Worried and Confused

[Htsp]

Hi Everyone- I just joined and read some posts. I'm so happy to be on this site. I'm a 69 year old woman, good health, exercise frequently and walk several times a week, usually carrying a heavy bag to work. I was diagnosed with osteoporosis last August with a score of 2.5 in my hip and wrist. I delayed seeking treatment at first and didn't think of it during the height of the pandemic. I had a phone appointment with my Dr. a few weeks ago and she gave me a prescription for a Prolia shot. The day before the appointment I became so frightened of the side effects I was reading about that I cancelled. Now I feel uncertain about where to turn next. I was surprised to see how many of you have decided against taking medication, but also encouraged by it. I have been to an endocrinologist and a rheumatologist and they both advised treatment with one of the medications and sufficient calcium (which I have been diligent about for many years), and that was the end of the discussion. Thank you all for your input. I'm due for another bone density test next spring and am considering putting off treatments until then and focusing on my weight bearing exercises. Reading about your experiences is already helping me. Thank you.

[karmel]

You will get lots of practical help on here. I got a lot of help and advice on the Bone Health forum - I am in the UK. I was on bisphosphonates, when I was fist diagnosed last year. I told all the medical practitioners: dentist, physiotherapist and ophthalmologists about the side effects I was having and they said I should stay on them . I stopped taking them because I was having so many problems with my gut as I have IBS. I do exercises geared for those with osteoporosis, take supplements and, IBS permitting, I eat the foodstuffs that you should try and eat for op.

[Met00]

I'm wondering why they think you need meds, as your scores only just osteoporosis and on its own certainly wouldn't warrant being put straight in prolia. Have you had a fragility fracture (one that occurs with little or no impact)? If so, that would perhaps explain why you're considered high risk. If not, prolia isn't usually recommended as a first line treatment, rather it's intended for people at high risk of fracture or who cannot tolerate bisphosphonates.

[Htsp in reply to Met00]

Thank you for your reply. No, I've never had any kind of fracture in my life. The 1st Dr. I went to had me take x-rays of my back and they were fine. This was about a month after falling off my bike when I was riding on a trail and hit a short post in the ground. I got pretty bruised up, but got right up and back on my bike. This past winter I slid down a few stairs and it knocked the wind out of me and hurt, but I was fine. I have done yoga for several years, lots of stretching and back strength. But I do realize that I could still get a fragility fracture. My mother broke her hip when she was in her early 60s when she stumbled in the kitchen and I believe the Drs are basing my treatment on family history. My mother was never diagnosed or treated for osteoporosis, but I assume she had it and it is in our family. Your post will help me gather information and questions to ask the next Dr. that I go to, as will so many of the posts here. I'm afraid I went into this very uninformed but am going to be pro-active going foward!

[Met00 in reply to Htsp]

It will be the family history that raises your risk, but it isn't inevitable that you'll fracture. If you had weak bones I would have expected the falls you'd had to have caused fractures! The DEXA scan can only give an estimate of bone density (not totally reliable), which isn't necessarily the same as bone strength. It's also worth bearing in mind that falling is a greater risk factor for fracture than is low bone density, so you would reduce your fracture risk by finding ways to prevent falls (as far as that's possible), for example by doing balance exercises and being very cautious on stairs.

[Htsp in reply to Met00]

Yes, I have been much more cautious when going down the stairs and being more focused and careful in everything I do. I didn't realize that about the DEXA scan and will use the Fracture Risk Calculator mentioned in Mark's reply. I recommended this site to someone yesterday who had to stop taking Prolia and is looking for another Dr.

[Mark_ABH]

Hello, thanks for joining our community! I invite you to browse our website, americanbonehealth.org, for lots of helpful resources. In particular, you should get a free assessment of your risk factors via our scientifically validated Fracture Risk Calculator. This will give you an idea of whether you are at low, medium or high risk of breaking a bone in the next 10 years. There are lot of factors in play besides your T-score (family history, lifestyle, other medical conditions or medications you've taken, previous broken bones, etc.). Once you use the calculator, you can save and print out your results to take back to the health care provider for a more informed discussion. It only takes a couple minutes! americanbonehealth.org/calc...

[Htsp in reply to Mark_ABH]

Thank you, that will be very helpful to me.

[Kauaicat]

Medical doctors are trained to prescribe drugs for low bone density. They do not look at alternative more natural ways of treatment. You have the choice of what you put in your body. My doctor recommends the bone meds every year and every year I say no thank you. Just got my tests last week and my bone density has not not changed in two years. Weight bearing exercises, and all the recommended supplements work. Life is for living, enjoy it.

[Htsp in reply to Kauaicat]

Good advice and encouragement. Thank you.

[Bones1187]

I too have been pressured to get the shots or take Boniva but everyone I know that has started the treatments quit due to side effects. Drs don’t want to help with anything but the pills or shots. They obviously don’t have anything else to offer. So you’re not alone. Has anyone have any positive results?

[Htsp]

It seems there are very few who do have good results among the many who have terrible side effects.

[OscarWilde]

Hi, this is all new to me (female, 70-Yrs old) and I just joined this blog. However, it is surprising you received a Prolia injection without prior drug therapy. Normally, insurance will not even cover this therapy without proof of severe diagnosis.

I was just received a referral for an endocrinologist after a recent T-8 vertebrae fracture. My Lumbar spine T-score is -3.1 and Z-score of -1.9.

Not sure what all this means but I am prepared to be aggressive in correcting the problem.

Perhaps Worried and Confused you may consider a different DR ?