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A Acid & effect on bone regeneration post orthopaedic op?

Posted , 3 users are following.

Guest
Guest

Hello

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 its ok 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, 7 replies

7 Replies

  • Anhaga
    Anhaga Guest

    Posted

    My feeling is that people who are taking OP drugs should also be doing all the natural things - all the micronutrients needed for good bone health, not just calcium and vitamin D3, through diet and where necessary supplementation.  And also making appropriate weight-bearing exercise part of daily life.  Unfortunately AA once taken remains in the body indefinitely.  One study showed that AA from a single injection was still present after ten years.  But the amount of AA present, whether from pills or injection, varies from person to person.  I doubt whether a drug holiday is going to do you any harm.  I would respectfully suggest that it could in fact be a very good thing.

    Good luck with the procedure!

    • Guest
      Guest Anhaga

      Posted

      thanks again....not planning on having an op while on steroids if I can help it..hope my hair recovers too. 
    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Guest

      Posted

      I don't think low dose steroids are supposed to be a particular problem are they?  But hopefully you won't be needing them by the time you expect to need the op.

      I was offered AA when I started on prednisone and refused.  Still waiting to find out what my second DXA scan shows, a year after the first.  Fingers crossed all good!

    • Guest
      Guest Anhaga

      Posted

      a whole year? how odd.  might be worth contacting the Consultants secretary to chase up?  just remebered you are not in UK but maybe you can still do this. goodluck & keep us posted. good to know about lower dose..at the moment am flirting with 11mgs !

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Guest

      Posted

      Oh it's just that the imaging department only sends a (useless) summary to the ordering doctor, and my doctor seems anti technology so she can't or won't access the full report on line although she could.  The imaging dept won't give me my own results, and so I had to get dr to give me a letter for the technician asking her to give me my results.  She said they weren't ready but would make sure both this year and last year full reports were sent on paper to my dr.  But my appointment is tomorrow, two months since second scan.  It's very irritating but my suspense should be alleviated tomorrow morning.  They are instituting patient access through website as we speak but will take three years for program to be completely in place.  Knowing my doctor she'll be the last one to sign on. rolleyes 

      The only result I got was last year's femoral neck, and that was an adventure in itself to find out involving much laughter between myself and the keeper of the information at the other end of the telephone she saying results couldn't be released because of patient confidentiality and me protesting, but I'm the patient!  (-2 osteopenia, a great relief to me as my doctor had misinterpreted the stupid summary to mean I had osteoporosis and I felt shattered, not to say crushed, a sensation which lasted two months until I finally got that score.  Still have no idea what spine measurement is, as rheumatologist I met at bone clinic said I "didn't need" it.  I figure I should be the judge of that, and besides I've the legal right to all my medical records and test results.

      Sorry this got so long.  I have no idea how I'll react if reports are not available to me tomorrow, but it won't be pretty!

    • Anhaga
      Anhaga Guest

      Posted

      I'll be posting this everywhere today!  My basic t-score has improved from -2 to -1.6, only with diet, supplements and exercise, no OP drugs.

  • wendy_T
    wendy_T Guest

    Posted

    I  suffer from Scleroderma, Osteoporosis, arthritis and because of broken bones they put me on AA. After taking this for a few months, the pain in both my legs not just the knees increased, I then decided to try the excercise and calcium/vitimin route , my hair had started falling out so I started taking vitimin for hair/nails/bones from H&Barrett and give up the AA..

    ?If you go on line and get all the foods that are good for calcium helps.

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