Reclast infusion

Dr recommended fosamax after my dexa scan showed worsening osteoporosis in my spine and hip. I took for 2 weeks and on second week had a reaction to the fosamax( (joint,muscle aches all over). Stopped the meds
My Dr recommended I see endocrinologist. She has recommended reclast if bloodwork is good. I am nervous about the infusion based upon my reaction to the fosamax and other comments on this site. I am concerned about lingering side effects long term. I do have some arthritis and wonder if the infusion with make it worse. Any thoughts or suggestions?

This is helpful, and it's great that you're body handles the medications so well, with no side effects.

Your situation sounds similar to mine, in that those are the two medications my doctor has recommended, and my body has reactions to fosomax. I am worried about the infusion reaction also, based on my prior reactions. I look forward to hearing about how this works for you.

Hello @pammy816 and welcome to Mayo Connect. As a person who also has osteoporosis, I understand your concern over selecting the right treatment. As you read the posts of others who have tried different medications, it is important to remember that everyone reacts differently to medication.

I also tried an oral osteoporosis medication at first and had GI problems. Previously, I took Evista, also an oral medication, with no problems at all. There really is no "one-size-fits all" when it comes to any treatment. Like us all, in this forum, we each need to try a treatment plan that will benefit the bone loss we are experiencing. If it doesn't agree with us, our medical team can always find another treatment plan.

I look forward to hearing from you again with any other questions or concerns. Will you continue to post as you work on this decision?

Thank you for replying to my concerns. I fully agree that each person can react differently to meds. I am more concerned with Reclast only because once you do the infusion you can’t undo the effects if negative on your body for a period of time, like over a year, unlike stopping a pill. My Dr. wants to do bloodwork first to determine if something else is going on before giving me the infusion. I will keep posting.

I had the same reaction to Fosamax along with heartburn and diarrhea. I also stopped after 2 doses. I switched doctors and am now on Forteo (I was on this before but my previous doctor took me off because of increased alkaline phosphotase numbers. This new doctor said that's normal with Forteo.) Not sure what I'll do after my two years because I too am worried that I'll get the same muscle aches from Reclast. I guess I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. Good luck with your decision. Keep us posted.

I am glad to hear that your doctor is doing blood work first, @pammy816. Your doctor sounds very thorough. I can understand why you hesitate to have a once-a-year infusion, those doubts run through my mind as well. Treating osteoporosis is important in order to avoid fractures and falls. So, we all have to make a decision after weighing the risks and benefits.

I look forward to your posts to see how you manage this medication decision and how it works for you.

Do you have other chronic health conditions, besides osteoporosis?

I have some arthritis but I don’t take any meds at this time, just pain relievers as needed. I had a knee and hip replacement (hip 3 yrs ago, knee 2yrs, both went well) I am 65 and in pretty good health beside these crazy joint issues that have crept up on me. I was a person who exercised regularly but have had to make some adjustments with the kind of exercise I do. That is why I desire to keep my bones strong. It is just a hard decision on osteoporosis meds. I also follow a functional bone Dr. which I really like but that can become very expensive if you choose to go that way.

That is wonderful that you had successful joint replacements, @pammy816.

How great that you like to exercise. I love to exercise as well. I agree with what you said about finding a good exercise program with osteoporosis. I found a program on YouTube by AIM Fitness that works quite well for me. These are specifically designed for folks with osteoporosis.
Here is a link to those videos,
https://www.youtube.com/@AIMFitnessActivitiesInMotion
At this point, I'm considering Prolia as it is an injection every six months, rather than a year. In the meantime, I might go back to Evista, which I took for a number of years when I only had osteopenia.

It's a difficult decision, that's for sure. Do you have another appointment to discuss treatment?

Thank you for the information on osteoporosis exercises. I will look into those. My next step is the bloodwork, checking on the parathyroid function, urine and something else. If those results show something is off, we will need to address that before Reclast infusion. I must admit, it still frightens me about the possible effects of Reclast. I just read some entries on here from individuals who have lost teeth, jaw, and other major problems. All these individuals mentioned being on Reclast. I have good oral hygiene and see my dentist regularly for exams. I just wonder what being on it will do to my gum and bone health in the long term, especially if I would need any dental work done. Prolia was never mentioned to me and neither was any of the bone building meds. I know they have their own side effects too.
This is no easy decision. I am going to take it one step at a time and do the bloodwork. It seems like you trade one problem by having the osteoporosis get worse(possible fractures,etc) against all the possible scary side effects of these drugs. I guess the other option is doing nothing.
I was put on Evista 5 years ago when I was borderline. I stopped using it because I had a few side effects but now wish I had stayed on it. I don’t know if that is still an option for me. I just didn’t understand its significance to my bone health. The bone Dr. I consulted with gave me that option based on my past breast cancer history. I went through breast cancer when I was 40. I am now 65. I had chemo, radiation and took tamoxifen for 5 years. I was estrogen positive so absolutely NO added estrogen for me.
All of that, I believe, has contributed to my osteoporosis diagnosis, ugh!!