I have been reading all the side effects of the different medications s and cannot make a decision on what to take. I am 70 years of age and have diabetes, Crohns, and other auto immune diseases. Please tell me what you are taking especially if there are no or very mild side effects.
I have been taking the one a week Alendronic Acid. The side effect list is frightening. In the event I had a bit of a runny tummy during the early part of week one, less runny tummy in week two , normal in weeks three to five and that is as far as I have got. Also on day four of weeks one and two my thigh muscles felt weak. No such effect on weeks three to five.
I do take side effects seriously. Summer 2014 I had a bad time after an antibiotic.
Hi Kathleen, What meds. did the doc. suggest you take? There's a wide range of meds. to treat osteoporosis (OP) but the most commonly used ones are called the Bisphosphonates. These are meds. like Alernronic Acid (Fosamax) or Risendronate (Actonel) - the're given in pill form and Zoledronic Acid (Aclasta) which is given by infusion. If you have eg. low calcium levels, problems in the past with your oesophagus, kidney problems, the first 2 meds. would not be suitable but the 3red. may be. Other meds. used are Strontium Ranelate (a sachet taken each night), a 6-monthly injection called Prolia and a daily self-administered injection (with a pen, like a diabetic one) for 24 months. The last 2 of these are for the more severe suffers - but I note that the leaflet which is in the Actonel med. says "for use even if the osteoporosis is severe". So, that's an overviewof the meds. Now to talk about 'side-effects: Firstly THERE IS NO DRUG WITHOUT SIDE-EFFECTS being mentioned by the drug company. However, the general advice is - BAD side-effects are very rare indeed. Also, if after allowing a period of time for your body to get used to the med.,you are still suffering from anything unpleasant - there are other meds. you may tolerate very well, so you can change. The main advice is that these meds. protect your bones, strengthen them, and in some cases re-build new bone. In doing this they significantly reduce the risk of FRACTURE - which is what treatment is all about. Spinal fracture, hip fracture, are not funny, are extremely painful and can mean loss of independence. Do some more checking, write down your questions, and then be honest with your doc. about your worries. He/she has heard it all before . . . . Take care, and keep in touch.
Should have said that 'the daily self-administered injection' is called Forteo (teriparitide).
I am favouring Prolia but terrified of the side effects. My sister is on fosamax so that would be a choice too.
The other tablet being considered is Actonel.
Hi, I have to say, be guided by your Rheumy. Of the 2, Prolia is the least hassle as it's 6-monthly. Fosamax is on the market for ages, Prolia is newer. . . I have taken Forteo injections for one year and am now on Actonel since December last and to continue for 5 years. Had no problems with either. (Remember serious side-effects are rare). Actonel is very similiar to Fosamax. How's your sister doing on Fosamax? Keep in touch.
My sister has only been on fosamax for a short while. Her t score is better than mine at -2.8 and she is older. I got mine checked soon after my 70th birthday because it is free here in Australia. With Actonel do you have the same restrictions of when and how you take it as you do with fosamax?
Probably the side effect I find the most scary is to do with the teeth and jaw. I do not see a rheumatologist only a GP but she is very good.
Hello Kathleen I take once weekly Fosamax also twice daily Calceos
No side effects from either in the last 11 weeks I also feel that my bones
are getting stronger They are not so soft to the touch now I wish you well
Ros Plymouth U K
Thank you Ros. All the best to you too.
Hi, yes, you do have exactly the same "restrictions" as with Fosamax. You could opt to take it once a month - which would be a lot easier. I take it once weekly. It can also be taken daily . . . . . Side-effect of Jaw bone problems are really rare and are mostly found in patients taking infusions of very high doses of the medication (called bisphhosphonates) as part of cancer treatment. You have to balance risks here: you are MUCH more likely (if you don't take medication) to have a debilitating fracture than you are to have jaw bone side.effect. Let your doctor reassure you. Before I started on my med. regime I was, like you, questioning her about side-effects that I'd read about. In the end, I asked her would she give these meds. to her own mother and she answered " Not onlly would I give them to her, I sould take them myself". That did it for me anyway. Nothing is risk proof really. I have quited bad OP also. Good luck, Keep in touch.
Thanks Juno. I feel better about it all than I did a week ago. I have to have a tooth extracted and a fragment dug out of a gum before I start.
i understand why dental work has to be done before starting on Alendronic Acid. What if the need arises when already taking the weekly pill?
Yes, I have this concern too, George! I will have more issues in the future for sure! It seems there is a small risk and you would have to be very unlucky to have necrosis but someone will have this problem as it happens even if seldom!
that is the problem with side effects. Their incidence is not predictable. we do not suffer 1% of a 1 in a 100 risk. If we get it , we get 100%. if we get a crumbled dead jaw that has a very heavy impact on quality of life. of course crumbled vertibrae have a very big impact on quality of life too.
I hate being made to gamble. I don't gamble on the horses, but at the clinic I have to be a very high roller indeed.
I empathise with you George but what can we do? Can we go off the meds if we have a dental issue and if our osteoporosis has improved will that mean less risk? I am in Australia.
Thank you Kathleen. I live in England.I shall ask my GP next time I see her. Also how long she recommends I stay on Alendronic Acid as there is no agreement as to the optimum time. It does seem that the risk increases with duration.
Perhaps some one else will chip in.
Hi, it's definately advised to have a full dental check before you start eg. Actonel, Fosamax and others. As far as I know, except for hormone treatments ( which are not ofen used for older patients ) Forteo and Strontium Ranelate are the only meds. which would not have any effect (very rare) on jaw bone. . . Both are used to treat severe OP, Forteo is really expensive, both have to be taken daily, - and both have the possibility of serious side-effects (again very rare) but none of these relate to jaw problems. . . Again talk to your doc., she sounds very good.
I'm not a gambler either George but life throws up these dilemmas at you. Really, I felt the only thing I could do in the end was to do extensive reading of research papers, write down my questions, talk it over with the doc., and then make a choice. Deciding to take no meds. is still a choice. Also I tell myself, I could be run over by a bus in the morning - and what good would all the worrying have done?? I suppose the bones would have been in better shape anyway!!
From speaking with my dentist, you do not have to come off these meds. when having dental work done. He said that routine dental work, cleaning, fillings etc are no problem. The problem that may exist is if you need an extraction. This may need specialised care. But then he said something about root-canal (no problem) could be done instead. I'm not exactly sure how that works . . .