I've been on Androcur, 100 mg/day, just over 2 months now. Two weeks ago, my personal doc started periodic monitoring to detect problems. I asked him to do a bone density scan as a baseline for future measurements.

Today, I got the news that I've already got osteoporosis. I was a bit in shock at the news. After all, I'm 'only' 56. I have exercised pretty regularly much of my adult life. I tend to be able to look at things like this logically, but today that wasn't working. I was starting to fear I'd need to get off Androcur ASAP. Fortunately, Jesus was able to provide some calming feedback. He's not a physician but it felt good to get info from someone who has lots of knowledge about men with low T.

I did some quick research on the web, particularly on corporate web sites for drugs I take every day to prevent asthma attacks. Some of these are steroids which can contribute to the development of osteoporosis. I've been taking these for at least the last 7 years. I also periodically need high doses of another bone-damaging steroid, prednisone.

Friday, I see my physician and I'll see what he has to say about treatment. I'll report back on what he says and what the treatment will be.

I was feeling kind of stressed by this but I just finished polishing off a box of chocolate chip cookies. That's had a remarkably calming effect.

I expect I'll be able to continue on my male to eunuch path, even though low T certainly isn't helping things. Right now, at least, I can't deal with the thought of not doing that. I agree with Jesus that two months on Androcur isn't sufficient time to produce a condition that typically develops over years.

As I've posted elsewhere, if I go through with castration I don't see myself remaining hormone-free. Some type of hormone replacement will only help things.

Don't fear too much. There are some remarkably good medications out there which can help restore bone density. Didrocal and Fosamax are the first two that come to mind, but there are likely others. Personally, I feel Fosamax is superior to Didrocal (1x weekly is always better than 1x daily to me), but there is apparently one that is effective when taken 1x monthly even.

BossTamsin (imported) wrote: Wed Jan 09, 2008 5:43 pm Don't fear too much. There are some remarkably good medications out there which can help restore bone density. Didrocal and Fosamax are the first two that come to mind, but there are likely others. Personally, I feel Fosamax is superior to Didrocal (1x weekly is always better than 1x daily to me), but there is apparently one that is effective when taken 1x monthly even.

That would be Boniva (the one Sally Fields hawks) which I'm currently taking. I tended to forget my once weekly Fosamax. Boniva is cool too in that you can sign up with them and get a monthly email and/or phone call to remind you a day before you are supposed to take it. That's customer service.

I believe I developed Osteoponea (one step above osteperosis) due to low testosterone..unfortunately I am low due to hyopgonadism not by choice. I started on Testosterone in 2007 (although it would have been better before 2000 when my back compressed due to the soft bones in the spinal column).

Batman

Thanks for the info and reassurance IEunuch and Batman.

I'm sorry to hear about you hypogonadism, Batman. I know I've read some of your posts but I don't remember the details. Best of luck to you.

Hi Todd,

Osteoporosis can be hereditary. My wife's mother and grandmother both broke bones because of osteoporosis. My wife discussed this with her doctor, who agreed to prescribe HRT the moment her periods stopped. Despite this, when she had a bone density scan a couple of years later it was discovered that my wife already had osteoporosis (she was only in her late 40s). Luckily she was able to start treatment (Fosomax) immediately, and before breaking anything. Her mother wasn't so lucky. HER doctor didn't do anything until after she fell on her butt and suffered several compression fractures to thorasic vertibrae. She now has a pronounced hump on her upper back.

Fosomax is a brand name for a drug called alendronic acid. My wife takes the once weekly version of Fosomax, her mother takes the monthly version. Alendronic acid is fairly caustic, and the tablet must be taken on an empty stomach, washed down with plenty of water. The patient must remain upright for the following half hour. This is to ensure that the tablet reaches the stomach and doesn't lodge in the oesophagus where it can burn it's way through the oesophagus wall. It is important not to eat anything or drink anything but water during that half hour either, as any trace of calcium in your stomach will reduce the effectiveness of the Fosomax. Some people cannot tolerate weekly Fosomax (I'm guessing they get anything from indigestion symptoms, heartburn, etc. through to ulcers) in which case the monthly version is used.

I'm not sure how it works (I'm sure you can find out by Googling for it) but alendronic acid (Fosomax, etc.) causes the body to increase bone density. Bones are made up from a 'honeycomb' or 'stiff spongiform' structure of calcified material. In a patient with osteoporosis, the very fine webs of bone material dissolve leaving larger and larger voids in the bones. If allowed to continue, more and more of the bone material dissolves until the bone can easily break. Alendronic acid causes the body to reverse the process by laying down new bone material. It won't replace any webs of bone that have completely dissolved, but those remaining will thicken and the bone is thus strengthened.

Don't fret mate. Osteoporosis doesn't mean that you'll have to stop your Androcur. Obviously any doctor will encourage you to stop because your low testosterone is increasing the problem. But if you really really want to stay on the Androcur, or even go ahead and have surgical castration, I believe that treatment with alendronic acid (Fosomax) or similar will protect you from further bone density loss.

When my wife was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 she had to quit HRT immediately. Her oncologist put her on Tamoxifen to starve the cancer of eostrogen, then she had surgery to remove the breast tumor [which turned out to be a cluster of tumors - nasty] followed by chemo threapy (FEC) and radiotherapy. She was then to stay on Tamoxifen indefinitely in order to keep her oestrogen suppressed. Despite this, her endocrinologist was confident that Fosomax would be able to keep the osteoporosis at bay. Since then my wife developed inflammatory breast cancer on the remaining breast and had to undergo a second mastectomy/lymph node removal (filleting we call it!) plus an even nastier chemotherapy (Taxotere) and Herceptin. Her anti oestrogen treatment has been switched from Tamoxofen to Arimidex (anastrozole) which seems to be even more effective at causing her sex hormones to 'flat line'. Not great for our sex life, but hey ho - there isn't much about breast cancer that is! At least she's still alive! The Herceptin and Arimidex treatments continue indefinitely. So far (18 months on) her tumor markers in her blood tests have been in the 'normal' range. But the last couple of blood tests show tumor markers increasing - so my wife is seeing the oncologist this afternoon to ask him if he's worried about this, yet.

So, Todd, if you want to ask my wife about her experience with her osteoporosis treatment, and or hormone suppression, or anything else (ie. living with a husband who seems to want to join her in her hormone suppressed state), please feel free to ask her any questions through this thread or by a pm to me. But for now I'll just say again:

Don't fret mate

I as well developed Osteoporosis while on just androcur. I was taking over 1000mg of calcium a day with vitamin D from the start of my androcur. My GP put me on alendronic acid (Fosomax). My calcium blood levels were taken before, during and after the chemical and real castration. They were always in the normal range. Regaining the bone loss will take time and has to be monitored. The next bone scan will be in two years. My last one was in November on 2007.

An eunuch is just like a post menopause female when it comes to osteoporosis if not on hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

Thanks Riven and Bobbie for your comments. I'll write more later this evening or tomorrow night. I was so upset by all this last night that I got only about 3 1/2 hours sleep. I've got to take a nap now and get to bed early.

It wasn't the thought of the osteoporosis by itself that was so disturbing. I felt like I had to let go of this new person I'm becoming because of low T aggravating things. I was really starting to mourn this loss. Of course, my emotions are heightened on low T.

Everyone's posts here are reassuring and I appreciate the comments. Today I'm actually feeling relaxed, or maybe that's just total exhaustion! . It was a good day despite how tired I was.

Osteoporosis is nothing magical. Everyone loses bone density later in life. It is usually the ones who have the thinner bones to begin with that it shows up in sooner. If you notice that your wrists are thinner than your father or most of your brothers then you will be getting it that much sooner. It is generally because of lack of testosterone before puberty that causes thinner bones. I myself have thin wrists even though I am "male". After puberty testosterone does nothing for your bones. Just remember what your mother said, "Just eat your greens and shut up." (Greens have calcium and other minerals and vitamins for your bones.)

My doc has me taking two calcium tablets and Vit D to avoid this but since I'm hormone "challanged" its on the radar. It is a serious issue and one that needs to stay on your radar for good health.

I wish you luck!

Going on some type of hormone replacement (Depending on dose) should halt, maybe reverse or at least help...

Since you mentioned it are you thinking of trying Estrogen? If you do please make some notes I'll never try it but I'm damn curious what the experience is like...

MrT (not E) or would that be MrsE???

mrt (imported) wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2008 1:34 pm My doc has me taking two calcium tablets and Vit D to avoid this but since I'm hormone "challanged" its on the radar. It is a serious issue and one that needs to stay on your radar for good health.

You have to watch the label close when it comes to calcium. Most times the dose that is on the front of the jar is when you take two tablets. You need to be taking at least 1000mg a day.