Comments on: Bisphosphonates: Bone Strengtheners or Bone Hardeners?

By: Andrei

Andrei — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 02:47:05 +0000

Question for Barbara regarding treatment for ovarian cancer – what was the type and grade of your ovarian cancer and how was it treated?
Thank you

By: Janice Luft

Janice Luft — Sun, 17 Oct 2010 13:55:06 +0000

I am not surprised by this news. Which does not mean I am against prescriptive medications that save lives, and are just short of a miracle.

I experienced via a friend the difficult side effects of “bisphosphonates” second hand.

For several years I took a friend to a specialist for RA pain almost monthly. Because of the need to have some teeth extracted the once a month dose of the bisphosphonate was stopped, and so was the pain which was being treated on a regular basis – nearly every month with another drug that had negative long term effects on other organs, and could not be taken indefinitely.

It was not minor pain that stopped when the bisphosphonate was stopped. It very intense pain. They’d hardly be able to bear walking or lifting their arms to put on a coat. It was heart breaking to see them suffer so much, and even more heart breaking to fight the push to put them back on the drug by medical professionals when it was clearly understood there was a connection to the drug.

Doctors need to take their blinders off – along with Congress. We must embrace medications, with sound diagnostics based on digestive functioning so that there are minimal negative side effects for those taking them.

We are impacting other species too with prescriptive drugs. Just look at what is happening to fish in the D.C. waterways. A reduction in dangerous dosages is necessary for even those not using them, because the honest reality is we all are taking them whether we like it or not. Same goes for everything we put out in the air – we all inhale from the industrial pale. It’s not the earth that is in peril – it’ll go on with or without us. We need to be proactive with sage wisdom: “Our food is our medicine and our medicine is our food”.

People need to be mindful that calcium does interfere with iron absorption and and the two should not be taken together for best results. Also sea vegetables have the highest levels of calcium and minerals. Three and a half oz. of milk has something like 140 ml. of calcium, compared to 1400 ml. in most sea vegetables – according to Paul Pitchford in his book “Healing with Whole Foods”.

Part of the problem with “Capitalism” is that there is not a full accounting of the cost which is passed on to the consumer, taxpayer, or future generations. And it’s based, often, on exploiting resources, coupled with cheap labor.

The Gold Rush is over, Timber’s been cleared, Water’s are gooey and murky, and the seeds have been sewn for a harvest of wealth via health… as always follow the money into the rabbit hole of “private equity” partnerships. Blah, blah, blah…

God help us all.

By: Judy Weiland

Judy Weiland — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 16:15:28 +0000

Im surprised this article did not include the issue of severe bone pain and hair loss experienced by many, including myself. I first started taking Fosamax in about 1999 and within a year it did show bone growth. But when the drug was changed to a generic form and I was forced by the insurance company to switch to the generic form, I experienced upper GI distress as well as bone pain and thinning hair. I was then switched to Boniva and the bone pain became severe. I went online and was surprised to read the many comments left from other women who were going through the same pain and distress. I was advised by my PCP to go off the drug and consider IV Aclasta, so I went online to research it and found a website with comments from women who stated it produced the same side effects of bone pain and hair loss . It is frightening …I spoke with my dentist who stated he had a patient in his office who was advised to have the IV Aclasta and wanted his opion on the health of her jaw … he found her to have no bone or oral issues. Within three months he found her sitting in his dental chair, unable to speak due to all the blisters in her mouth and down her throat that had occured after the infusion.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:55:07 +0000

I have worked with a naturopath who insists that all degenerative disease (including osteoporosis) starts with a starving thyroid. Blood tests are unreliable so a normal range TSH doesn’t necessarily equal a healthy thyroid. He does muscle testing to determine a deficiency of iodine, which is lacking in the American diet. (Iodized salt is harmful, as the aluminum weakens the thyroid, so don’t depend on that for iodine.) My challenge is that I had a thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy 15 years ago. Since then, I also had ovarian cancer, but declined chemo in favor of an alternative, natural approach. I’ve been cancer free for 6 years. Now, I have osteoporosis, and at the naturopath’s recommendation I started on Miacalcin (synthetic salmon calcitonin). Calcitonin is essential for absorption of calcium. It’s made by a healthy thyroid. I switched from Synthroid to Armour thyroid medication and hope to see results. Is there anyone out there with a similar profile? No thyroid or parathyroid who successfuly reversed osteoporosis?

By: Karena Thek Lineback

Karena Thek Lineback — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 18:34:39 +0000

great article. Sent it on to family and friends with osteoporosis. thanks for publishing and thank-you for listing your resources.

By: Nicola

Nicola — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 23:38:43 +0000

Am I glad to have read this article. Will give serious thought to following a more natural approach to dealing with my newly diagnosed osteoporosis – I had a gut feeling about rushing into taking alendronic acid and calcium supps. I am currently taking them on recommendation from GP. I think he had better read this!

By: Gloria

Gloria — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 19:02:58 +0000

Where does Evista fit into tall this?My doctor has been telling me I will need to start it at 60 ( I have ostopenia apparently and please excuse my spelling!)

By: Dr Joyce Block

Dr Joyce Block — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 16:37:32 +0000

Thank you for publishing this well-researched, easy-to-read article. This information is extremely useful and I will send it to colleagues and friends.

By: Annemarie

Annemarie — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 04:28:56 +0000

I feel sick after reading this article. I just had the IV infusion of Aclasta 5 days ago which is to last a year. I agonized over the decision on whether or not to take the drug. I’m 51 and my last bone density scan showed osteoporosis with a high risk of fracture. The endocrinologist offered me Forteo and/or Aclasta. It didn’t take much research to know I wanted nothing to do with Forteo. I even decided against the Aclasta. But when I went to see him and asked for a year to see if I could increase my numbers using natural methods he told me bluntly I didn’t have a year and could walk out of his office, fall and break a hip. Right now I’m feeling angry at myself for allowing myself to be manipulated. I know better. He knew what to say, what buttons to push to get someone like me, who takes no prescription drugs, to agree. I threw a lot of questions at him and he had an answer for everything. But after reading this I now know he wasn’t giving me the whole story.
What has me confused is if I am wasting my time now by taking strontium, 10,000 IU vitamin D, calcium, bio-identical hormones etc. Is the Aclasta now stopping any good they would have done in rebuilding bone?
One thing is for certain. I will not be talked into another dose of Aclasta.
Thank you for providing this most informative article. I appreciate it

By: Ann Carter ANP

Ann Carter ANP — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 01:11:47 +0000

I am a Family Nurse Practitioner who does mostly womens health using bio-identical. The one thing I emphasize is the us of testosterone. For the best of bone density, your estrogen, progesterone and testosterone have to be balanced. You can't have too much or too little without consequences, so be sure and get a saliva test done, which I have used in my practice for over 8 years (I use ZRT labs). With hormones, you must of a good balance, the key word is Balance. You will see more men getting osteopororsis as they are living longer, but not getting their testosterone replaced. Remember how bent over Pope John was before he died? He needed testosterone. Again, Balance, so get your hormones checked, including your thyroid and insulin and cortisol. Regards, Ann Carter