Yikes! I saw your post in another thread. That sucks. Sorry, I have had no experience with Fosamax but hope you’re feeling better!
Thanks! I am a little better today. Still sore with some spasms. I met with my new doctor and was a little frustrated that she recommended another drug with similar side effects. She did refer me to an endocrinologist. Maybe a specialist will be more helpful than a GP.
Eh dunno about that. My endo guy I was referred to pushed hard about me going on Fosamax. He dismissed my concerns and said to schedule the next appointment if/ when I get the Fosamax prescription. Uh, ok bye… My GP was ok with me not following up with the endo guy and not going on the meds.
Wow. My sister told me she had a DNA test, which she discusses with her doctor and pharmacist every time they prescirbe a drug. She has had no side effects from drugs as they make sure they are compatible with her DNA. That’s what I want to discuss with the endo.
Sometimes I think male doctors are dismissive of women and don’t know much about how our bodies work. I subscribe to the Wa Po and NYT. Both of them publish health-related articles, often about women who have mysterious, debilitating health issues. Some suffer for years waiting for a correct diagnosis because doctors claim it’s “all in their head.” Some of the stories are shocking!
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I do have osteoporosis.
Many doctors tried to put me on these drugs for osteoporosis.
I actually read the small print on the required inserts. I see that there are problems with spontaneous fractures of the upper thigh. Well there is no way that I could get off a horse if my upper thigh fractured, and there are have been so many times on horseback when I had to grip HARD momentarily. Would that be enough to fracture my upper thigh? These drugs also seem to retard the bone healing process, so if I got a fracture of my upper thigh would my upper thigh bone ever heal, or heal enough so I could safely ride horses?
Of course I never got any satisfactory answers about this. I have ended up thinking that the doctors are getting kickbacks from the drug companies to prescribe these expensive drugs.
Just like I never got any satisfactory answers from doctors as to why all these supposedly wonderful MS drugs IMMEDIATELY make my MS so much worse that I would probably have to end up in a nursing home instead of being able to live in my own house. Of course these MS drugs are also expensive and I imagine the kickbacks are really enticing to the doctors.
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Obviously, some woman do improve with these drugs. However, I know a woman much younger than I who has been taking one of these drugs for a few years. She fell and broke her upper femur. It wasn’t a hard fall. This morning, I read a comparison between Fosmax and Prolia with reviews from women who took the drugs. Some had success, but the majority commenting did not! So many had horrible side effects, some long-term. At least one did break her femur. I realize the comments were biased toward those who were unhappy, but it does scare a person off these drugs.
With your MS, it makes it even harder to treat. From what I have read about your experiences, you are staying active while being very careful. That’s smart. I plan to do the same.
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With the Prolia, if you’ve been on it for a bit, you can’t just stop with that. You need to take something like Fosamax afterwards. That would bother me.
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I took Fosamax for a couple of years. My osteopenia had turned into osteoporosis in spite of my best exercise and nutritional efforts. I was okay with it except for the issue of only taking it on an empty stomach (had some stomach upset anyway but I tend towards that) After two years I had improved and was back to osteopenia except in one place. At that point I was diagnosed with breast cancer and eventually was put on Tamoxifen which has some positive effects on osteoporosis. I then stopped the Fosamax. So we will see how it goes!
I wonder if Dr. Larry Bramlage would allow his wife to take any of theses drugs given how outspoken he is about Osphos.
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I was diagnosed with osteoporosis and a host of other things in my lumbar area. The other things caused some nerve compression and I have had weakness/achy legs. Made me feel rather unsecure in the saddle. SO I quite riding my younger horse, who has some little quirks and unpredicable spooks as I did not think I could afford to be dumped. Handed the reins to my trainer and we are on the brink of GP. (I am pushing 70, sole provider for self and older sister). Still riding my older horse, 21 and a stallion - yes but an absolute saint of a horse under saddle - anywhere. I would (and do) trust him with my life… PT has helped a lot on the leg issues but not enough to make me change my decision.
Never considered the bone meds as I have a history of periodontal issues, implants and other teeth challenges.
Edited to add: The 'saint" has friends…
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You are smart to avoid the young ones. My horse will turn seven in a few months, yet he still has moments. He is with my trainer and will come home in a few weeks. The weather has been chilly here in the PNW and he is normally good, but I get stiff.
I’m also getting close to 70. Time flies. I’ve always been trim and fit, now my body is telling me to go to heck!
I have severe osteoporosis. My dexa scans went from osteopenia to osteoporosis pretty fast. I have a history of many many fractures. Most fractures were caused by trauma, but the last one was just getting out of the car, & I felt a pop in my little toe. I decided to take Forteo or Tymlos. Insurance covered forteo & I’ve been on it since September. I will take it for a total of 2 years. It’s a daily subcutaneous injection with a teeny tiny needle. After that, I will likely take fosamax. If no improvement from the forteo, I will then look to Evenity.
My husband went on Evenity for a year with very good results: he went from osteoporosis to osteopenia but his issues stemmed from a thyroid issue. You have to do all the blood & urine work to rule out other issues that could be causing the bone loss. Either see an endocrinologist or a rheumatologist. For me, it’s hereditary.
I did not want to take prolia because you then take it forever.
Fortunately, I have a saint of a horse. I’ve given up all other sports, including snow skiing. Not happy about that, but after breaking my right leg two times in a row the last two times I went skiing, I just don’t want to not ride my horse while recovering.
None of the meds are great, IMO. They all have issues. Make sure you get dental work done before taking them, and be careful of other drugs that drain calcium, like omeprazole.
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Thank you for this information! I am going to met with an endocrinologist so I can discuss all of my options. It is so true none of these drugs are 100% safe. I’m glad you are doing okay and your husband has seen improvement.
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Coming to this thread a little late but … I was told I has osteopenia years ago (am pushing 70 now) and took meds for a couple years. I didn’t have any bad side effects but it didn’t seem that the drugs were doing much good either. Fast forward about 10 years. I still have osteopenia but it hasn’t gotten much worse (slight declines), I take calcium supplements, do strength training a few times a week, and have kept riding. The only broken bone I’ve had in recent years was due to a bad bicycle crash and hard fall on pavement so to be expected. I did stop riding one of my horses — he can be spooky without warning and has a wicked spin. And when shopping for my current horse my focus was on having a good brain, being brave, and not spooky. He’s a purebred Lusitano and despite still being fairly young a very solid citizen. So for me it is important to keep riding but also to be smart about what horse(s) you ride and don’t pretend you’re still 30-something. 
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