Osteoporosis Medication

[Merski]

Just a quick query as to who is taking meds and if they've had any adverse reactions. I've joined curves so I'm doing weight training kinda stuff and I take calcium every day. Any other tips would be welcome. I'm petite boned and 123lbs. Thanks!!

[catherine]

You're doing the right things--weight bearing exercise, calcium. Make sure you take Vitamin D with the calcium.

I've done tons of market research on osteoporosis medications. If you're talking about the bisphosphonates, which are pretty much standard of care, there are very few associated side effects. The old once-daily versions sometimes caused GI difficulties, especially if not taken as recommended (take first thing in the morning, no eating or drinking or lying down for 30 minutes after you take it). But that's been mitigated by once weekly and once monthly and even annual doses.

There have been rare instances of more serious adverse events, like osteonecrosis of the jaw and some cases of atrial fibrillation.

However, the drugs work in terms of some limited restoration of bone density as measure by your T-score. However, some doctors are reluctant to say that increased bone density results in fewer fractures. I haven't done market research in this area in a couple of years, but I'm not aware of any studies that have been done with reduced fractures as a primary endpoint.

As far as more natural remedies, Loren Fishman has done a small study proving that specific yoga poses, held for 72 seconds (not 71 or 73--not sure why 72!) have resulted in some restored bone density. He has a book out with the recommended yoga poses. ETA: Here are the poses for free online (http://www.sciatica.org/yoga/12poses.html)

Also, there has been a study showing that drinking a pale ale (beer) a day can help osteoporosis because of the soluble orthosilicic acid in it.

Full disclosure: I have been diagnosed with osteopenia and very slight osteoporosis of the lumbar spine. I am not taking bisphosphonates, mainly because my bone density has not really gotten any worse for the past 10 years. If it does, I will consider pharmaceutical options. For now, I'm sticking with yoga and beer :)

[leslieann]

Yoga and beer sound good.

My family doc recommended against the pharmaceutical options (for me, with osteopenia at 57) since, she said, the quality of the re-growth isn't good....my DIL, who prescribes in her practice (CNM) says she writes for women in my situation always, so there we have differing points of view for sure. My bone density values have dropped for three years in a row, regardless of calcium supplements (and yes, Vit. D 3) and walking and running. I am still within the osteopenia range despite the instability. Hard to know what to do, or whether to DO anything.

However, I am all for the 72 seconds of yoga poses! I like remedies that can't hurt and might help. Thanks for the link to FREE, Catherine.

[JaneV2.0]

I wouldn't take osteoporosis medication; the quality of new bone is chalk-like and the chance of serious side effects--jaw spikes and acid reflux leading to throat cancer (see Ann Richards) among them. Along with calcium and Vitamin D, I'd take K2, a mineral supplement, and plenty of protein--in one study, women with the highest protein intake had the highest bone density.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1359/JBMR.040204/full

[Merski]

Thank you for these ideas!

[pony mom]

A very petite coworker of mine is doing a high alkaline diet. She's done tons of research and has been sticking to it for quite a few months now. She even drinks bottled alkaline water. I don't know if she's been tested since starting this though.

[Simone]

I find this newsletter informative and unbiased:
http://www.osteopenia3.com/About-Osteopenia3.html