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  • CheeseQueen57
    CheeseQueen57 Member Posts: 933 Member
    edited January 2017 #22
    A little history

    Thanks for the input MoeKay. A little history...I went through menopause at 39. So bone health has always been a concern. I was on hormone therapy for 5 years. Then discontinued that and started a variety of the bone meds. I remember being on Fosomax, Boniva, and Actinal. I've had multiple Dexas over the years, my last one December 2015 just before my cancer problems were Dx.  It showed some degree of osteopenia and significant changes since my last study. I was actually talking to my endo about options when got cancer DX. The orthopedic surgeon saod once you have a fracture, you have osteoporosis. 

  • CheeseQueen57
    CheeseQueen57 Member Posts: 933 Member
    #23
    In addition...

    I have to admit, I've not really been good about regular weight bearing exercise over the years, and that's also probably contributed to the problem, with everything else. 

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited January 2017 #24
    Trying to Wrap My Head Around This

    Thanks CQ and MoeKay for your posts about this; it certainly was not on my radar and I guess I'm still not understanding if having had cancer treatment puts us at higher risk for something like this if we do develop osteopenia or osteoporosis down the road and need to have it treated with one of the drugs you mentioned. I haven't had any implants, but I've had root canals and crowns. Guess I'm going to have to do some more learning about all of this. 

  • MoeKay
    MoeKay Member Posts: 477 Member
    edited January 2017 #25
    Lots of risk factors, including some cancer treatments

    MA, I thought this fact sheet gives a pretty good overview of osteoporosis.  It provides a laundry list of risk factors for osteoporosis and includes some cancer treatments on the list:  https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/osteoporosis.html.  

    It looks like it might be a decent starting point for your research on the issue. 

  • janaes
    janaes Member Posts: 799 Member
    #26
    CheeseQueen57 said:

    Orthopedic Update

    So I saw the orthopedic surgeon today. He attributed the fracture to osteoporosis and said I need to see my endocrinologist and get on some treatment for that because I'm at 50% risk for another fracture. He didn't think the fracture was a result of radiation and he didn't think it was a reoccurrence. My advice to everyone is ha e a talk with you doctor about the state of your bones. Everything we've been through (steroids, chemo, radiation, meds, etc) destroys our bones. I'm just really concerned about "dead jaw", a rare condition caused by some osteoporosis meds. I'll guess I'll see what my endo says. 

    I've got yet another UTI and I've asked for a urology consult. I'm trying to accumulate as many specialists as possible!

    CQ, I wish you luck as you go

    CQ, I wish you luck as you go forward with your ostioprosis.  It was discovered that I had ostioprosis after done with my chemo.  I have always had thin bones and dont know if i had it before treatment but in my heart i felt the chemo did something.  Those side effect to the ostioprosis meds scared me too. I got my self on a support group for that.  I cant remember where on-line the group was.  I am taking Alendronate 70mg right now.  My doctor really incouraged me to take it.  So far no side effects.  I watched it very carefully for sure. 

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,168 Member
    #27
    MoeKay said:

    Lots of risk factors, including some cancer treatments

    MA, I thought this fact sheet gives a pretty good overview of osteoporosis.  It provides a laundry list of risk factors for osteoporosis and includes some cancer treatments on the list:  https://www.womenshealth.gov/publications/our-publications/fact-sheet/osteoporosis.html.  

    It looks like it might be a decent starting point for your research on the issue. 

    Thanks

    Thanks Moekay for the link. Very interesting, but of course it's making me think of more questions than it answers. I've been reading some other interesting publications and getting the sense that the risk goes up when you need dental work while taking these drugs, especially while also being treated for bone metastasis specifically. That's the link with cancer treatments. The big thing is to be very vigilant about dental care to prevent gingivitis, cavities, abcesses, etc. so that dental work wouldn't be needed while being treated with drugs for osteoporosis with or without bone metastasis at the same time. Prolia also seems to be the drug that is the greater culprit for causing osteonecrosis followed by Reclast. Still looking into if there's lingering risk when not in active treatment and for how long after its done. Hope that helps put CQ at ease a bit now that she's done with frontline now, too. 

  • MAbound
    MAbound Member Posts: 1,168 Member
    edited January 2017 #28
    Link

    http://www.uptodate.com/contents/medication-related-osteonecrosis-of-the-jaw-in-patients-with-cancer?topicKey=ONC/96863&elapsedTimeMs=4&view=print&displayedView=full#

     

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