Results after 1 year of Fosamax - Osteoporosis Message Board

Kaitrin · 09-18-2004, 07:51 PM

Hello! I was diagnosed with osteoporosis of the spine and osteopenia of the hip last year. I've been taking Fosamax since then, and I just had my one-year bone density retest. My spine held steady - it was T=-2.8 both last year and this year. Better still, my hip actually improved - it was -2.4 last year and -2.0 this time. I know that doesn't seem like much, but without the drug I'm sure my scores would have gotten worse this year. So that's encouraging! My doctor is going to have me continue taking Fosamax for this year, and we're hoping to see a bigger gain next time.
~Kait

dee54 · 10-14-2004, 09:30 PM

Kait, I was diagnosed with osteoporosis in September and my T-score is -3.1. Is my T-score worse than yours? Is the T-score worse the lower the numbers or the higher the numbers? I have been taking Fosamax for about 3 weeks now (because I refused to take Forteo that my dr. wanted me to take). It scares me a little reading the comments about Fosamax and hair loss. Did you have this problem?

Dee

Kaitrin · 10-28-2004, 05:21 AM

Hi, Dee! Nope, I have not had any problems with hair loss. The only side effect I really noticed was that for the first couple months I had muscle and joint soreness/stiffness. It was bothersome, but it eventually went away altogether.
You are correct; your T-score is worse than mine. The further below zero, the worse the score. Anything above -1 is considered normal.
I hope you don't have any problems with Fosamax! I'm interested in trying Forteo, but my doctor hasn't mentioned it and I don't think my insurance would cover it anyway. Maybe in a couple years it'll be more widely used.

snowmelts · 11-11-2004, 10:55 PM

OH, Kaitrin, that is such good news.
I think my first year of Fosamax will be up in .. Feb?
I really hope it's helping to hold it. I'm taking it faithfully (with some calcium and D of course)

Your sucess gives me hope.

Dee, about side effects: I'm a very hairy person and have had no hair loss from Fosamax at all. However for about the first 4 months I seriously had sore muscles and joints. The first day after I took it I woke up feeling like a train had run over my all bones. That was a bad day. But like I said 4 months into it all the side effects disappeared.

BTW even your Dr will tell you that heart burn is the most common side effect and can possibley last 3 months. The sore muscle/joint side effect is only suffered by about 4% of people that take Fosamax.