Prolia Shots for Increasing Osteopenia
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dpako - Be careful what you read. Cancer patients don't follow the same rules.
I tried Actonel & Boniva 15-18 years ago for osteopenia - long before cancer. I wasn't happy with either regimen & the side effects, and the results were less than spectacular. I changed my life style instead. I gave up two major contributors to bone loss - cokes & smokes. Check it out - sodas really are an issue. I went to a gym - started w/Curves and progressed to serious hour-long work-outs. In addition I walked five miles every day. Good news - the osteopenia went away and DEXA scan showed bones well back up into the normal level.
Wham - breast cancer 6-1/2 years ago. Wham - recurrence 4-1/2 year ago. Cancer treatment drugs took me back into full blown osteoperosis. The MO wanted me to do Xgeva - a much stronger concentration of the same drug as Prolia. My GYN and I agreed on Prolia. As detailed in previous posts, I made sure to have all dental work completed prior to starting Prolia. I have had no side effects. I will have a DEXA scan in January - 2 years after treatment started.
Have you started treatment?
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dpako - here is a copy of my answer to you from one of the other Prolia forums earlier in June. Sounds like you're still on the fence???
dpako - if you've read any of our posts, you will know that you absolutely DO need it. As Sandy & others have repeated - you do NOT want to break your hip at the femoral bone. It is, however, your choice to refuse it. But osteoperosis is NOT a normal condition for women our age. Many active women never have any bone loss.
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Dpako- my MO suggested Prolia coming out of the gate as it is one of the better drugs for cancer patients. When we started, he said some insurance companies want patients to start on the other oral drugs before they did Prolia, but said the clinical research indicated that Prolia was the better choices for patients. Some of the women on these threads also do Zometa infusions. What is recommended often has to do with what you as a person have going on. All drugs have their contradictions with other meds and conditions.
Also, another thing about Prolia is that it seems to benefit women on the reoccurrence front. This article is actually from the BCO and I saw it right before I went in Jan of 2016 for my winter follow up. My MO said at that time that the information was looking favorable on it helping to reduce reoccurrence risk. Prolia is actually a lower dose of denusaub which is used to help treat bone mets, per my MO.
http://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/prolia-r...
You may want to have your office check to be sure your insurance will pay for it. I know some women have problems getting it approved through their insurance.
You need to keep your bones healthy. My mother had osteoporosis and broke her hip and leg. I saw where it goes. So when it was offered to me, I said yes please!
Hope this helps!
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Hi MinusTwo,
I did one shot on June 8th but it seems that I have intermittent pain on my lower back since I took the shot so I don't know if I want to continue the shot. When I first started Anastrozole I had joint pain but it went away and it's funny once I took the Prolia shot I have been getting pain on my knee and lower back here and there. So that's why I am hesitant. I told my Oncologist and she thinks it could be the interaction between the Anastrazole and the Prolia it's not bad but annoying I had no pain at all before the shot.
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By the way I am HER2 negative ER & PR positive I have to change the diagnosis
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MinusTwo,
Wow recurrence that is really scary. I am petrified to have a recurrence. You are one tough lady and you look great.
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But like Jazzy says - I do NOT want to end up warehoused somewhere because I broke my hip & can't get back on my feet again (literally). It is VERY important for me to be independent & able to care for myself.
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That prefilled Prolia syringe is one big-@$$ sucker—I can’t imagine self-administering it, I’m such a needle-wuss. And because the nurse in the chemo suite injects it, Medicare Part B and my BCBS Plan F supplement together cover it 100%. Oral bisph. were never an option: I have documented (2 upper GI endoscopies in 2-1/2 yrs) mild esophageal erosion as well as a hiatal hernia. Can’t even take NSAIDs unless I have no other choice for pain. Not about to risk Barrett’s esophagitis and esophageal cancer.
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There is a special place where I live it's called Helen Hays Hospital and they specialize in bone loss. A friend of mine was diagnosed with Osteoporosis and she took Boniva for years on and off and when she went to Helen Hays they told her she doesn't need anything. So it depends where you are diagnosed with Osteoporosis. I really think different places read bone density differently. I may just go there just to be sure that I definitely need the shots before I take the next shot.
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Dpako - below is the standard test for bone density. If you got a DEXA scan, you got the gold standard. If you don't have a copy of the print outs from the test, call & get those. There are separate tests & reports for hip & for spine, and charts that make it easy to understand where you stand. You need those in your files, particularly if you decide to go somewhere else.
Bone density scanning, also called dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) or bone densitometry, is an enhanced form of x-ray technology that is used to measure bone loss. DEXA is today's established standard for measuring bone mineral density (BMD).
I looked up Helen Hayes Hospital. They use this same test. Their web site says they are "experts" in bone density. I didn't research their stats so I can't speak to their expertise, however maybe they will have someone who is more experienced at reading the results than the average GYN's office. You could probably just go for a consult & take your existing DEXA results.
The Osteoporosis Center at Helen Hayes Hospital, which brings together the expertise of the hospital's Regional Bone and Clinical Research Centers, is internationally recognized as a leader in the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis.
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Thanks MinusTwo
I called Helen Hayes and they want the images so I got them from Columbia and they will send it to me. I would rather consult an expert. Columbia Presbyterian is where I get treated for the cancer. I just don't understand why I have aches at lower back intermittently since i got the Prolia shot. So I have an appointment with Helen Hayes on 9/26. They are the experts so we will see what they say.
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I just looked at my bone density report it says the Femoral Neck (Right) is T score -2.6 and Z-Score is -0.8 and they called that Osteoporosis.
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Yes, I believe below -2.5 at the hip is osteoperosis.
REmember, you are on Arimidex. Be sure to tell them that. Many of the hormonal therapies cause aches & pains in joints & muscles.
Also, I can't remember but have you had a CT or an MRI to check on your lower back pain? Could be a lot of different things causing the pain.
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The aches and pain just started after I took the Prolia. I never had pain before. I am going to Spain July 18th and be back July 29th then if this continues I will talk to the doctor. But when I go to Helen Hayes of course I will let them know about the Arumidix. It's funny when I first started taking the Anastrozole I had joint pain but then it disappeared and now after one shot of Prolia I have these aches by the buttocks and right knee intermittently so I am a bit worried. I really should have waited till I got back from Spain to get the shot or go to Helen Hayes first before I got the shot. But it's done and hopefully these aches will go away.
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dpako - could it be a reaction between the two? Could it be a different "brand" of Anastrole? I've heard that happens frequently.
Can you take anti-inflamatories? If so, stock up, put all this sturm & drang away and have a good trip.
And remember - no one I've ever heard about had side effects from Prolia.
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MinusTwo you are the best. The doctor did say it could be a reaction between the two drugs. Which anti-inflammatories do you recommend? I always take the same Anastrozole Teva one time I did take a different one and it did cause pain. But I think it's the interaction between Prolia and the anastrozole. But I wish it would go away and I would be a happy camper.
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MinusTwo,
When I got my shot on June 8th I went on a tough hike you think that is what caused the pain? Because I just read from different people that you do feel achy and pain when you first get the shot. You think that might be the cause?
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I have had side effects from the Prolia. I always feel a bit flu-ish after the shot, but that has gotten better with time. I get weird pains sometimes in one leg and in the upper part of my spin that have no explanation. But they don't keep me from doing anything. Prolia can give bone pain. AIs can too.
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dpako - I am not ER/PR positive so I have no recommendations about hormone therapy. I only mentioned what I had read. Sorry.
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I just looked at my diagnosis from the bone density Femoral Neck (Right) BMD 0.565 T-Score -2.6 Z-Score -0.8 Classification Osteoporosis I don't know what any of it mean does anyone know what it means?
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dpacko - as I answered on July 5th, it is my understanding that a "T" score of less than -2.5 at the hip means you have progressed past osteopenia and into osteoperosis. And that's what the diagnosis says, osteoperosis.
Edited to add - you really need to talk to your MO or your GYN about this report. The report usually has graphs & charts and is pretty clear, but since you don't seem to believe it, you should talk to your docs.
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It means your right hip shows osteoporosis. Depending on your age, you could be at high risk for a hip fracture. Talk to your MO about bone-strengthening therapies (not just drugs but also careful weight-bearing exercise and vitamin & mineral supplementation). Try to make sure your home is as fall-proof as it can be.
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Here is a link that explains the WHO guidelines regarding bone density and how to interpret the reports:
http://www.4bonehealth.org/education/world-health-organization-criteria-diagnosis-osteoporosis/
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Special - thanks for the link. Very clear.
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I started Prolia shots and Slow Release Calcium 1200 mg plus 2,00 IU D3 per day plus I walk up hills and do weight bearing exercises hope that helps with the bone loss.
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SoecialK thanks for link. Bone density reports always confuse me. This helps!
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You're welcome! I am fortunate that the WHO info is attached to my generated report, so I thought it might be helpful here - glad it was for you!
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had Prolia shot # 3 today. No side effects. I will have another DEXA scan before my 4th shot.
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MinusTwo and SpecialK,
Just wondering why you chose Prolia rather than the meds?
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