Several months ago I found out that I have a bone disease. I am 51. It is called Paget's Disease of the Bone. A year and a half ago I had to have a total hip replacement. This disease causes your bone to break down and rebuild too quickly and when this happens it becomes weak and deformed. I had a full body scan with a small amount of radioactive tracers to confirm the disease. My Endocrinoligist wants me to have the IV Drug Reclast. This is the newer treatment for this disease. Usually it is Fosamax or Actonel. The scan showed the disease in the bone above my hip that was replaced. With all of the bad and good reports on Reclast I have talked to several Doctors and 3 out of 5 told me that they did not know if it was ok to take it and they did not know much about it. I saw a Red Flag.
I called my Ortho. Surgeon that did my hip replacement. He has been doing hips and knees since 1976. I felt like that if anyone could answer this it was him because he knew all about the bone. He pulled my XRay from June and he told me that he has several patients that have had Paget's disease for years and they have no problems. He keeps a check yearly on them just like me with the new hip. He said that the drug has not been out long enough and not enough studies have been done on it. He told me not to do the Reclast. He said for me to wait and let more studies come out on it. BUT he said that if my Endocrinologist said that if I just had to have it to go ahead and get the Reclast. So it depends on each person's case. I'm glad that I asked so many doctors now I know more and I have decided to wait awhile. I take Citracal Plus. I have a sensitive body and have alot of allergic and side effects from medications......KathyG