Fosamax: How to Keep Your Bones Healthy and Strong

After I had a bone density test a few years ago I found out I had Osteopenia. My doctor said not to worry since Osteopenia doesn't mean that I had Osteoporosis, yet! He suggested doubling up on my calcium and vitamin D which might help

What causes Osteopenia

As we get older our bones become thinner and our bone cells are absorbed by the body quicker when new bone is made...the bones lose their needed minerals, heaviness, (mass), and the structure they need to keep them healthy...in turn it increases their risk of breaking if we fall or injure ourselves. We begin losing bone mass after the age of 30, the thicker your bones are at that age, the lower your chances of developing Osteopenia or Osteoporosis.

This news was very upseting to me since I am pretty big boned, and had done weight bearing exercises for quite a long time...I lifted weights and walked almost every day for an hour...I also ate healthy, made sure I took Calcium and Calcium enriched foods as well as Magnesium, Vitamin D and many other nutrients and supplements...but, I also had a condition called hyperparathyroidism, which sometimes affects your bone mass. so, upped my dosage of Calcium and Vitamin D, hoping for the best.

About 6 months ago, after another test, the results showed that I had lost more bone mass and now had full fledged Osteoporosis, though just the beginning stages, and I could fight this condition by taking Fosamax.

What is Osteoporosis

According to the Fozamax website, bones are living tissue, they are constantly renewing themselves and when you have Osteoporosis they stop that renewal process, making your bones fragile and weak, more likely to break...and you don't even know its happening..

When you start menopause this process increases and during the first 5 years you can lose as much as 10% of bone mass...I had a hysterectomy about 25 years ago which may have started the process sooner....the risks of bone fracture gets higher as your bones weaken and more women break bones due to Osteoporosis then have heart attacks, strokes or breast cancer combined...these breaks happen more often in the hip, spine and wrist ...but, any bone can be affected...the biggest concerns are the hip and spine since these require major surgery and can impair your ability to even walk unaided or straighten up....we've all seen some old women, even men, who walk bent over, well, could be they may have had osteoporosis and never knew it, yes, men do develop this condition too, only not as often.

Well, this left me thinking if my two back surgeries were caused by the beginnings of Osteopenia, but no, I was told that was due to Osteoarthritis in my spine.....well what could I do except give it a try... I certainly didn't want to spend the rest of my days all hunched over or fall and break my fragile bones

What is Fosamax

Well, it is a bisphosphonate that alters the cycle of bone formation...it reduces the activity of the cells that cause bone loss while increasing the bone mass itself thereby increasing the amount of bone in your body... in doing so decreasing your risk of fractures.

I was also told by my doctor that in just 3 months after you start this therapy the effects can start to be reversed but you don't really see any results until after a year, until you have your next bone density test...

Now it is 6 months down the line for me

How do you take it?

I'm taking Fosamax plus D, which I take once a week, on the same day every week, ...I take it in the morning on an empty stomach with a full glass of water...In order to avoid any side effects in my stomach or esophagus I have to wait 30 minutes before I can eat or drink anything other than that water... I fiddle around with my cat chores, clean the litter box, change their water and feed them, fill the bird feeders and before I know it, a half hour has passed and I can indulge in my coffee and breakfast...you are not allowed to lie down during that half hour or until you eat something...one of the side effects can be digestive problems so eating is a must before lying down.also to avoid side effects it is important never to take this drug before going to bed

It is also important to exercise regularly and to take at least 1000 mil of calcium with vitamin D and magnesium...

It is also an expensive drug which cost me $30 a month for 4 pills, and that is with my insurance, but I just read Fosamax was going generic this month which should lower the cost considerably......hopefully it will stop the effects of my losing more bone mass...I certainly don't want to get any fractures or need any more back surgery or walk hunched over...I also don't want to get any shorter, so I'm keeping my fingers crossed..

The most important information to know about Fosamax is that you take it exactly as directed to make sure it works and to help lower your chances of problems in your esophagus or stomach...there are quite a few other clinical warnings and contraindications on the Fosamax package so before starting on this medication make sure to discuss any concerns you have with your doctor .. It is also a good idea to check out the website, there is a ton of information to be found there.

www.fosamax.com