HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Hips are Good--Femurs not so much

suzan w · 06-05-2013, 05:14 PM

I did daily injections of forteo for 2 years. I had (still do!) severe osteoporosis. Arimidex was really making a bad situation worse. In the 2 years I had an 18% increase in bone density. My rheumatologist was amazed. This was an excellent result. I still have osteoporosis in my hips, my spine went from severe osteoporosis to osteopenia. Then I had one infusion of Zometa to «set» the bone, prevent more loss. I had taken oral bisphosphonates for 10 years prior to my cancer dx, also hormone replacement therapy for 10 years.
The forteo was well tolerated. Inconvenient as it needs to be kept refrigerated, and I travel a lot! AND...my insurance co. would not pay. It is very pricey. I paid for it and am very glad I did.

06-05-2013, 05:14 PM	#10
suzan w Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Naples FL Posts: 1,744	Re: Hips are Good--Femurs not so much I did daily injections of forteo for 2 years. I had (still do!) severe osteoporosis. Arimidex was really making a bad situation worse. In the 2 years I had an 18% increase in bone density. My rheumatologist was amazed. This was an excellent result. I still have osteoporosis in my hips, my spine went from severe osteoporosis to osteopenia. Then I had one infusion of Zometa to «set» the bone, prevent more loss. I had taken oral bisphosphonates for 10 years prior to my cancer dx, also hormone replacement therapy for 10 years. The forteo was well tolerated. Inconvenient as it needs to be kept refrigerated, and I travel a lot! AND...my insurance co. would not pay. It is very pricey. I paid for it and am very glad I did. __________________ Suzan W. age 54 at diagnosis 5/05 suspicious mammogram-left breast 5/05 biopsy-invasive lobular carcinoma with LCIS,8mm tumor,stage 1 grade 2, ER+ PR+ Her2+++ 6/14/05 bilateral mastectomy, node neg. all scans neg. Oncotype DX-high risk 8/05-10/05 4 rounds A/C 10/05 -10/06 1 yr. herceptin arimidex-5 years 2/14/08 started daily self administered injections..FORTEO for severe osteoporosis 7/28/09 BRCA 1 negative BRCA2 POSITIVE 8/17/09 prophylactic salpingo-oophorectomy 10/15/10 last FORTEOinjection RECLAST infusion(ostoeporosis) 6/14/10 5 year cancerversary! 8/2010-18%increase in bone density! no further treatments Oncologist says, "Go do the Happy Dance" I say,"What a long strange trip its been" 'One day at a time' 6-14-2015. 10 YEAR CANCERVERSARY! 7-16 to 9-16. Extensive (and expensive) dental work done to save teeth. Damage from osteoporosis and chemo and long term bisphosphonate use 6-14-16. 11 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! 7-20-16 Prolia injection for severe osteoporosis 2 days later, massive hive outbreak. This led to an eventual dx of Chronic Ideopathic Urticaria, an auto-immune disease from HELL. 6-14-17 12 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! still suffering from CIU. 4 hospitilizations in the past year as of today, 10-31-17 in remission from CIU and still, CANCER FREE!!! 6-14-18 13 YEAR CANCERVERSARY!! NED!!