strontium Ranelate.

Of course there have been problems with SR sometimes - back in 2009 NICE was threatening to stop recommending it, something like that, so the NOS took them to the high court and as a result it continued to be recommended. Then in 2014 the EMA tried to say that SR should be withdrawn due to the “risk” they said of heart attack - of approx 6000 women with osteoporosis in a study, 3000 on SR, 3000 on placebo, the ones on SR had a 1.7% risk of a non-fatal heart attack and the ones on placebo had a 1.1% risk of non-fatal heart attack - that’s just a 0.6% absolute difference, and I understand most of the study participants were over 80 years of age, an age when heart attack is much more likely anyway. Then in 2017 Servier, who were manufacturing SR as Protelos decided to stop making it as it was no longer economically viable for them. Thankfully Aristo pharmaceuticals started manufacturing it…but now they have a problem sourcing one of the ingredients so it won’t be available again until they find another source…it’s all a very great shame.

When I run out of SR I shall purchase strontium citrate to take while waiting for SR to appear again. I’m not at all sure SC will have the same effect but in addition to strontium, I've always taken vitamin K2 as MK7 200mcg per day and 2,500 ius vitamin D3 per day, and get my blood levels of D tested every six months by GP. I get enough calcium from my food. I also do weight bearing exercise as in some weight lifting and walking.

That’s me !

Anne

[Met00]

Welcome back, Anne! It's interesting to hear you've been on SR all that time with no ill effect. I think it's quite hard to get doctors to prescribe it now, and, as you say, the manufacturers are struggling to source one of the ingredients. I wonder which one? I thought it was the strontium itself, in which case strontium citrate will be hard to come by as well. I take strontium citrate, so have just stocked up, in case of shortages. I've had a couple of REMS scans while I've been on it, and it's improved my spine density and strength significantly, but my hip t-scores have stayed the same while my hip strength has worsened. I was only taking half dose though, so I think this is evidence that strontium citrate is likely to be as effective as strontium ranelate. After all, it's the strontium that's making the difference, not what it's in compound with.

[salagoo in reply to Met00]

Hi - I hope it's the strontium itself that makes the difference so that strontium citrate will keep me going once I run out of strontium ranelate.

The reason it's difficult to get doctors to prescribe SR is because the MHRA has put a black triangle on it re the so called "heart attack risk" so doctors who don't know about SR think it's dangerous. I am under a cardiologist because I was born with a heart defect and my cardiologist is very happy I'm on SR. Anyway, the issue is a lot of doctors know little about SR now. I once had a GP from my surgery phone me to ask when I was going to have a review of SR because it can cause atypical fractures ! That's the bisphosphonates do that, not strontium but that GP didn't realise ! She didn't believe me when I told her so I wrote to the Royal Osteoporosis Society and asked if Strontium can cause atypical fractures - they wrote back no and that GP must have mixed it up with bisphosphonates like I had thought - I sent a copy of that letter to head of my GP surgery with a complaint about that doctor !

[Collywobbles64]

I have started to take strontium citrate to help with my osteoporosis as the doctors want me to take an infusion of either an AA or an another that can cause atypical fractures or bone death.

[Missus835 in reply to Collywobbles64]

I very reluctantly had the infusion for the same reasons. No one informed me there might be an alternative such as strontium. This infusion was zolendronic acid.

[salagoo in reply to Missus835]

Hi - I see you are in Canada, maybe Strontium Ranelate isn't available there ? It's available in the UK and Europe on prescription for osteoporosis, that is when it is being manufactured again when the shortage of whatever ingredient it is has been resolved. Strontium citrate is a supplemental form of strontium which you can buy, Americans on here say it helps their osteoporosis.

Hope you get some pain relief from your vertebral fractures, doesn't sound good.

[Missus835]

Thanks for this info. I also have osteoporosis diagnosed since last year via dexa. Since then I have developed 8 vertebral fractures. I have terrible muscular pain. Assume it's the muscles trying to hold my spine erect. Wraps right round to my stomach and diaphragm. Eating about half of what I used to. Lost 20 lbs. Not minding the weight loss, just wishing it was from a different method.