Medicines for osteoporosis

Please bring your current list of diagnoses and medicines, previous DXA reports and information about fractures. If osteoporosis treatment has already started, the exact name of the medicine and the date of the last dose are helpful. A recollection such as “an injection a few months ago” is not enough for some decisions. Also tell us about intolerances, kidney disease, difficulty swallowing and planned dental treatment. Which examinations or laboratory values we need depends on the proposed medicine and your findings. The information we discuss should relate to your actual treatment.

A medicine can only help as intended if it can be used correctly. Perhaps you find it difficult to remember regular doses. Perhaps particular instructions for taking it do not fit your daily routine. Please raise difficulties like these before quietly skipping treatment. For some medicines, precise instructions or fixed administration dates are important. We explain the rules for your medicine and record the next steps clearly. General information on a website does not replace your personal medication plan. With your consent, relatives can also help with the arrangements. If a medicine is given by injection or infusion at our practice as part of your agreed treatment, you stay with us afterwards for monitoring for at least 30 minutes. This may take longer depending on how you feel. Please allow for this time. Your personal treatment instructions apply to agreed medication taken or administered at home; this does not require such a stay at our practice.

Please do not change or stop osteoporosis treatment on your own. Whether a pause is possible and how to change treatment differ between medicines. With certain treatments, particularly denosumab, an agreed follow-on plan is important if a dose is to be missed or treatment is to end. If you have missed an appointment, cannot tolerate a medicine or would like a change, please contact us early. We assess which next step is medically appropriate. A free slot in the diary or the end of a pack does not, on its own, determine how long treatment should continue.

Follow-up reviews consider new fractures, falls, your physical function, tolerability and reliable use of treatment. Depending on the question, laboratory values and a repeat DXA may add to the assessment. A single measurement does not fully describe treatment success. Intervals are set individually. The guide of two to five years for normal findings mentioned on our DXA page does not apply as a general rule to monitoring osteoporosis medication. New conditions or another fracture may make earlier assessment necessary.

Appropriate nutrition, movement and reducing the risk of falls remain important. Which calcium or vitamin D supplements are useful depends on your intake and medical situation. Supplements are not an automatic substitute for specific treatment recommended for a sound clinical reason. We want to find measures with you that can actually be put into practice. A safe movement routine, help organising medication or investigating repeated falls may achieve more in everyday life than an extensive plan that overwhelms you.

Prof. Dr. med. habil. Hans-Christof Schober, Dr. med. Christoph Jährling, Björn Weidemann and Priv. Doz. Dr. med. habil. Richard Kasch provide osteological care. Prof. Schober, Dr. Jährling and Mr Weidemann hold the designation Osteologe DVO. If you are already being treated at another practice, please read our information about an agreed transfer of care on the specialist focus page. Ongoing treatment should not be interrupted without a medical plan. We clarify the scope of services, coverage and any personal costs for your specific care; DXA billing is explained separately.