I have. One surgeon wants me to start taking it. He's the only one who has already gotten my recent "quantitative CT scan" - a new methodology to evaluate bone density, when dexascans are inadequate (my lumbar arthritis makes the vertebral dexa-scan unreadable.
FORTEO is a new medication to improve bone density. Unlike previous ones it increases osteoblasts (grow bone) instead of relying on decreasing osteoclasts (destroy bone - part of a natural process).
It's not only humongously expensive, it has been shown to greatly increase risk of sarcoma - bone cancer. OK, true, it was only in rats, but that's because the causal relationship is so pronounced, they can't legitimize trials on humans.
However, I'm sure they'll be studying the first group of guinea pigs - like me, if I consent. Self-administered in injection - which means my insurance definitely WON'T pick it up (besides which, I'm within a year of MEDICARE. MEDICARE may not pick it up at all).
But I'm not keen on using it, regardless of price.
For now, it's only FDA approved for two years max and thereafter one must continue with the other kind of bone density enhancer (e.g., FOSAMAX) for the rest of ones life. Otherwise, the new found density is lost. Thing is, per current research, even FOSAMAX isn't recommended for indefinite use - far from, in fact! The findings on FOSAMAX use before and/or after deformity correction surgery are very mixed.
I HATE weighing all these medical specs on my own. Luckily, I have an internist family friend I CAN ask - almost forgot...Hope he will read up a bit for me (IF the info is available). I find it maddening that they don't make all medication specs available - not even to MDs. Believe it or not, a bill has been languishing in Congress for years, which would make all clinical info on medications available to docs on a special (restricted) web site. Big Pharma has shot even that down, time and again!
Anyhow, I wondered what others had done and heard of. I must not be the only one with osteopenia.
FORTEO is a new medication to improve bone density. Unlike previous ones it increases osteoblasts (grow bone) instead of relying on decreasing osteoclasts (destroy bone - part of a natural process).
It's not only humongously expensive, it has been shown to greatly increase risk of sarcoma - bone cancer. OK, true, it was only in rats, but that's because the causal relationship is so pronounced, they can't legitimize trials on humans.
However, I'm sure they'll be studying the first group of guinea pigs - like me, if I consent. Self-administered in injection - which means my insurance definitely WON'T pick it up (besides which, I'm within a year of MEDICARE. MEDICARE may not pick it up at all).
But I'm not keen on using it, regardless of price.
For now, it's only FDA approved for two years max and thereafter one must continue with the other kind of bone density enhancer (e.g., FOSAMAX) for the rest of ones life. Otherwise, the new found density is lost. Thing is, per current research, even FOSAMAX isn't recommended for indefinite use - far from, in fact! The findings on FOSAMAX use before and/or after deformity correction surgery are very mixed.
I HATE weighing all these medical specs on my own. Luckily, I have an internist family friend I CAN ask - almost forgot...Hope he will read up a bit for me (IF the info is available). I find it maddening that they don't make all medication specs available - not even to MDs. Believe it or not, a bill has been languishing in Congress for years, which would make all clinical info on medications available to docs on a special (restricted) web site. Big Pharma has shot even that down, time and again!
Anyhow, I wondered what others had done and heard of. I must not be the only one with osteopenia.
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