Is Alendronic acid addictive?
Posted , 5 users are following.
I'm on my 8th week of taking AA now and I'm starting to wonder if it's addictive. I take it on a Saturday morning but towards the end of the week I start feeling aggressive for no particular reason especially when I'm tired and from Wednesday to Friday. After the Saturday morning pill I'm fine again 'til the Wednesday. This has only begun over the last 2/3 weeks. I can't find anything in the literature or online concerning this side effect. I don't know whether it's real or if I've made it up. Has anyone else had any effect like this at all?
0 likes, 9 replies
Anhaga philip_53291
Posted
Just wondering if the AA is making you feel different in some way which is triggering the aggressive attitude? Maybe it's really a sign of something else, anxiety, fatigue, something like that?
Why are you on AA?
philip_53291 Anhaga
Posted
I don't know. Currently wondering whether to get my repeat prescription, realising that my next dexa isn't for nearly two years. I had low Calcium and very low Vit D in April probably due to my Coeliac diagnosis last year and I was given a -2.2 for neck femurs (T). I'm also wondering if my vitamin and mineral levels won't normalise naturally now I'm Gluten free.
Every doctor seems to have a different opinion but won't actually disagree with another's diagnosis.
I have no other problems but often seem to have serious reactions to some drugs. I avoid them as a rule and try to change my diet to cure deficiencies. I'm retired so no stress or tiredness problems.
Anhaga philip_53291
Posted
That reading of -2.2 is actually not in the range (should be -2.5 or worse) where the osteoporosis drugs are recommended. The doctors, all of them, would have done better to make sure your Vitamin D and calcium levels were healthy (which they really should be before taking bisphosphonates or the drugs won't work properly) and perhaps giving further advice re nutrition, for example Vitamin K2 supplementation, and appropriate exercise. Just for the record, I had a reading of -2 in the fall of 2015. I refused medication but did do all I could nutrition and exercise wise, and within one year had improved the reading to -1.6 and they aren't recommending drugs any more. (I'd been offered the drugs even at -2 because I have to take prednisone for another condition, but I've also been able to lower the dose so it's no longer a risk factor.)
philip_53291 Anhaga
Posted
One doctor said it was preventative as with Coeliac disease I'm always going to have a problem with uptake of certain things (my blood is tested every 6 months for 13 different things) so I'm struggling with ignoring him. My next blood test is in October so I may keep on it until then and see what my Vit D and Calcium levels are. Just hope the night rages don't get any worse. Thanks.
Anhaga philip_53291
Posted
philip_53291 Anhaga
Posted
It's a strange one. They only occur when I settle in bed at night. I had a lot of trouble with vertigo last year as a side effect of the Coeliac which was worse when I laid down but it's the fact that it only happens at the end of the AA cycle that is strange. Coeliac can cause some brain damage so . . . I don't know. I daren't go to the doctor as he'll just give me more pills.
Anhaga philip_53291
Posted
Can you get a referral to a neurologist? Possibly a naturopathic doctor and/or a dietitian could help you sort out any possible food issues and a pharmacist could advise concerning drug interactions. I'd think the last thing you'd need to deal with a side effect from AA would be another pill, but doctors are rather pill happy!
sarah60961 philip_53291
Posted
Philip, I can't answer your specific question, but my view on stuff like this is, you know your body, and if you feel in your gut that the symptoms you're having are linked with the AA, then they most likely are. As others have said, your T score probably isn't low enough to be taking it. When it comes to these drugs, I don't have much faith in doctors. In your position, I would stop taking it and not go on any replacement for the time being, until you establish whether the symptoms go away. Any chance you can bring your Dexa forward?
I've been prescribed the same drug but can't bring myself to take it. I was reading the instructions and they advised people to contact them if there was any new symptom that wasn't listed among the (many and scary) symptoms already listed.
The best of luck whatever you decide.
philip_53291 sarah60961
Posted
Thanks Sarah, most of these drugs seem to have some scary possibilities when you read all the bumf. I can't actually link AA to the rage outbursts as they seem to occur at various times now but still esp. when I lay down at night. I'm going to continue with it until my next blood tests in October and then reconsider dependant on the results. I'm finding the transition to old age quite difficult in many ways and realising it is as difficult as puberty was, going the other way so-to-speak. Of course the other possibility that springs to mind is some sort of dementia/brain problem. Don't really want to think about that just yet!