Osteoporosis medications

Hi. Hope it's ok to post this. I just found out that I now have Osteoporosis, not a happy camper. I have been reading about the medications for a couple of days and with all the side effects I would prefer not to take any of them. The Reclast infusion really scares me. I realize we all react to things differently and would like to know if anyone has any thoughts or suggestions on the medications, as well as experiences with them.
Thanks,
Terri

Terri, I can understand your hesitancy. I know we have members in the same situation so I hope they will share their experiences. I hope you can find something you are comfortable with.

Ana

Terri,

As you know I am not a "go to the doctor" person, so I sure don't have any thoughts or suggestions. Just wishing you luck in finding something that works for you and that you are comfortable with.

Terri, I have osteopenia which means my bone mineral density is low, but has not progressed to osteoporsis. I took biophosphonates for many years - the generic form of once a week Fosamax. It not only stopped the bone thinning, but it actually improved. My doctor took me off it for a couple of years to see how things go.

Some of the medications like the Reclast infustion is meant to free you from having to take daily medications. I would certainly talk to your doctor about what is right for you, but your post brought to mind a woman I saw just this past Monday at Grandparent's Day at our school. She had a huge hump and was all bent over. I remember so many older women when I was young who had what they used to call a "dowager's hump." This was before they had treatments for Osteoporosis. Don't be afraid to take the medication; just take the time to find the right one for you. All medications have potential side effects; even the lowly aspirin has a list the length of your arm!

Drac, my sister had the exact same experience

I am familiar with Osteopenia because I used to have it. I have been asking myself for days why any one of my doctors did not put me on a medication to keep it from progressing.
I also am familiar with the term dowager's hump and believe it is still used today.
I have pretty well researched all of the meds and do not want to take any of them. The biophosphonates are the ones that really scare me. I found a website and all of the info was so negative on the infusion. Just put reclast infusion in the browser and found another site, Health Central, that is basically saying the same things the other site said. It sound like the hump might be better than some of these side effects!

I don't understand why you weren't put on something like Fosamax much earlier either. Just because these side effects are POSSIBLE doesn't mean that you will have them. I definitely didn't and several of my friends did not have any either. I didn't bat an eye at taking these drugs - if I am lucky enough to live a long time like my mother has, I do not want to be crippled and in agony because my spine has collapsed.

So sorry to hear you have osteoporosis. Whatever you decide to do it is your choice. I wish you well. Take Care.

My doctor put me on Fosamax immediately after my big 'back' incident with the bulging discs and the compression fracture. He and another doctor disagreed about me having osteoporosis, but they both said to take the drug.

I took Fosamax for a year, had horrible side effects (which I didn't know were from the Fosamax because of the horrible back pains and things)and finally quit them on my own. I felt amazingly better after a few weeks off the pills. Guess I'm one of the unlucky ones who gets all the bad effects.

I think my docs were just trying the preventative method because of that 'fracture', which I know happened almost 20 years previous to the bulging discs but no one would listen to me.

If you actually have or are tending towards the osteoporosis and can find a drug which doesn't cause you debilitating side effects, I'd for sure recommend it. Depending on age, the bones don't heal as fast as we get older.

I had a follow-up bone scan test last year and they found NO osteoporosis. Go figure. Never had it, took the drugs, still don't have it.

Hi Drac. I don't understand why my doctor(s) did not put me on a medication either. This is crazy! I think I was diagnosed with Osteopenia about 2008. Second bone density done in 2010 and had those results sent to both my PCP and my OB/GYN. Now, 2013 third one done and I am past angry. I am seriously considering emailing my PCP with my thoughts but must think it through because I may not have her for a doctor after so doing. (that's 4 different doctors that dropped the ball in 5 yrs.) I have Osteoporosis of the hips, my spine is normal. I have read so much today and learned a lot about medications and see there are several new ones in trial. Also an interesting article on Vit. D and K. I hope to figure this out soon.
Thanks everyone for your input. Please continue to post about your experiences with the medications.

Mine was in my hips too, Terri. But since I have a completely deteriorated disc in my lower back, they were concerned about my spine starting to develop it too. So my doctor put me on Fosamax in about 2007. When my last bone density scan started showing actual IMPROVEMENT in my BMD numbers, 2 years ago, he took me off it. Because of potential side effect after long term use, he said 5 years and an actual improvement meant I could take a "drug holiday." If my BMD number starts to get worse again, then I will start taking the generic Fosamax since I didn't have any side effects at all.

I know my dentist is a strong advocate of these drugs as it also helps keep the bones strong that hold your teeth in place. He told me it is often the difference between women with osteoporosis keeping their teeth and losing them. Although it makes perfect sense, I had never thought about that.

I admire you for getting all the information you can from reading and people with experience. That's how you make informed decisions about your own health.

Drac, I never thought about teeth. I learned something.

I did too, l4l... I had a dental surgery procedure which required them to smooth out the bone holding my teeth in place on the lower left side. The oral surgeon also told me that as women especially get older, the bone thinning also affects the bone in our jaws that hold our teeth in place.

I'm afraid I have been aware of the dental and jawbone issue. My dentist asked me years ago if I had a problem with my bones, at the time I don't think I did. I have a horrible dental history. As a child I spent many hours in the dental chair and 10 times as many as an adult.
I've told my dentist that I don't think the Good Lord is going to recognize me when I get to heaven because I'm not going to have any teeth. I've had so many root canals and crowns and have had two crowns break off at the gum line years later.
Anyway that was one of my concerns because besides all the other side effects that are extremely scary, there seems to be some cases of jawbone problems (osteonecrosis).
I hope more women will post on this subject.
Thank you,
Terri