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Alendronic Acid effect on bone regeneration orthopaedic post op

Posted , 5 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hello all

I have been taking Alendronic Acid since March for PMR

I will likely need a  Knee Replacement and fusion of mid-tarsal joint in my foot in the next 5 & 2 yrs

I am wondering how long it takes for normal bone regenerationto to return to normal  after stopping AA. Will it affect the healing process as perhaps more brittle bones might not be a good thing here. 

I presume it would also be ok to stay on but like to check !

Have been ok on AA apart from hair loss which is now concerning me.       I am thinking to swap to the Vit D & Calcium option !

All in all a crumbly spine would be a worse option but would appreciate hearing from anyone with orthopaedic knowledge/experience out there

thanks

0 likes, 15 replies

15 Replies

  • EileenH
    EileenH Guest

    Posted

    You need to speak to a/your potential orthopaedic surgeon.

    The AA remains within your bones for at least 10 years - that's according to a study some years ago which was about 12 years after it first became widely used! So I suspect the next time they look it will be 20 years, and so on! It's only been in widespread use for less than 20 years (Fosamax was approved in 1995).

    I chose not to take AA and as it turns out it was a very good decision - my bone density has hardly changed since I have been on pred, over 7 years now, and is still well within the acceptable range. Calcium and vit D has been all I needed.

    • BettyE
      BettyE EileenH

      Posted

      I took AA for only 6 weeks before I had to stop and just went on with Calceos. Like Eileen, my bone density was fine without;  The surgeon who did my hip replacement said it was " amazing"   for my age, ( 81 at the time ). Not sure  what that means exactly but good enough, obviously. Hope your new knee is as good as my hip.

    • erika59785
      erika59785 EileenH

      Posted

      Eileen, I agree with you.  Fosamax ( I took it only for 2 weeks...luckily) did not agree with me because of the stricture I had, and I needed an Endoscopy to widen it.

      Now my Rheumy wants me to consider IV Reclast, a once a year infusion.  I will refuse, and stick to Calcium and Vitamin D.

       

    • EileenH
      EileenH erika59785

      Posted

      Erika - The appalling thing is that with a history of stricture you should never have been offered it in the first place! 
    • erika59785
      erika59785 EileenH

      Posted

      YES, but my GP and  Rheumy insisted and they really did not listen to me.

      The Gastroenterologist, who treated the stricture with an Edoscopy, told me NOT to take AA.

      I certainly will not allow the IV Reclast.  I could stop taking Fosamax, but once the chemicals are in my body, one cannot take them out.  I informed myself about the side effects, and they can be terrible.

  • ptolemy
    ptolemy Guest

    Posted

    Clare, have you had a Dexascan to check your bone density? In my opinion this should be done before offering AA to anyone. I see a GP who is mad keen I should take AA because of long term steroid use but does not think he should bother to check my bones first! 
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga ptolemy

      Posted

      I think the doctors are all like that.  I also think that in a few year's time that sort of treatment will be considered akin to malpractice.  They are just all in thrall to the drug companies and do not, themselves, seem to have time to do enough research to understand just how dangerous OP drugs can be.

    • Guest
      Guest ptolemy

      Posted

      sorry missed this, ..am due to have one in 4/52 and do agree it should have been offered sooner. I rang my Orthopod about the effects on bone regeneration...I am booked to see him in feb to find out!

      I will ask what is the benefit of AA over vit D etc, presumably a stronger bone. I want to keep an open mind but am off AA for now !

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Guest

      Posted

      Re using AA - Not a stronger bone, I'm afraid.   Maybe more "dense" but not necessarily strong and flexible.  

    • ptolemy
      ptolemy Guest

      Posted

      I feel you should only be prescribed AA if your bone density is shown to be poor. In my case it is pretty good, but the GP ignored that and just went on about me being on long term steroids therefore I should take it. I assume he is getting lots of others to take it too, who do not argue with him.
    • Guest
      Guest Anhaga

      Posted

      I can believe that...how did you find out?  So brilliant about your scan, well done you. A little curious about magnesium & vit K as assume I should get enough 'extra' in a healthy diet to cope with extra vit D&calcium?

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Guest

      Posted

      Vitamin K2 is not the same as Vitamin K1 which we all know and love as the one which helps our blood to clot and is readily available from leafy greens.  K2 is different and works to guide calcium into the bones where it belongs.  If your animal food products are form completely grass fed animals you may be getting enough K2, but when they are fed with grain, or even "finished" with grain, they can't make enough K2 to be useful to us.  We also are bad at making enough K2, although small amounts are available in some of our foods.  So a supplement is a good idea.  The supplement is made from a Japanese fermented soy product called natto.I think that someone who has to watch K1 intake because they are on bloodthinners should check with their doctor, although I don't think K2 has the same level of blood clotting ability as K1, but it may still be somthing to be careful about.

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga

      Posted

      And magnesium.  My understanding is that if we are taking extra calcium the delicate magnesium/calcium balance can go out of whack.  In which case it's a good idea to take some extra magnesium, separate from the calcium supplement to make sure it's properly absorbed.  Yes, you are right, magnesium is available in a lot of foods, the issue can arise when taking calcium supplements.

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Guest

    Posted

    Just got results for my second DXA scan, a year after the first when osteopenia was diagnosed.  This time they are no longer recommending drugs, nor a further scan for three to five years!  All because of my nutrition, supplements and exercise - no OP drugs whatsoever!  My bone density has improved in just one year, despite being on long term low dose steroids!
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