Alendronic Acid and side effects - useful reading

Hi Angie.

Get a blood test and ask for a bone profile and calcium levels.

I get mine checked about every 6 months.

Brado

59 female. Following 2 fractures in my feet, over a 3-year period, a DEXA scan showed that I had osteopaenia in my hips and spine. Started a 5-year course of alendronic acid 4 weeks ago, so have only taken it four times. Felt a little apprehensive after reading all the warnings, and forum comments, but decided to go ahead. I don't want more fractures and if taking this drug means I can avoid them, then I will take it. Happy to report that I've had no problems! I know its early days and I'll keep you posted.

I am a 48 year old female who had an early menopause. had a dexa scan and got told that I had osteoporosis of the spine and osteoporina of the hips. put on Alendronic acid 70mg. I have had 2 tablets and felt ill. First week, I had nausea and felling flu like so took a day off work. This week, on day with pill, nausea/flu like all morning. Day 2 nausea and ribs so sore it hurt to breathe at times. Day 3, no nausea but back ache. Today, jaw aches at the joint. I have phone apt with GP on Fri but want to stop taking them. I ought to do weight bearing exercise but cannot due to le injury after being hit by a bus last year. Any suggestions appreciated!

Just trying again:

Does anyone know of any ‘jaw bone scan’ that can be done to check bone density in jaw bone, after using Alendronic Acid for many years? Thanks a lot if you do and can advise…

I have a GP appt next week and want to discuss this with her, as although I’ve decided to come off AA, after reading up on it a lot and being shocked by side effects, I have been having many dental problems in the last couple of years, and am a bit concerned about the possible health of my jaw bone.

My dentist knows nothing about a scan for the density / quality. Only about ordinary X-rays that will just show the height of the jaw bone (which shrinks down with age, naturally.

Thanks all.

Hi Paws,

You can ask your doctor to arrange a bone density scan if you are concerned.

Also request a full blood test including a bone profile and calcium level.

I have had the scan, which confirmed osteoporosis.

I also ask the surgery for a blood test about once a month.

Then ask your doctor to explain your results and request a print out of the "Pathology Confidential Report"

for your records.

I was prescribed omeprazole, but found that Acidophilus from a herbalist, works just as well within

10-15 min. of taking a capsule.

You can often find a piece of crystallized ginger will stop mild indigestion.

Hope this helps!

Hi Brado

Thanks for advice.

I've had several full bone density scans thanks (and blood tests), but they don't cover the jaw area, just the usual back and hip.

The jaw scan is a different issue, as this is a concern that stems from using AA for many years, as a result of the main body scans saying I was low in bone calcium.

I looked up Omeprazole and see it's an antacid, but thankfully I haven't experience acid problems in my digestive area.

All the best to you, as I assume you are using AA.

Hi Paws,

No, I gave up using AA about a year ago.

I would have thought that one might need a separate density scan for different parts of he body.

I still continue with Calcium+D3 tablets and my calcium levels are always mid range.

Have you asked for another doctors opinion?

I often make an appointment to see a doctor that I know or hope, will have the greater experience of my particular problem. I have a choice of 8.

The one I use for all my back and joint problems, worked for a few years in a local orthopaedic hospital, before becoming a GP.

Best wishes

I have been taking Alendronic Acid for about 6 1/2 years following a fractured femur.I suspect I may suffer from some side-effects, but it is not blatantly obvious. I certainly tend to be very 'loose' as a rule and often suffer from bloating. i also get aches in bones and joints. however, this could well be down to my age (63 in March). I am convinced, however, that I am suffering more from heartburn / indigestion / acid reflux. This currently is very unpleasant. I do wonder if this may have been caused by the tablets impacting upon my stomach lining over a long period of time. THIS IS PURE SUPPOSITION ON MY PART AND I HAVE NO EVIDENCE AS YET TO SUPPORT IT. It is an issue I intend to discuss with my doctor soon. of course, taking statins for about six months as well just complicates the issue. Is it the Acid, the statins or getting older? I was diagnosed as osteoporotic and osteopenic. My last DXA scan was about 14 months ago where I was recorded as osteopenic in all measured areas with some noticeable improvement. I am also concerned about long-term use of the drug. Some documents I have read, recommend 10 year usage. These things are often a matter of playing the percentages and the balance of probability (I don't like taking statins but the possible side-effects of taking them are not as severe as the possible side-effects of not taking them!). One issue i did raise with my doctor, and sge was very honest and told me she didn't know as there was no research available, is how long should one stop taking them before invasive dental surgery is safe. If there is a need for an extraction of a tooth, for example, whilst taking Alendronic Acid, then there is the risk of osteonecrosis of the jaw. If, as has been indicated, the drug can remain in your system for years, does that have a severe impact upon dental safety?

Is there any way of editing posts? I seem to have missed a lot of capitals off the start of sentences. Afraid my keyboard is getting on a bit and I suspect the membrane isn't as responsive as it should be!

Back in July 2012, near the beginning of this thread, I wrote that I had come off alendronic acid after eight years of being on it. I had been experiencing painful aches in my thighs and a lot of heartburn but after telling my doctor I wanted to come off it and her relucantly agreeing I have to say that the aches in my thighs have gone and I have hardly had to use the Omeprazole that I was taking, although I do get bouts of heartburn it's still not as bad as it was.

One interesting thing that I found out last week was when I received the results of a CT scan that I had done for something entirely unrelated to osteoporosis. The scan was normal but what they found was that at some time I had sustained a compressed fracture of the L4 vertebrae! I can only put this down to a fall I had in 2010 when I slipped on the stairs and fell upright onto my bottom. It was extremely painful for weeks. As I was still taking the alendronic acid at this time it just shows that there is no absolute protection against broken bones if you fall hard enough.

I still take Adcal D3 and I had been taking it with my breakfast but I think the leaflet that came with the tablets may have been changed because it was pointed out to me by someone who had recently started taking it that the leaflet says that you should not take Adcal D3 with whole cerials because, although it doesn't say on the leaflet, certain foods may prevent the body absorbing calcium . What the whole paragraph actually says is:"this medicine should not be taken within 2 hours of eating foods rich in oxalic acid (e.g. spinach and rhubarb) phosphate (e.g. bananas) or phytic acid (e.g. whole cerials)". Now, I had been taking my Adcal with my breakfast which consisted of toast, bran flakes and yoghurt. Bran flakes are whole cerials, as are Shredded Wheat, Muesli, porridge, Weetabix and wholemeal bread among lots of other things. How many people were like me and were or are unknowingly taking their Adcal with their breakfast which probably means that it's been a total waste of time? As if that's not bad enough, although it doesn't say it on the leaflet but appears on an osteoporosis website, calcium must be taken with a fat containing meal as it needs fat for the body to absorb it. The leaflet says that the tablet should ideally be taken in the morning and in the evening so this obviously means mid-morning so it's between breakfast and lunchtime, as long as you don't eat anything containing whole cerials. Even taking antacids for indigestion or antibiotics as well as other medicines you have to leave four hours between or if taking alendronic acid you have to leave three hours in between which makes it even harder to find a time to take it to ensure it will do what it's supposed to do. I sometimes wonder if it's worth all the hassle and that instead of popping pills we should try and get our calcium and vitamin d from food instead.

I take calcium tablets from Boots which also contain vitamin D and K. I must confess to not taking them regularly, more a case of when I remember. I will just take a couple when I think about it. I do try and get calcium naturally and tend to eat quite healthily. One can have too much calcium of course. A number of people refer to Adcal D3. I must confess to never having heard of it. For some reason I have suddenly re-discovered a taste for milk, so hopefully, that will be beneficial.

Hi Meg.

I've heard recently that it is now recommended that AA is only taken for 5 years.

I first read this on a patient's post on this site, and my GP told me that this recommendation has only very recently been sent out to GPs.. Apparently they now believe that all the good that can be done in taking AA, ie apparently 'hardening' the bone... is done in the first five years. After that, presumably it's mainly only unpleasant side effects that you stand to gain!

My mum is about the same age as yours and has been on AA for at least 10 years, probably longer! After I decided to come off and discovered the new '5 year' rule, I have been trying to get her to come off it, or at least discuss this with her GP.. In the last couple of years, she has had increasing amounts of digestive and other niggling recurring health issues, including general malaise, whereas she is generally very energetic and spritely for her age...

It may not be due to AA, but if the AA is doing no more good, but likely to be doing harm, especially in older people who are more frail, I really want her to come off it! I'm assuming the GP won't contact a patient to let them know they should stop a medication, in the case of this one.

Sorry, Meg's comment was on a different AA thread! I will re[post on the other conversation, but the comment it may still be helpful here,of course...

The site seems to move me to another thread, once I've followed the email alert, after I've been asked to sign in!

Hi Meg.

I've heard recently that it is now recommended that AA is only taken for 5 years.

I first read this on a patient's post on this site, and my GP told me that this recommendation has only very recently been sent out to GPs.. Apparently they now believe that all the good that can be done in taking AA, ie apparently 'hardening' the bone... is done in the first five years. After that, presumably it's mainly only unpleasant side effects that you stand to gain!

My mum is about the same age as yours (slightly older) and has been on AA for at least 10 years, probably longer! After I decided to come off and discovered the new '5 year' rule, I have been trying to get her to come off it, or at least discuss this with her GP.. In the last couple of years, she has had increasing amounts of digestive and other niggling recurring health issues, including general malaise, whereas she is generally very energetic and spritely for her age...

It may not be due to AA, but if the AA is doing no more good, but likely to be doing harm, especially in older people who are more frail, I really want her to come off it! I'm assuming the GP won't contact a patient to let them know they should stop a medication, in the case of this one.

I have just moved from liverpool to south wales. I have been on alendronic acid for4

years when my doctor said they were taking me of them. When I registered with my

new doctor in wales he said when in wales you are on the tablets for life. Who is right.?

???