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Side Effects from Evista, osteoporosis suggestions needed

Liz Wolf-Spada

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Well, I can't take the fosomax type drugs due to esophogitis, I've used up my 2 years on Forteo. Last week the doctor prescribed Evista and I took it last night. Woke up with severe urinary cystitis and had to call the doctor to get antibiotics. I don't want to do that again, and I don't normally have those kind of infections. It was listed as a side effect on the first web site I found on google on Evista. What other suggestions do other people with osteoporosis have?
Liz
 

Patri

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Just curious. Have you had a bone density test after those two years? Did your mass increase?
 

Miss Marty

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National Osteoporosis Foundation

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become fragile
and more likely to break. If not prevented or if left untreated,
osteoporosis can progress painlessly until a bone breaks.

www.nof.org
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

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Yes, the bone density did improve over those two years. Even the first year saw increased bone mass.
Liz
 

IreneLF

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Check out Reclast which I just learned about.
It's a once a year IV infusion that takes about 15 minutes which I think may be an alternative that could work for you. Sounded good to me but I don't know more about it as it's not something I can take.
 

Miss Marty

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Treating Osteoporosis with Forteo


Liz Wolf-Spada


How Well Did Forteo Work?
What were the Side Effects
of your Forteo treatment?

Osteoporosis occurs when old bone breaks down faster
than new bone is formed. Treatments for osteoporosis -
such as Fosamax (alendronate), Actonel (risedronate),
Evista (raloxifene), and hormone replacement therapy - all
slow bone loss by reducing the rate at which bone breaks down.

But another way to treat osteoporosis is to stimulate
the formation of new bone. Researchers have worked
for many years on the development of such a treatment,
and the result is Forteo (teriparatide).

Approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002,
Forteo requires daily injections and is recommended for people
with osteoporosis who are at high risk for fractures.

http://www.johnshopkinshealthalerts.com/reports/back_pain_osteoporosis/225-1.html
 

Miss Marty

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Thanks IreneLF


Reclast Info and Video


Reclast, the once-yearly treatment for postmenopausal
osteoporosis, is given in an intravenous (IV) infusion.

One annual infusion, along with daily calcium & vitamin D,
goes to work to help strengthen your bones and protect
them from fracture for an entire year.

http://www.reclast.com/info/treating/infusion-video.jsp
 

Laurie

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How about Boniva? It's a tablet taken once a month.
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

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I can't take Boniva, because it is like a super strong Fosomax and still causes problems for people who have esophogitis. I asked my doctor about Reclast and she was afraid it would also cause those problems because it was the same medication in IV form. I think I may try to get an appt. with a specialist in esophogiitis and see what they say. I didn't have any noticeable side effects from the Forte.
Liz
 

Moosie

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I've been on Evista for about 5 years and have never had any side effects.

I'm also taking the generic of Fosamax, and again no side effects.

Next week I'm having a hip replacement, not due to either drug or even osteoporosis, although I was never diagnosed with it, but ostoperini years ago.

So it will be interesting to see if I'm given a different drug after.
 

Karen G

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Resorts Owned
Once owned these: FirstFairway@Walden X 2; Lawai Beach; ManhattanClub; PuebloBonitoRose; 4 South Africa--now timeshare-free
I am scheduled for a Dexa Scan - How safe are they and
Who should get a Bone density test - what is a T score?

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/bone-density-tests/WO00024
I don't know anything about how safe they are, but the Dexa Scan was the easiest and most painless scan of any kind that I've ever had. You just lay on a table with your knees elevated, if I remember correctly, and the machine passes over your knee and hip. You don't have to undress and it took just a few minutes. How I wish mammograms were that easy!
 

Kay H

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I've been taking Fosamax 70 mgm (once weekly)for 7 yrs. After 1 yr I was upgraded from osteoporosis to osteopenia. I get a dexascan yearly. I now have osteopenia in my upper spine and left hip. Dr said no improvement recently so switched me to Actonel 35 mgm (once weekly). Will find out in 1 yr if there is improvement.
 

"Roger"

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Liz,

Obviously you and your doctor are more familiar with the particulars of your own case, but my wife was also someone who could not tolerate Fosomax (extremely severe heartburn -- that is, esophogus problems). After her two year stint on Forteo, she is now on Boniva and has not had problems with that (knock on wood). If that is automatically being ruled out, you might want to ask your doctor again. Her bone density was going down on Fosomax, went up on Forteo, and is holding steady on Boniva.

Good luck. Having seen what my wife went through with Fosomax, I appreciate your difficulties.
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

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I'm wondering which type of doctor would be able to best advise me on these questions. Roger, did your wife see a specialist? My doctor's good, but she doesn't seem really to aware of what it means to have esophogitis. She told me it would be OK to take aspirin daily, as I was also taking anti-acids and I'm don't feel that seems safe, but ....
Thanks,
Liz
 

"Roger"

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I really don't know what to say, Liz. My wife was not seeing a specialist.

I understand your concern about Boniva given your (and my wife's) experience with Fosomax. (My wife's heartburn was extreme.) Given that esphogites is a possible side effect of Boniva, I would be concerned. All that I can say is that things have worked out with my wife (at least so far - about four or five months) with Boniva despite her problems with Fosomax.
 

Miss Marty

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Bone Density Test


Bone density tests are a quick & painless procedure * cost $200.


Went for my 1st Dexa Scan. The Tech stayed in the room with me
while the machine ran the scans. The visit took about 30 minutes.
The main areas that were scanned were my left hip and my spine.

A radiologist, a physician specifically trained to supervise and interpret
radiology examinations, analyzed the images and sent out two signed
reports (one to my physician & one to me) Scans/Results were Normal

Recommendations: Take Calcium - Vitamin D - Exercise
 

Miss Marty

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Moosie

I've been on Evista for about 5 years and have never had any side effects.

I'm also taking the generic of Fosamax, and again no side effects.

Next week I'm having a hip replacement, not due to either drug or even osteoporosis, although I was never diagnosed with it, but ostoperini years ago.

So it will be interesting to see if I'm given a different drug after.


Moosie

Hope everyting turned out ok with your hip replacement operation
 

Moosie

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Thanks Marty, yes so far so good.

I had my first appt yesterday with the Dr's PA. I'm down to using crutches, the VNA and PT's have discharged me this week. I only have about 3 more weeks before I can drive! Both my car and my husbamd's are standards, so I have to wait a bit. Worse part of the recovery is not being able to come and go as I please like I'm used to, but I know things will bew great as soon as I can walk "normal" again.

In 2 weeks I hope to go see Neil Diamond, of course hope no snow on the ground then, and I need to call both the hotel and concert center to see how I'll do with a crutch or two. Worse comes to worse I bought insurance on our tickets so if necessary I can cancel. First time I ever saw insurance on concert tickets, and only $6.00 on each.

When I see my Ortho DR in Jan and also my Primary Dr, I'm going to inquire about Reclast, as that intrigues me. First I'll have to see if my insurance will cover most if not all of it.

Liz, if your Primary Care DR isn't giving you the info you want, you may want to see an Orthopedic DR, who should have a lot of info on the various bone drugs available.
 

Liz Wolf-Spada

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My PC doctor recommended I see a rheumatologist, and I see one anyone for fibromyalgia, so I am going to ask him when I see him in about a week. I know that having a severe UTI as a side effect from Evista, must be rare, but it showed up on the list of serious side effects, so it can't be that rare and it hurt so much, I'm not willing to consider trying it again.
Liz
 
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