Reclast caused me to have a broken femur!

@debraida01 this wasn’t my post. I hope you find the answer. So much to know right?

would PT help the pain in my legs?

I had 2 of the 3 infusions, and while it actually did strengthen my bones, it has severely damaged my teeth. I have not yet been diagnosed, but it is quite likely that I have necrotic bone damage. My symptoms include severe pain when chewing, broken teeth, needing to have both canine teeth removed, receding gums to the point that I can feel the root of the tooth, and terrible black abcesses on my teeth. Sadly, I do not meet the VA’s requirements to be treated at their clinic and do not have dental insurance. I will be trying to connect with a Patient’s Advocate tomorrow.

@davi73ford I'm so sorry for what you are going through Davi. I hope you get the help you need. I'm a little surprised the VA doesn't cover this.

I'm also curious about why this happens. I read that a very rare side effect of Reclast is osteonecrosis of the jaw. This might explain what is happening to you.

I hope you get some answers and that your condition improves, quickly!

Joe

Hmm - you've made me wonder. I have had Reclast a few times and have also broken my femur. The impetus for my break was when I had an OP procedure where a pain pump w/hydromorphone was implanted. I knew I was severely sensitive to all opiates, got home, promptly collapsed and broke my femur in the process. Maybe, just maybe, had I not had Reclast my femur wouldn't have been broken when I had the drug reaction. Thank you for pointing this out - I was thinking about having another Reclast infusion and you have helped me change my mind.

I am sorry this happened to you but you are so wrong in advising people to BEWARE of Reclast!! I was on Reclast for 5 years and I had absolutely no side effects. Please be careful regarding your scare tactics. Just because it happened to you, does not mean it will happen to others.

I took Fosamax when it first came out, back in the early 1990s I believe. I was told to stop because after awhile it begins to have a webbing or lace effect on the bones making them less strong rather than more strong. In August 2023 I took a hard ground level fall onto hardwood floor and fractured the very top of my femur. I had surgery and rehab and physical therapy and recovered well. I was told by surgeon who did the repair that I had osteoporosis even though my DEXA scan showed osteopenia. He slammed his hand against the x ray on the screen of his computer and said, very loudly, THAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS! I was referred back to my PCP who sent me to the osteoporosis clinic. I saw a very unpleasant physician who suggested Reclast and gave me a quick rundown on the drug. I was unable to take an oral bisphosphonate due to an unrelated problem with my esophagus. I was set up for infusion at the hospital infusion clinic three weeks later on April 24, 2025. I had the infusion with nothing in the way of side effects and was discharged. In early October of 2025 I began to have severe thigh pain in right leg. I thought I had somehow developed a tendonitis or something like that so I went to my PCP who thought I had a hip bursitis. He prescribed a burst of prednisone at my request because I was in such pain I could barely walk. The pain was unrelenting. I used a cane and was unable to drive due to the pain also. On December 7 I hobbled carefully into a local Christmas tree field and chose a tree. Only three weeks later my right femur snapped like a pretzel stick. I actually saw my thigh bend and heard the pop as the bone snapped. Unimaginable pain. The EMTs had to put me in traction to even get me into the ambulance. The next three weeks were terrible. Five days in hospital, and 21 days in rehab, but when I left rehab I was able to walk with a walker, I was so incredibly angry so I used my anger to fuel my recovery! The surgeon who was on call for the ED that evening immediately recognized the fracture after he saw the x rays and asked my son if there was any history of bisphosphonates use! My son told him about the Reclast infusion only a few months previous! I am now three months post surgery and just had the third set of follow up x rays . I have had three weeks of physical therapy in rehab, six weeks in my own home, and just began a 12 week program at a hospital facility where I have access to leg press machines, etc. My x rays show no change, thus no improvement since those taken in February. I have read that the Reclast can stay in your bones for one to two years and since it interrupts the normal replacement of bone, is actually impeding my healing. I am now 84 years old and have months of therapy and loss of mobility still ahead of me. This should never have happened to me or to any other person who was not given all the possible side effects in UPPER CASE before they were prescribed. I am taking the conservative route to bone health with therapy, lots of calcium carrying foods, lots of Vit D and weight bearing exercise. I am walking daily and increasing my step count every week. I was seen by an endocrinologist to see if thyroid or parathyroid could be causing my osteoporosis. Of course he had a drug to prescribe. One of the side effects was heart problem, atrial fibrillation.! I opted for the natural route . At my age and with a healthy heart, I was not about to risk any more "rare" side effects. Thanks for hearing me out.

@davi73ford Dont expect any dentist to treat you when you have been on any bisphosphonates. They run when they see you coming . They are afraid of litigation should your jaw necrose or DIE. I took fosamax years ago and recently needed one small tooth removed. It was not fixable so my dentist sent me to his friend who does removals. He looked at me as if I was radioactive and advised my dentist not to do any dental work on me. I was ready to try the string on the doorknob trick, but finally convinced my dentist to do it after promising him I would not sue him even if my jaw fell off! I had no problem, the tooth came out, the pain went away, and since then I have had crowns, etc with no problem. Bur RARE side effects do occur and have to be taken into consideration. Read my long description of my right remur fracture that I just posted.

@susanjane77 You might be advised to do more research on bisphosphonates and their long term side effects. You were fortunate to have good results with no side effects. However many people have experienced what are described as RARE side effects so a warning to prospective patients is a good thing. Big Pharma pushes new drugs and the public becomes the testing ground. It is all about money. My husband and I ran a private medical practice and after years of being pestered and bribed with Starbucks and dinners, stopped allowing any and all drugs sales men and women to even come into the office. They would push the newest drugs, which were usually not even covered by their insurance companies, who considered them still experimental. What does that tell you?

Hi all,
Time for a reminder about the Community Guidelines https://connect.mayoclinic.org/blog/about-connect/tab/community-guidelines/ Please review

In particular, I'd like to undeline guideline number 4:
4. Respect all members.
- Show respect for members even when you do not share their views.
- Disagreements are fine. But mutual respect is essential.
- Personal attacks against members or healthcare professionals are not acceptable. They will be removed.

All information shared by members on the Mayo Clinic Connect is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your health. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on the community.

It is common for people to discuss side effects of medications and how to manage them. Everyone is different. Some medications may not work for some people. For others they may be life saving.