Many of you know that I have osteoporosis and it’s probably genetic. My father and mother both had it and my older sister has it as well. It was diagnosed 10 years ago when I was 55.
Since then I’ve been on several medicines – first, Miacalcin – a medicine made from salmon eggs. Then Forteo – a subcutaneous injection medicine that actually help my bone grow back – but it’s only a two year program.
Since then I’ve been on Actonel – first weekly and, over the past year, monthly.
I recently had a bone density exam and everything looked good except my left hip which had actually lost bone density. The doctor believes that the problem is that oral medicines like Actonel may not be totally absorbed into the body.
He recommended that I get an IV infusion called Reclast as all of that medicine would be absorbed into the body. Because it’s a slow acting medicine, you only have to do the IV infusion once a year.
So, Betty and I trucked down to the Presbyterian Medical Building for my first Reclast infusion.
After a consult with a doctor with a great sense of humor to be sure I qualified for the procedure and to make sure Medicare will pay for it, they put me into a chair and poked a needle into a vein in my left arm. The nurse, Kelly, was nice about it and had lots of funny lines.
First, they gave me an infusion of saline so that my body would be hydrated which would help protect my kidneys. That took about 20 minutes or so.
Then they gave me the Reclast medicine through the IV and that took about 45 minutes or so.
Finally, they gave me another infusion of saline so that I would continue to be hydrated as my body absorbed the Reclast medicine.
The possible side effects that might show up in a day or two are nausea, a flu-like illness, headaches, and body pain. So far, nothing has showed up yet.
After the procedure Betty and I headed to Old Town Albuquerque for a lunch at the Old Hacienda Restaurant.
Hopefully, this procedure will help me to maintain my bone density and, if all goes really well, even help some bone to grow back.
Ah, the joys of growing old.
7 comments:
I'm so glad that there are options to assist so many issues. Gratefulness to all the scientists, medical professionals, etc.! Good luck growing your bone density.
Ouch! Hope all goes well. At least you got a good lunch out together, afterwards.
glad you are taking care of yourself...
Oh lordy. I sure hope it works for you Dan, but how do you like being a guinea pig. My family has osteoporosis too, I really need to do a scan. I have been taking calcium at maximum dose for years though, so hopefully I am still ok.
I have seen that advertised on TV. I sure hope it helps. My mother and grandmother also had osteoporsis. I have been taking calcium for years and have a bone density test yearly. So far so good! Good luck.
Good Luck.I hope it works for you
I can only imagine the terrible shape my bones are in! I am terrible about remembering to take calcium. Darn.
Hope you're Mr. Bones in no time at all.
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