medicine to take for abdominal pain after taking bisphosphonate

Posted by melia7 @melia7, Aug 25 12:37pm

On advice of my doctors I am starting taking bisphosphonate. However, the information page mentions that 1 of 10 patients will have abdominal pain as an adverse affect. Due to my peritonitis in the past I have abdominals pains quite frequently and take butilescopolamin bromide (antispasmodic medicine) to fight them. Is it advisable to take any medicine at all to ease pain from bisphosphonate?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Osteoporosis & Bone Health Support Group.

Interesting post. I’ve been on Alendronate 70mg x1 per week for a few years and have had zero side effects. If I may inquire are you taking it with a full glass of water and not consuming anything for 30 minutes? Here is some scholarly information from NIH to consider. You didn’t say which drug is causing you distress?
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2704135/

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@melia7 What does your prescribing doctor say about taking additional medication to ease abdominal pain when you take a bisphosphonate? We are not medical professionals here on Mayo Clinic Connect and so we cannot offer medical advice. We support one another through our discussions and posts which is why I suggest this is a question for your doctor.

What advice has your doctor provided?

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to naturegirl5
Thank you for your message. Surely, I would follow your advice, but to see my rheumatologist I have to wait several months (4 at least). This is the situation in Spain, even if I have a private insurance.

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@melia7

to naturegirl5
Thank you for your message. Surely, I would follow your advice, but to see my rheumatologist I have to wait several months (4 at least). This is the situation in Spain, even if I have a private insurance.

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@melia7 Oh, dear. That makes this difficult. I can see why you asked others what they may do under similar circumstances.

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I agree with jenatsky. Drinking enough water may be the key for you. My gut is super-sensitive to everything and I can tolerate an after-meal bisphosphate, Atelvia, if I drink two glasses of water with the pill. My MD recommended extra water for me.

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@melia7

to naturegirl5
Thank you for your message. Surely, I would follow your advice, but to see my rheumatologist I have to wait several months (4 at least). This is the situation in Spain, even if I have a private insurance.

Jump to this post

Here in the States the wait to see a specialist is exactly the same. Unless you make a future appointment when leaving one, getting in to see the doctor again is impossible. That’s how it is with my rheumatologist and gastroenterologist.

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Melia7,
butilescopolamin bromide significantly reduces pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter. The way this may affect your use of a oral bisphosphonate is by increasing your chance of having esophageal reflux. The medication can also delay digestion by slowing peristalsis.
There are no interactions charted between the two medications.
Fosamax can cause peritonitis.
If Fosamax increases chronic peritonitis or causes reflux, your provider will want to know and change your medication.
I hope you have an uneventful experience with Foxamax, but there othe drugs.
keep us posted

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@gently

Melia7,
butilescopolamin bromide significantly reduces pressure in the lower esophageal sphincter. The way this may affect your use of a oral bisphosphonate is by increasing your chance of having esophageal reflux. The medication can also delay digestion by slowing peristalsis.
There are no interactions charted between the two medications.
Fosamax can cause peritonitis.
If Fosamax increases chronic peritonitis or causes reflux, your provider will want to know and change your medication.
I hope you have an uneventful experience with Foxamax, but there othe drugs.
keep us posted

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to @gently
I am grateful for your understanding! The information that you provided is very valuable for me,
and the doctor has not asked anything about the state of my stomach or intestine. Intestine spasms due to peritonitis in past can lead to the intestine blockage ( and emergency operation). I am going now to ask the doctor for another medicine, hope this time he will be more attentive.
best luck to you too in fighting OP!

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melia 7,
the current understanding here is that it is best to start treatment for osteoporosis with a drug that builds bone. You might consider teriparatide Teva's Tetridar. You could look at the literature on teriparatide before requesting the drug from your endocrinologist.
Another advantage would be with implants. Oral surgeons here are reluctant to implant while on Fosamax or other bisphosphonates because they collect old bone instead of rebuilding bone and that older bone is avascular.
Your jawbone will integrate more readily with the implant with Tetridar.
If my post is unclear or lend you a curiosity., I'm happy to respond.
Ah, Spain.

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