Side effects from taking Alendronic Acid

You really can't win can you

I've been taking Fosamax (it's other name), too Roz for several years now.

Have been rather alarmed by the press coverage today re. a side effect of the tablet which can cause death of jaw bone ..... great :shock:

I foolishly googled the drug and there is loads on there which makes pretty grim reading, particularly if you are having or need dental treatment. Lawsuits in America (of course !) are being taken out left, right and centre.

I think there is going to be an awful lot about it in the next few days - so Watch This Space.

Scary, as I have recently had the first part of a root canal treatment :shock:

OMG .... life is such a worry

i was diagnosed with osteoporosis and have been on alendronic for 12 months now, with no side affects but i must admit i am very concerned about the side affects of this drug. as i am on long term treatment for breast cancer which i had in 1999 and :?: this particular drug effects my bones, i do not want to stop my medication, can anyone recommend an alternative.

I am writing on behalf of my mother who is 91.

In April 08 she had a fall and broke her hip, she was in hospital for six weeks and then in a rehabiliation unit for a further six weeks. The hospital perscribed my mothter Alendronate 70mg one weekly and ADCAL-D3 chewable tablet one to be taken twice a day. Unfortunately my mother was unable to return to her flat and now lives in a Care Home. Since being in the Rehab Unit and now the Care Home my mother has not been feeling well at all, initially I thought it may have been the after affects of her fall and subsequent operation as previous to this my mum was a very fit lady and only went to the doctors every three months for blood pressure check.

My mother is a shadow of her former self and I find it so upsetting, she has told me that she has the following symptoms:-

Feels Dizzy

Suffers indigestion

Burping

Bloated Stomach

Constipation

Pain in the back between her shoulder blades.

In fact the constipation got so bad that a few weeks ago she had to be rushed into hospital, and she was diagnosed with \"overflow constipation\" which is where the stools get so hard that you get constipated and you get an overflow of softer stools coming out. Her quality of life is zero at the moment, the hospital perscribed movicol to be taken for a week and then her GP has put my mother on lactulose. Mum has had a few toilet accidents in the home which she feels so embarrased by and she cannot understand what is happening to her body as she had never had this problem before. I managed to get a list of all the medication she is on and I looked up Alendronate and then read this very interesting and helpful forum and I wondered if this tablet could be the cause or be contributing to my mother's symptoms. I wish I had know this when my mother went in to hospital (it was only for a few hours) as I would have asked the doctor about the side effects of Alendronate.

My mother's new GP is not very approachable, I had my knuckles wrapped by her and the Home Manager at the Care Home one time when I asked for the doctor to be called because my mum had swollen ankles, basically I was told that the doctor visits my mother more times than any other resident in the home and that the doctor was not there exclusively for my mother. I said to the doctor that I felt I had not option but to ask you to come and see my mother when she was clearly in some discomfort and was crying. I then asked the doctor if my mother should be put on some water tablets and she used to take them before when her legs were swollen but the doctor did not seem to like me making suggestions and said that my mother should wear support stockings which I must admit have helped but the minute the stocking comes off the legs become swollen again. I am sorry to go on but the doctor's and Home Manager's manner towards me has knocked my confidence a bit. I know I probably come across as being over protective of my mother, but due to her being partially deaf and suffering from border line dementia she sometimes finds it hard to get her point across and I have to be her voice.

Do you think it would be a good idea if my mother came off Alendronate, just to see if the tablet was causing these distressing symptoms?

Would it do her any harm if she was not taking this?

How long does it take the Alendronate to get out of your system?

If the doctor refuses to take my mother off Alendronate, what would you advise me to do?

Thank you in advance for any help or advice anyone can get me.

LK

It is interesting that you refer to kidney involvement, and I think it is quite possible that people taking bisphosphonates may not realise the dangers of Aledronic preps, and indeed could quite likely have a kidney condition without knowing it.  I am CKD Stage 3 and when my GP mentioned bone protection I was able to ask how suitable medication would be with this condition. The Fracture clinicians hand out a 'Pathway' leaflet for patients (I had a distal radius fracture of my right wrist) and this states that CKD Stages 3&4 patients be given Risedronate only, and NOT Alendronate.  I am waiting now for a DXA Scan (I'm 82) and I shall think very seriously before accepting medication if it is suggested/advised. I have quite enough pain and stress to cope with now, without adding to it if that can be avoided. I realise that circumstances are probably very different for younger people, who may be coping with families and jobs along with pain, and my thoughts go out to them.

Bone protection sheet - chesterfieldroyalnhs. Covers the uses of Adcal - D3 and the use of Alendronic Acid - and explains its pros and cons - the American ....?(forgotten name) ...foundation has every treament about femur fractures or hip replacement available on web site - hope this is helpful!