[Just Susan]

Friends of ours who were to have gone on a trip with us and several others couples have had to cancel due to the wife's very ill mother. Why would you care? Her mother had been taking Boniva to prevent Osteoporosis. This is excerpted from my friend's email to me.

"To make a really, really long story short, circumstances have changed with my mom that requires us to stay home. About 3 weeks ago, we were playing golf and she was commenting on the fact that she was having difficulty gripping the club due to her right index finger being numb. We thought it was just a pinched nerve."

"In the meantime, the numbness progressed and after two visits to the emergency room and then admission to the hospital here we are. She is still in the hospital after 12 days with numbness throughout her entire body. It seems that she is having a negative reaction to the drug Boniva. This is the osteoporosis drug that Sally Fields promotes on TV as the once a month pill. My mom did not have osteoporosis, but the doctor gave it to her for prevention. Well, instead of it increasing her calcium, phosphates, and Vitamin D in her body, it completely depleted her body of all those nutrients. It has left her numb from head to toe. At this point she is still in the hospital trying to stabilize. She is now able to talk, move her mouth, eat soft foods, and close her eyes. I have been with her for the last 12 days.

The doctors indicate that she will make a full recovery, but it will take 6-12 months. Once her system stabilizes, she will then have to go into a rehab facility to learn how to walk again. We are continuing with our plans to sell her home and move her closer. We are going under the assumption that she will recover.

We are so sorry that we have to cancel our trip, but I know you will all understand. We are all in that time of life, where our parents need our extra care. Our goal is to get her well and back on the golf course. She is 81 and in great shape otherwise."

Just a thought to consider when taking a new drug.

[barb1191]

Originally Posted by njgranny

Do any of you ladies take medication for osteoporosis? My doctor just prescribed it, but, after I read the possible side effects, I started to wonder which is worse - the condition, or the cure.

It says that it can cause painful joints and stiffness. Since, I'm already suffering with some kind of arthritic problem which is affecting my shoulders, hand and knees, I don't want take this new medication until I find out what is going on with my joints.

gran.....I completely agree with your concensus. I too paid for osteo med and didn't like what I read about the possible side effects and never took it; threw it out; that was about ten yrs ago. First I took Lipitor and was so sick with nausea and diarrhea that after the first day, I quit the med. Was leery of what the dr had replaced it with and read carefully the side effects; that did it. I chose to take the over the counter glucosamine/chondroiten . Had no problem with that.

I firmly believe that we must be our own advocates for our own body. ...barb

[LynnDeb]

Originally Posted by njgranny

Do any of you ladies take medication for osteoporosis? My doctor just prescribed it, but, after I read the possible side effects, I started to wonder which is worse - the condition, or the cure.

It says that it can cause painful joints and stiffness. Since, I'm already suffering with some kind of arthritic problem which is affecting my shoulders, hand and knees, I don't want take this new medication until I find out what is going on with my joints.

Took all the meds all of you have mentioned in the past with same side effects...
Took my first PROLIA SHOT in Aug. had mild side effects (with similar info I read about this med too) had blood work done a few months ago and vitamin D level was good, my second PROLIA SHOT due now FEB....also had weighed the good, bad and ugly about this too.. but hoping in Spring my dexascan to be better

[ConeyIsBabe]

This is an old thread which I answered in 6/08. Now, in 2013 I do have osteoporosis but have no intention of taking drugs. How's everyone else doing?

[Heartnsoul]

wow i wish i had the answers to this one!! As a health fanatic, I have through the years taken my calcium, drank lots of milk, etc.. as was always recommended.

However that being said I'm only 58 and Have severe osteoporosis. Yes I have been on all the meds and my bones are so bad that the last two yrs I have done the daily injection of Forteo into my stomach. I never miss a day at the gym, I do everything right and still the bones are not good.

My case, it has to be heredity. There have been studies that in China and other countries where they do NOT eat as much dairy as we do, their bones are better so who really knows??

do what you can, (most important they say is weight bearing exercise) take your calcium, take meds if prescribed and hopefully you'll improve !!

[fwpc3]

There is an online tool called FRAX. This takes the result of your DEXA scan which is called your t-score and factors in additional risks including smoking, family history, previous fractures, alcohol intake, and rheumatoid arthritis. It's a bit complicated as it requests the type of scanner used. Physicians can use it to decide whether to advise drug treatment in borderline cases. It provides a per cent chance of having a fracture in the next ten years. The higher the percentage, the more likely you are to benefit from treatment

It can be difficult to decide whether to use medication in addition to Calcium, Vitamin D and weight bearing exercise.

http://www.shef.ac.uk/FRAX/tool.aspx?country=9

[ConeyIsBabe]

I have had no medical training, just someone who is interested in reading what I can about health and nutrition. So, from everything I've read about taking drugs for osteoporosis, they are still controversial and my understanding (?) is that they don't actually help in preventing bone breaks and that the bone growth resulting from the drugs is not strong bone (?) HAVE I MISUNDERSTOOD ?