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       #Post#: 3942--------------------------------------------------
       Osteoporosis and MS--Fosamax and I
       By: agate Date: February 24, 2023, 1:35 am
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       Osteoporosis is quite commonly paired up with MS, particularly
       in women. It leads to frequent bone fractures, spinal
       deformities, and other unwelcome developments. I've known people
       with osteoporosis who broke a bone by just standing up from a
       sitting position.
       For years I've been resisting the frequently offered drugs for
       this condition. After all, I had only osteopenia according to
       those bone-density tests, and that is just a condition that is
       on its way to becoming osteoporosis, maybe.
       However, my spinal curvature (I don't like to call it a
       dowager's hump for some reason) is so bad now that it's very
       difficult for me even to reach my mailbox or the peephole in my
       front door. So I've opted to start on Fosamax (alendronate
       sodium) (70mg once a week), one of the
       bisphosphanates--osteoporosis drugs that actually build back
       some of the bone that has disappeared.
       I'm about to take my second Fosamax and so far, so good. It has
       its risks, but then so does osteoporosis.
       #Post#: 3976--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Osteoporosis and MS--Fosamax and I: Update
       By: agate Date: March 26, 2023, 2:01 am
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       I have now finished my sixth week on Fosamax. Absolutely no
       complaints.
       I like to think I'm a little less spongy by now.
       #Post#: 3987--------------------------------------------------
       (MedPage Today) Osteoporosis, the "silent thief"
       By: agate Date: April 6, 2023, 1:25 am
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       A brief article about osteoporosis in MedPage Today (April 3,
       2023), "Osteoporosis, the 'Silent Thief'":
  HTML http://bit.ly/3ZOjPMF
       #Post#: 4323--------------------------------------------------
       Osteoporosis management and prevention
       By: agate Date: February 21, 2024, 12:39 am
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       A fairly detailed discussion of osteoporosis in Clinical Advisor
       (February 16, 2024)--"Battling the Silent Thief: Osteoporosis
       Management and Prevention":
  HTML https://www.clinicaladvisor.com/home/topics/orthopedics-information-center/osteoporosis-management-prevention/
       #Post#: 4423--------------------------------------------------
       "Fosamax fractures--justice has not been served" (JAMA
       )
       By: agate Date: May 16, 2024, 11:06 am
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       It seems that Fosamax can cause an atypical hip fracture
       although it's meant to prevent fractures. This is a "Viewpoint"
       article by the executive editor of JAMA about the legal battle
       surrounding the issue of whether the public has been adequately
       informed of this risk even though it's uncommon.
       From JAMA (May 16, 2024)--"Fosamax Fractures--Justice Has Not
       Been Served":
  HTML https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/2818657
       #Post#: 4617--------------------------------------------------
       Osteoporosis risk test
       By: agate Date: November 13, 2024, 12:31 am
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       Find out if you are at risk for osteoporosis, as many people
       with MS are:
  HTML https://riskcheck.osteoporosis.fou
       ndation/en
       #Post#: 4622--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Osteoporosis and MS--Fosamax and I
       By: agate Date: November 17, 2024, 12:29 am
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       In February 2025 I will have been taking Fosamax for 2 years. So
       far, so good.
       Anyone who is hesitating about taking whatever treatment is
       recommended for osteopenia/osteoporosis might be well advised to
       stop hesitating and go ahead with the treatment.
       Fosamax won't straighten out my curved spine. It's here to stay,
       no doubt. I can't gargle. I can't put eyedrops in very well
       because I can't tilt my head back any more. I use eyedrops
       several times a day and keep wishing someone would invent a
       better way to dispense them so that they could be used without
       having to tilt the head back.
       If you already have MS, you do not want this additional
       disorder.
       #Post#: 4650--------------------------------------------------
       Osteoporosis assessment should consider all prior fractures acco
       rding to study
       By: agate Date: December 16, 2024, 1:00 am
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       From MedPage Today (December 2, 2024)--"Consider all prior
       fractures during osteoporosis assessment, study suggests":
  HTML https://bit.ly/49Ddme4
       #Post#: 4740--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Osteoporosis and MS--Fosamax and I--update
       By: agate Date: March 13, 2025, 1:42 am
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       Today I had another DEXA scan (bone-density scan). The test is
       an easy one though getting there and back wasn't so easy.
       The results are in already, and there seems to be good news. The
       doctor wanted this test at the 2-year point and has said that I
       might be able to stop taking Fosamax if it seems to have done
       its job. It's not a good idea to be on that drug any longer than
       necessary because it can have some very severe side effects
       (esophageal damage, jaw necrosis, etc.).
       I haven't had the doctor's opinion of the test results yet but
       I'm hoping to be able to stop taking this weekly pill, which has
       to be taken at the start of the day, without lying down for at
       least 30 minutes afterwards, and taken with 8 ounces of water,
       and nothing else by mouth for an hour or so afterwards. And it
       can have side effects though for me the only one I've noticed
       has been burping.
       The fracture risk in the report was much lower than 2 years ago.
       #Post#: 4746--------------------------------------------------
       Re: Osteoporosis and MS--Fosamax and I--update
       By: agate Date: March 18, 2025, 11:02 am
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       Actually I've been taking Fosamax for nearly 3 years, and the
       doctor wants it to continue.
       The results were good but I'd lost another inch in height since
       May 2022.
       "High risk of fracture" has disappeared from the recent DEXA
       scan report, and the really good news is  that my 10-year
       probability of a major osteoporotic fracture has decreased from
       29.3% to 15.1%, and y 10-year probability of a hip fracture has
       gone down from 19.3% to 4.7%.
       Fosamax (alendronate sodium) has its risks, and for some it has
       unwelcome side effects but it seems to be doing what was hoped
       for.
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