Hi lovely people
The doc gave me a prescription for Alendronic Acid one tab per week for 4 weeks, but I am wary of taking it after reading about it, he also gave me vit D and calcium tabs which I am taking at the mo. I have not had a bone scan nor did the doc mention that a I needed one! Also can anyone recommend a good anti inflammatory cook book or Mediterranean diet book. Cheers all Jen x
If I were you I wouldn't take the AA yet - apart from anything else, 1 tablet a week for 4 weeks will do nothing, it is used over years not weeks - and insist on being referred for a dexascan first, preferably asap to get a baseline to see if pred makes a difference to your bone density. Keep taking the calcium/vit D - not at the same time as pred and in 2 separate doses with some food/fat.
In the event your bone density is at a concerning level then you can look at more - but after 4 years of pred at above 10mg/day plus calcium/vit D my bone density hadn't changed at all. Celtic also had no change - she didn't even take the calcium tabs and had GCA so was on even higher doses of pred. We are by no means the only ones.
Can't help with the cookbooks - use Mr Google - free and far wider choice!
Thanks PMRpro for your guidance on this subject much appreciated as always. I try to keep up my calcium intake with diet as well. Hope you are keeping well x Cheers Jen
Jlyndauk, here I go again - make sure you are also getting Vitamin K2, especially as the modern Western diet is very deficient in this vitamin. It's not the same as K1 which as we know is important in blood clotting, and readily available in the diet. K2 is the vitamin which makes sure calcium goes into the bones where it belongs, and is not deposited in unwanted places like blood vessels and organs. Probably will need to get a supplement (although it's in some bone supplements I understand it isn't in the Adcal) unless your diet includes plenty of products from grass fed (NOT grain fed, or even "grain finished") animals - meat, dairy, eggs.
Jen, you have already been given some good advice by the others with regard to the need for a DEXA scan but I just wanted to join in to say that I'm all for an anti inflammatory diet.
I didn't refer to any books but just researched anti inflammatory foods, finding that including plenty of oily fish in particular helped during my PMR/GCA days. Also excellent for your bones. I also included plenty of beetroot, avocados, garlic and the spice turmeric. I included asparagus, fennel and melon for their diuretic properties, and avoided coffee and sugar which are known to place stress on the adrenal glands. Reducing carbs (ie bread, white potatoes) can reduce the risk of steroid-induced weight gain, plus these foods turn to sugar in our bodies and could add to the risk of steroid-induced diabetes. I avoided all processed food including processed meats. No cure obviously, but I found that if I veered off this diet for any length of time, particularly the oily fish, I would become aware of increasing stiffness.
Celtic thanks very much for your advice I will do some research and see what I can find x cheers Jen
That's good no change. Drugs are working ie Aladroic acid
You might be interested in reading a book called "Your Bones" by Lara Pizzorno, MA, LMT, with J.V. Wright, MD. You can Google it to find it. I can't vouch for its medical accuracy, but it will shed a lot of light answering your question. Good luck with your journey. Peter
I like that book, although not the later sections on the supplements and Pilates. You might also be interested in: Kate Rheaume-Bleue, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox.
Sorry jlyndauk2002, I should have said " can't help with the cook book" but ........
I took AA for a few months made me feel sick instead was prescribed Risdronate tabs same day each. Week they are fine.
I am not familiar with the meds you said your doctor had given you. Was that in addition to prednisone or in place of it?
I am not familiar with the Alendronic acid your doctor gave you. Was that in addition to prednisone or to take its place?
No, alendronic acid is a drug which is given to protect bone density. It is one of a group of medications called bisphosphonates which bind calcium into the bones.
Pred is said to decrease bone density - it makes the body excrete more calcium through the urine - so these drugs are given to help avoid that and the risk of fractures. I have not taken them, my bone density did not change at all over a period of 4 years. All I took were calcium and vit D supplements and that was adequate.
However, everyone is different and some people may lose bone density whilst taking pred - the only way to know is to have a dexascan as soon as possible after starting pred and a repeat in 2 years.
Alendronic acid & DEXA scan
Update Alendronic Acid
Alendronic acid warning
Alendronic acid 
