Posted by Willful on January 2, 2010, at 10:06:43
In reply to Re: What Would you do if doc refuses to treat no Recla » Maxime, posted by Phillipa on January 1, 2010, at 20:24:30
You've been researching the bisphosphonates since at least November 12th, and were aware of the issues with them since last January--when you posted a link on them.
So Maxime makes a good point, Phillipa. Reclast is another of these class of drugs; and the issues that trouble you are the same ones you've mentioned since the beginning of the discussion a few months ago.
There are no perfect answers at the time to osteoporosis. Let's hope better treatments are upcoming. For now, I urge you to get fosamax, or one of the oral bisphosphonates, because it would be less frightening and the side effects tend to abate fairly quickly in most cases. You could go with actonel, because my mother's doctor said it was a least strong, and Fosamax was the strongest. Or you could use Boniva, which is taken once a month, rather than Fosamax which is taken every week. Or go back to Reclast, which after all, you only need to think about once a year.
All of them are good for the hip-- and it's probably safer imo (and of course, I'm not a doctor) to protect your spine because you wouldn't want that to become a problem. Fosamax and Boniva have both been shown to be active in hip and spine.
I don't want to hurt your feelings, Phillipa, but from your excerpts from the doctor's letter, he become unwilling to treat you because of the depth of your fear of the meds. He may have felt that you weren't ready to take them at this time-- he didn't feel comfortable in further coercing you. He may have given you a deadline because he felt that it would help you to go ahead.
I'd also like to point out that despite your confusion, you're capable of making well-informed choices, and are a highly intelligent person. Where you get into trouble is with fears about bad outcomes-- . But I'm sure you know this, too. And again you're focusing on the fearful side effects and magnifying whatever criticisms there are of the drugs' effectiveness and not listening to the reassurances about their helpfulness-- about which there is much reliable science--
This is driving you to distraction and preventing you from taking good care of yourself. No doctor can promise you that you won't have the side effects. You, like my mother, need to figure out how to bite the bullet and have a needed treatment-- and how to focus on the potential good, not the potential (low-probability) bad.
I've noticed in scanning your posts lately, that you know tremendously more about these meds than any of us whom you're consulting. The time for research and consulting friends, neighbors, and pbabblers is over. This is not about information-- this is about making a decision and going through with something that's scary.
Actually I have confidence in your ability to make the best decision for yourself and to move forward with the treatment. I'd like to support you in doing that. You know more than enough. Once you make up your mind-- I"m sure you can find a doctor who will treat you totally appropriately.
Willful
poster:Willful
thread:931820
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/health/20081212/msgs/932102.html