Zoledronic Acid or Denosumab?

Or search osteoporosis

Yeh, even that!

Wish I hadn't bothered, somebody on the OP site said Prolia is made from Chinese Hamster ovaries, that it will give me cancer and will probably kill me!!

Don't panic. This is a discussion forum and people are free to voice their concerns and fears and try to help  even if some information sound a bit weird and strange.  Do you have an OP association where you live? Most countries do and they are a great fund of reliable information. Some actually have a patient helpline where NO question or fear is considered foolish and provide great reassurance.  Keep in touch.  J 

 Actuallly, the Chinese hamster person is correct. I've just looked up the Prolia med. information.  Quote " Prolia is produced in genetically engineered mammalian (Chinese hamster ovary) cells".

I have to say THAT wouldn't put me off really. .. . J

That sort of post should be reported for moderation. Any monoclonal antibody has to be produced in cell lines derived from something - and as for "causing cancer" and "will probably kill you" the mind boggles where they got that idea from!

The National Osteoporosis Society in the UK has a superb helpline if you are there.

By the way - have you tried Bowen therapy for the buttock pain? It is often due to piriformis syndrome and often is found alongside PMR. There are also exercises for piriformis syndrome though how successful they are I don't know.

Hi Eileen

Yes I have had Bowen at your suggestion and found it a great help.I posted to tell you so at the time. It is a bit expensive, so I am holding off for the moment. The buttock pain is definitely PMR and is very mild, I'm sure it will go when my body accepts the very slightly lower dose of pred I have just started. 7.5 alternating with 8, planned for a month.

Regarding the Densonab versus Zolendronic Acid thing. I have just had a chat with my very nice pharmacist and I think I am going to speak to my Doctor and perhaps try Allendronic Acid first to see if I can tolerate it, before I go o Densonab, though I'm not happy about the Chinese Hampster bit!

 

If you have a history of GORD then alendronic acid is contraindicated. The next on the list is risendronate I think - a history of DVT and family cardiac disease is the contraindication there. 

The bisphosphonates generally don't IMPROVE bone density - they only prevent it getting any worse. If you have already had fractures and the spinal bone density is giving concern they would probably want to use something to improve that - and that was what I assumed when you only mentioned ZA versus denosumab, i.e. that was what was being offered to you. I think this is something to discuss with an expert - not the pharmacist or GP.

I'm getting more confused! so Allendronic acid wont improve my bone deensity? just stop it geting worse. It's looking more like the Densonab and those poor Chinese Hampsters!

I'm afraid I have been on a PPI for years, so that and my Nursing career probably have something to do with my back problems and I can't blame it all on the Pred!

I'm also quite small under the Pred fat wrist of 6.5 and tiny feet!! Darent measure my height, used to be all of 5' 2" nothing like that now! Oh, and falling off a lot of horses in my youth probably didn't help. Though I do roll 'well', if I fall nowadays!!

No - cancel that - I said the wrong thing, I meant bisphosphonates in genral, sorry, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa.

AA does improve bone density but doesn't actively build bone - it slows resorption so providing you are still building some bone it can increase bone density as long as the building of bone is faster than the resorption. Bone is a living substance and is continually being broken down (resorption) and rebuilt. Sometimes when you are on pred and/or PPIs you don't absorb calcium properly and if your vit D is low then you aren't building the new bone at the usual speed but it is still being broken down. AA slows this down so providing you are still absorbing calcium properly you will get increased bone density. However - if you are vit D deficient and the calcium absorption is still poor even AA can't build bone. That is one of the reasons that calcium and vit D levels MUST be checked and put right if needed before prescribing AA. I think it was MrsO's aunt who took her AA for years and then had a spinal fracture - the doctors told her the AA had done nothing. Prolia also counts as a bisphosphonate and has the same side effects except the gastric ones as it is injected.

Forsteo is the only thing that actively encourages new bone to form - it is a synthetic version of parathyroid hormone.

Wish I hadn't bothered, somebody on the OP site said Prolia is made from Chinese Hamster ovaries, that it will give me cancer and will probably kill me!!

Hi Penelope,

As Eileen said, if you ever see scaremongering posts like the one posted in the other OP group or any post that needs checking please use the "Report" link to draw them to my attention. I have deleted that comment and deactivated the user. The problem with forums like these is we do get "campaigners" forcing opinions on others etc. I rely on users reporting these to me as I cannot read every post in the forums.

Regards,

Alan

 

OK. Thank you.

I wasn't particularly bothered personally as I recognised it for what it was, but I realise others might be.

Thank's Eileen, That's a bit clearer. I have an appointment with the Doc on Monday to discuss, that and my arthritic feet! I don't think I have actually seen my GP for a year!

I don't think am at the Forsteo stage yet, cost wise and I don't fancy injecting myself daily (never minded sticking them into other people!)