Osteoporosis Expert Neil Gonter, MD shares Osteoporosis management news and commentary at OsteoporosisConnection.com. The HealthCentral Network, Inc. (www.HealthCentral.com) is one of the top health destinations on the Web, with more than 35 condition-specific, wellness and general health Web properties. http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73 http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/rss self application/xml en-us 15 120 19 http://www.healthcentral.com/images/hc_logo_sm.gif http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73 http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/57448/miacalcin-nasal Thu, 29 Jan 2009 11:33:00 -0500 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: I have been treating my osteoporosis for the past few years with medications.  Recently I developed intolerance to all oral medications.  I am scared to get IV medications and would like to go on Miacalcin nasal spray.  Is this good enough for me?    Dr. Gonter's Response: There are currently many available treatments for osteoporosis.  Miacalcin nasal spray (generic name: calcitonin) has been on... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/57448/miacalcin-nasal http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/52752/vitamin Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:35:00 -0500 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: I have osteoporosis. I am taking Actonel, Calcium and Vitamin D. I recently read that taking Vitamin C can help improve my bone density. Is this true? Can I stop my Actonel?   For the past few years there has been some discussion about Vitamin C and its role in bone metabolism and possible disease. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant. It plays a major role in the formation of collagen and connective... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/52752/vitamin http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/49729/reclast-forteo Fri, 19 Dec 2008 14:24:00 -0500 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: I have been on all the medications on the market for osteoporosis, including the yearly IV medication, Reclast, and the daily injection, Forteo. Are there any new medications available, or soon to be available, that I can look forward to?   A very important drug trial result was released at the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research in Montréal, Quebec. This involved the long awaited biologic agent,... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/49729/reclast-forteo http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/49305/bone-markers Fri, 21 Nov 2008 17:37:00 -0500 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: My doctor who has been treating me for osteoporosis told me that I should stop taking my medicine because my ‘bone markers' were low. What does this mean? I am scared to go off my medicines. What is this test? After the diagnosis of osteoporosis is made and one begins therapy, it is often difficult to determine if the treatment is working. This is due to fact that the current testing with a bone density, Dual Energy X-ray... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/49305/bone-markers http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/40257/experiencing Thu, 11 Sep 2008 01:50:00 -0400 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: I am 65 years old. I have been having increased difficulty getting things down from high shelves. I saw my primary physician and he told me that I have lost 2 inches of height. He also told me that I may have vertebral (spinal) fractures and should have a bone density to check for osteoporosis. I have no pain. Is this possible?   No one wants to hear this, but height loss is common with age. Beginning in our early 50s,... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/40257/experiencing http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/38122/fosamax-drugs Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:51:00 -0400 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: I have osteoporosis and have been taking Fosamax for the past 3 years. I was just reading in the paper this morning that this drug was shown to cause bone fractures. Isn't this medication supposed to protect me from this? Should I stop taking it? What about the other similar drugs in the same class?   I wouldn't blame anyone for starting to worry, if you just read the news headlines. Let me give you some background and... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/38122/fosamax-drugs http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/33966/helping-increase Tue, 15 Jul 2008 17:03:00 -0400 Neil Gonter, MD Reader Question: I was diagnosed with Osteoporosis two years ago. I started an aggressive weight bearing exercise program with brisk walking and stair climbing 7 days a week for more then 1 hour. I have also been taking a bisphosphonate as well as adequate calcium and vitamin D. However, I recently had a bone density test and my scores did not increase at all. What went wrong? Was it all for nothing?   This is a common question that I am... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/33966/helping-increase http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/31786/fibrillation Mon, 23 Jun 2008 18:23:00 -0400 Neil Gonter, MD Reader's Question: I was diagnosed with osteopenia.  My doctor advised me to start taking Fosamax.  My mother has atrial fibrillation.  I was recently heard that this might be problem.  Should I take this?   It is important to know what atrial fibrillation is, what association, if any, exists between Fosamax and atrial fibrillation, and how necessary it is to treat your bone disease.   Atrial fibrillation... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/31786/fibrillation http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/28621/osteoporosis Thu, 22 May 2008 16:17:00 -0400 Neil Gonter, MD Reader's Question 1: I am 60 years old and recently went for a chest x-ray.  While the lung fields were clear, the radiologist discovered a vertebral fracture.  I don't remember this happening and I have no back pain.  I went for a bone density and my T score of my spine was -1.0.  Should I be treated?   Reader's Question 2:  I am 57 years old and I have a neurological disease that stops me from... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/28621/osteoporosis http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/25363/tested-age Wed, 16 Apr 2008 18:07:00 -0400 Neil Gonter, MD Reader's Question: I am a 51 year old white female. My mother broke her hip in her 60's and I am concerned for my bones. My doctor told me that I shouldn't be tested until I am 65. Is this correct?   The National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) recently published its guidelines on prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. In it, they updated their previously published guidelines for who should be tested. Some of the indications are... http://www.healthcentral.com/osteoporosis/c/73/25363/tested-age