Tonight's picture was taken on October 4, 2008. I remember that day as if it were yesterday. My parents were visiting and we took Mattie to the Inner Harbor in Baltimore. It was a diversion to see the water and have lunch. My mom snapped this photo of us. The reason we were all tense (even more than usual) was because a days later Mattie was going to have his first limb salvaging surgery.
Quote of the day: Today's coronavirus update from Johns Hopkins.
- Number of people diagnosed with the virus: 43,649,970
- Number of people who died from the virus: 700,793
According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation, women should get screened at age 65. Or earlier if a bone has been broken or if there is a family history of osteoporosis. I suspect my doctor decided to have me do a dexa scan because of my family history, but she honestly did not expect to me to have issues at this point in my life. Bone density scans (DEXA scans) help to determine your risk of breaking a bone. They're often used to help diagnose bone-related health problems, such as osteoporosis, or to assess the risk of getting them.
Make a long story short, results of a DEXA scan are given as t-score values. A T-score shows how much your bone density is higher or lower than the bone density of a healthy 30-year old adult. A healthcare provider looks at the lowest T-score to diagnosis osteoporosis. Anything below -2.5, provides a diagnosis for osteoporosis. In my age I am -3.0.
Yesterday I started Fosamax. It is the most commonly used medication for osteoporosis, and basically the medication insurance companies will cover. You have to try Fosamax first, before other options are presented to patients and covered by insurance. Naturally! It is all about reimbursement and not what's in the best interest of the patient.
The endocrinologist prepared me for COMMON side effects like:
- stomach upset
- nausea
However, by the late afternoon on Friday I was a mess. I couldn't function at all. My symptoms were:
- 101 fever
- chills
- aches in all my joints
- flu-like symptoms
- exhaustion
- stomach pain
- bloating
- nausea
Thanks to Tylenol and Advil, I made it through the night. But I wrote the doctor today! According to her, she doesn't know any patient who has had this reaction to Fosamax. To the IV version yes, but not the pill. Mind you when I looked up side effects to Fosamax it says.....
Body as a Whole: hypersensitivity reactions including urticaria and angioedema. Transient symptoms of myalgia, malaise, asthenia and fever have been reported with FOSAMAX, typically in association with initiation of treatment. Symptomatic hypocalcemia has occurred, generally in association with predisposing conditions. Peripheral edema.
Needless to say I believe the on-line warning, because I am living it, versus what the doctor wrote to me today. You honestly have to be your own doctor and constantly advocate. I was out of commission for most of the day today. Thankfully I have lost the fever, but still dealing with stomach issues. I can't believe I have to take this pill weekly. I promised to try it a second time, but if I have the same reaction I told the doctor I am NOT taking it anymore, as this isn't a good quality of life.
1 comment:
This is awful! I would only give it one more chance too. The doctor needs to catch up on her reading.
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