Osteoporosis

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  • FLClover
    FLClover Member Posts: 1,537 ✭
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    @Jwrenn Yes, that’s what I was finally told too, you need to answer yes to just one and you can get it. I have a health care card too as single parents apparently get same benefits as seniors 🤷🏼‍♀️. It’s been very helpful though. I’m also getting free treatment at a private clinic, and medication is thankfully very cheap. I still paid for scan but only about $15 so I’m ok with that 👌🏻
  • CassieB
    CassieB Member Posts: 71 ✭
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    @JanineG thank you and all the best to you too xx
  • CassieB
    CassieB Member Posts: 71 ✭
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    @Caibo yes ask for the bone density tests one now and one at end of treatment. All the best xx
  • kmakm
    kmakm Member Posts: 7,974 ✭
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    @Caibo My oncologist sent me for a bone density scan before I started Letrozole. Two years on I'm having another one this week to see how I'm travelling. I didn't pay for my first one, at the local public hospital. I'm going there again on Thursday and haven't been informed of any charges. Small waiting list involved and it got postponed due to Covid19. I think it's good to get a baseline scan so I'd ask your oncologist to refer you. K xox
  • kamada
    kamada Member Posts: 70 ✭
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    This is an interesting thread. I am in my 70s and had ER+ PR- HER2+ cancer. Chemo and rads plus herceptin (last infusion a couple of weeks ago - exciting after 15 months of various infusions 😊) and started letrozole in April. Due to complete hysterectomy at 43 had osteopenia before all this started and had a base line bone density test done before starting chemo.  Just had another one and now have osteoporosis in spine and osteopenia in hips though they showed marked decline. I expected to be given something stronger than caltrate and vit d which I have been taking for years but onc said the same about prolia as your GP @JulieVT11 and he doesn’t like the side effects of the others (made me smile coming from an onc). He said that tamoxifen is good for bone density and will stop the decline and even improve it. I am a bit concerned about following this path and intend to discuss it with my GP but am wondering if anyone else has tried this path and what happened to their bone density. The last thing I need atm or ever is a serious fracture. I am also a bit concerned about the efficacy of tamoxifen compared to letrozole in preventing recurrence as tumour cells were 95% ER+. Would be very interested in any info you ladies may have on either issue. 
  • AllyJay
    AllyJay Member Posts: 945 ✭
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    Hi there @kamada. All I can add it this. I had a total hysterectomy at age 28 and blood tests at age 37 found me to be very much post menopausal,,,like years before, I was told. As well, I've been on prednisolone for over ten years now due to an autoimmune disease which damages all the connective tissues in my body..particularly the joints, tendons and blood vessels. Another autoimmune disease has me on warfarin, which means I cannot take non steroidal anti inflammatories Add letrozole to the pot, stir and serve, and the result is (no surprise) I have very bad osteoporosis. Three rib fractures at different times without fall or injury. I've been on Prolia injections since 2017 and my jaw has yet to rot or fall to pieces. (Sorry about that my dear hubby....but you can still hope that something will eventually stop the yabbering from me). I've had some improvement in my bone density but am still osteoporotic...just bad now rather than shockingly so. I use a wheeled granny walker when out of the house as I know if I fall, then that would be a disaster. I have very few side effects other than about a week after having it, I get the collywobbles and feel quite nauseous. It passes in about three or so days.

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