BISPHOSPHONATES
Posted , 10 users are following.
I have been to my doctors for a check up this morning and she said because it looks as if i might be on long term steroids she wants me to go on Bisphosphonates, has anybody been on these please if so what do they think. I think i read somewhere that they can damage the oesophagus is this correct please.
Also what is osteoncrosis of the jaw please which i have read is a rare side effect of Bisphosphonates
I am doing well at the moment and do not want to start complications unneccessary,(walked everyday on holiday the most i did was 5 miles, pub stops in bewtween of course).
Many thanks Mags
0 likes, 11 replies
EileenH margaret22251
Posted
Bisphosphonates can cause LOSS of bone density in the jaw - paradoxically! It is more common in patients on the high doses used in cancer treatment but many patients complain about loose tooth problems and any major dental work should be done before starting to take them. Many dentists won't do any work on patients taking them.
Damage to the oesophagus was mainly associated with patients not taking the tablets properly - very strict rules about that, on an empty stomach, with a large glass of plain tap water, remaining upright for 3/4 hour before eating or drinking anything else. Anyone with a history of reflux or other gastric problems shouldn't take them. And you shouldn't take them for more than 5 years whatever happens.
margaret22251 EileenH
Posted
EileenH margaret22251
Posted
bebe82419 EileenH
Posted
Thanks Bebe
Juno-Irl-Dub bebe82419
Posted
Regards, J
bebe82419 Juno-Irl-Dub
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EileenH bebe82419
Posted
Yes there are other medications, some are given as injections and some have totally different mechanisms from the bisphosphonates so you don't get the gastric problems. Which, by the way, can lead to serious problems in the long term. In the UK though you are supposed to work your way through the list from cheapest to most expensive (not unreasonably) but as soon as one causes problems you don't mess about it.
But as Juno also says - do you REALLY need them? Have you had a dexascan? Did it shown a poor bone density - and that doesn't mean osteopenia, it means one that is heading for osteopososis. Not everyone develops osteoporosis with pred and calcium and vit D are enough for many patients. I and several others on the forums have never taken AA or anything else - and our bone density is fine.
bebe82419 EileenH
Posted
julian. margaret22251
Posted
I think Alendronic Acid may be a bisphosphonate. I suspect I'd be wondering what my bone density is
LisaCACO margaret22251
Posted
do get a bone density scan if you don't have one yet.
karren61208 margaret22251
Posted
I can speak from experience about taking tablet and injection osteoporosis drugs as well as developing an ostenecrotic spot in my jaw.
What Eileen says here in this thread is spot on. You should get a dexa scan now for a baseline and next year get another to see if there is a change that would indicate need for medication. These drugs should not be prescribed casually.
Osteonecrosis is dying bone. It causes pain. Yes it is rare in patients without cancer like me. The response I got from the medical professionals I saw was appalling. I wrote about this in recent threads here. The bottom line is it took me 4 dental doctors before I got treatment and the rheumatologist I was seeing didn't want to hear from me.
Now that I'm in this forum, I realize how naive I was about who I allowed to treat me for osteoporosis.