Reclast Infusions: Side-effects & Recovery time

Hi @lindawinn, and welcome to Connect. You'll notice that I moved your message to this existing discussion about zoledronic acid (brand names Reclast or Zometa). I did this so you can connect with other members who have experience with this treatment. Simply click VIEW & REPLY to scroll through past posts.

Linda, are you taking Reclast for the treatment of osteoporosis? I encourage you to read the information by Mayo Clinic starting here:
– Osteoporosis https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351968
– How to keep your bones strong https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/osteoporosis/in-depth/how-to-keep-your-bones-strong/art-20304596

Be sure to also see the related links at the end of the each article.

Like @artscaping there are many members here on Connect who are living well with osteoporosis. Have you returned to your doctor since the infusion in June to tell him/her about your side effects? There are other options. Have any been discussed?

Yes I have osteoporosis! My number dropped drastically in 1 yr from a Crohns flare then started Remicade! I have spoken to the Dr about all my symptoms Jaw,ears,teeth sensitivity, tingling in extremities and the Dr dismissed them! My ANA came back elevated so now have to see a Rheumatologist. So very frustrating! Any feed back would be greatly appreciated

Thank you for your response Chris! I won’t be taken anymore meds! This one was enough for me! I just hope they don’t last a lifetime! I’m happy you found a med that is working for you! I wish you the best!
Thank you again

I had significant generalized pain, but when I now get Zometa I take Claritin few days before, day of and few days after. MUCH less discomfort. When I was on Darzalex I had similar pain. Took Claritin daily for the year. Without that help I wouldn't have been able to continue that protocol. Good luck with whatever it takes for you to find effective treatment. We are all so different. Will you let us know how you recover from this? Nancy

Hi Nancy! I will try the Claritin Thk u for sharing! I appreciate it! I’m happy you found some relief! I’ll keep you posted!

Hello! I see it’s been going on 5yrs since you had a Reclast infusion. Can you tell me if you still have any side effects?

It made my bones in my neck worse and I had 3 discs replaced and am still seeing doctors. I will never have another one. There are other ways to strengthen your bones. Look on line there is a product out that guarantees it and there’s a book out about changing your eating habits. I would try these.

I’m on your team! I had injections. I was down for the count and very ill. I am athletic and in shape and eat well.
I woke up one morning and could not put weight on mt right leg. My Orthopedic Doctor in sports medicine found an impact fracture - suspect Osteoclasts! Bravo to you fir speaking up and doing the right thing.

I had an injection last week , now having bad pain in shoulder ( had reverse shoulder replacement 1 1/2 years ago)

You HAVE to do some research before you sign up for these "bone-building" drugs. My DEXA scan came back -5.7 and I was fracturing. My doctor told me I had to get Prolia or Reclast. I did a bunch of research, and learned that these drugs don't really work and the possible side effects are horrendous (osteonecrosis anyone?). I talked to women who had taken these injections and had problems and decided not to take them. They "work" by not allowing your body to get rid of the old, dead bone. It just allows the old bone to hang out, making your bones looks bigger and stronger. But the minute you go off the drug, your body eliminates the old bone in urine and you are worse off than when you started. I decided I would address this nutritionally. I'm taking calcium to supplement what I cannot eat each day, magnesium, boron, vitamin D3 (at least 4,000 IU daily), and vitamin K2 (mk4 mk7). I also take a good vitamin C (NOT ascorbic acid but from berries and rose hips), a good food-based multivitamin, Omega 3, DHA, vitamin B complex, and probiotics. To be fair, I also went off sugar completely. Sugar is death to bones. Sugar causes inflammation and inflammation causes disease - but this is a topic for another day. ALSO, because I was fracturing and there is no family history of breast or ovarian cancer in my family, I started using a very low dose of estrogen and progesterone. I've done the hormones only for one year; whereas I have done the no sugar and better nutrition for more than two years (I've been off sugar five years). I'm going to have a new DEXA scan in a couple months - April or May. I did stop fracturing. I am in a support group on Facebook called Osteoporosis Natural Remedies - it's a very active group and people really know what they are talking about on that group. We have at least one nutritionist that posts all the time. The people in that group have posted fantastic results. I also walk uphill a lot (I live on a hill and I'm an avid gardener). I want to say one more thing before I go - boron is a great trace mineral if you suffer from rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis or fibromyalgia. I take 3 mg two or three times a day with calcium. I have NO more pain in my body caused by arthritis or fibromyalgia. I have told a lot of people about this, and they have also gotten great results. The upper limit dose for boron is 20 mg, so even if you take three a day, you are well below the upper limit. Also, a note on taking magnesium and calcium. Your body can only absorb 500-600 mg TOTAL of magnesium and calcium every four hours. Check your supplement, and take it morning, noon and night if you have to. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. I have made this my primary focus of study for the past three years - and nutrition in general for the past five years. I am reading MD and Ph.D. level books on nutrition. But of course, you need to check with your doctor before you make any changes. Also, I belong to ConsumerLab, which is a consumer watchdog group for supplements. They test supplements to be sure they are what they say they are, they are pure, and they are strength they say they are and will open in the body (some vitamins do not open in the body - they pass right through the body). Another site on Mayo let me post the website: It is http://www.ConsumerLab.com. You can find MANY medical journal articles there on many topics. That's how I found out there was some lead in the calcium I was going to buy - a VERY popular brand of calcium that most people would think would be super clean. BTW: Nutritionists say the best calcium is from shells (oyster, etc.) and sterilized egg shells. Some forms of calcium cannot be absorbed by the body, There is so much to learn. For what it's worth, I saw six endocrinologists and countless other doctors, and with the exception of my OB/GYN who prescribed the estrogen/progesterone, none of these doctors knew one thing to do except to take the bisphosphonate drugs and similar (Reclast, Prolia, etc.). I'm just saying, please do some serious research before you take these drugs - I believe there is a better way. There is not much out there about Vitamin K2 (mk4 mk7), but check out a document called The Ultimate Resource Guide to Vitamin K2 by Chris Masterjohn. You can do a search to it and it will come up. K2 makes sure the calcium goes to your bones, not to your arteries or kidneys. It's almost impossible to get enough vitamin K2 (mk4 mk7) from food unless you are willing to eat Natto. I wish all of us good luck on this journey.