← Return to Bisphosphonates or Not? Both No Win

Discussion

Bisphosphonates or Not? Both No Win

Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Jan 30, 2022 | Replies (92)
Comment receiving replies
@contentandwell

Hi, @sunnyflower. Welcome to the osteoporosis discussions.

I too am in a quandary about the drugs. I fully expected to start one this fall but I suddenly realized that I have rare side-effects to many drugs that have been prescribed for me, one that I just realized this week was causing me a problem. I knew I had a problem but I never considered that it could be from what I now suspect it is from. I actually rarely read side-effects thoroughly because I don’t want to be influenced into thinking that I have a side-effect if I really don’t.

I have an appointment with my endocrinologist in November, a DEXA in October. I hope she will be able to give me some good guidance on how to handle my osteoporosis without drugs. I‘ve heard of people who chose to go drug-free who were then dropped by their doctor, I guess in a “do as I say, or go away” attitude. It is scary to go drug free, I know I am at great risk of fracturing due to having to take prednisone.
JK

Jump to this post

Replies to "Hi, @sunnyflower. Welcome to the osteoporosis discussions. I too am in a quandary about the drugs...."
sunnyflower | @sunnyflower | Sep 16, 2020

Hello JK, thx for replying. You are the first and I am surprised because I received possibly 40 to 50 emails a day from the Neurology Group. They may be larger than this group?

You sound like me in that you have had some side effects from prior medication. I do not know if they were serious side effects or not? For example, my demodifying anti Rheumatic drug (DMARD) harmed my kidneys, prednisone cause my osteoporosis, cataracts and adrenal gland disease, 20 years of Plaquenil use cause some tissue death in my retina and the list goes on.

With the bisphosphonates, not so serious side effects could still be debilitating such as bone/joint and muscle pain, flu-like symptoms, fatigue weakness excetera. All of which I already have and live with so if it were worse I don't see I could get out of bed at all were I to have those.

Also, they can go the duration of the medication, which depending on which drug, can be 3, 6 or 12 months and then I believe you must start again.

It is a very hard decision because the Sirius and not serious side effects which again are supposed to be rare , except for the flu like symptoms for maybe the first 3 days or so and then resolved.

You don't mention if you have broken any bones have had a prior bone density study or your age.

Please keep us up-to-date on what's going on with you and know that I will be praying for you and your situation. It's really, really tough isn't it?

I still don't know what to do and my husband and I have been talking about over extensively. I have the sweetest most kind and patient endocrinologist on the planet so I am exceedingly blessed and deeply grateful! I wish the same for you. She has provided me the latest up-to-date most reliable studies and clinical trials on bisphosphonates but now that I read through them with my husband I wish I wouldn't have. I just don't know, there are such long list of possible unwanted or serious side effects on any drug you can take, even a Tylenol.

Take good care of yourself and I wish for you peace for your soul. Many blessings, Sunny flower
PS: if you have any kind of poor kidney function, that will eliminate you from at least one of the the options.

VIEW AND REPLY