Reclast Infusions: Side-effects & Recovery time

I think there are multiple causes of arthritis (joint swelling) after reclast and a swollen knee may be due to CPPD (pseudogout) with a risk of recurrences or may be an inflammatory arthritis without the calcium crystals which is less apt to recur over time. @cccs you may have had the latter.

Hello, all, I had a Reclast infusion on Dec 18, 2024. I drank a lot of water before and after and took Tylenol and had no real known side effects. However, I quickly put on 10 pounds through the holidays. I have not been able to get this off. Would like to know who else this has happened to. I am only 5 feet tall so every 5 pounds makes a difference and 10 means there are clothes I can’t wear now. I’m so flabby now and the regular exercise I did before doesn’t seem to help. I have a specific diet I follow. Have kidney stones too so there are some foods I can no longer eat. Just wondering if others have had this issue on Reclast and if it ever resolved? Saw my oncologist yesterday and she wasn’t aware of weight gain being an issue. Thank you in advance.

I see my general practitioner tomorrow. The doctor that prescribed it said he had never heard of this kind of reaction and the ER doctor was totally in the dark. The prescribing doctor said it must be working since the inflammation was in each of the joints. This morning my right foot was so swollen that all of my toes were pointing straight up. The pain is almost to the point of being unbearable. And yes, thoughts of just ending it have gone through my head but the repercussions of that keep me from doing it. I don't want anyone to have to clean up the mess!

I had my first Reclast infusion a year ago with no side effects. However, after another bone scan it shows I actually got worse. My doctor still wants me to proceed with another infusion. Has this happened with anyone else and is it worth it to continue.

Don't do the second, the side effects can be worse!

Oh gosh. I was sick for a week after my 1st infusion. Severe!! pain in every arthritic joint; couldn’t use my hands, left leg hurt to walk so I shuffled, 102 fever for days. I have another one at the end of April and I schedule off work for the week. I can’t take ibuprofen because of kidney issues and Tylenol did nothing. I would decline the treatment except there’s research that shows zoledronic acid can protect against metastatic bone cancer.

Hi there. Thanks, @JustinMcClanahan for adding me. I have Osteoporosis and tried supplements, diet, and exercise to increase my bone density but nothing worked. I was getting worse. I also want to add that I had been active for decades so weight bearing exercises (weights, walking, elliptical, tennis) still produced a 60 year old with weak bones. Blood tests showed a healthy parathyroid and calcium and Vitamin D levels. With all of that said, I realized that Osteoporosis was a disease. A progressive disease that sometimes needed medication. I didn't want to take the drugs either but I am currently taking care of my 83 year old mother who can only walk to the bathroom due to falls and untreated OP. I spent years in skilled nursing facilities and memory care units caring for my father with Alzheimers and I've seen the lives of those with brittle bones and I just don't want to end up that way. At 62, I've had my right hip replaced, am now recovering form a right knee replacement and will get the other one replaced next year. All as a result from Osteoarthritis which is the sister of the OP. I took Forteo for a year and had no side effects but had a problem with my insurance so switched to Recast. I had the infusion last year and I followed the 3 simple rules. 1. Drink tons of water days before, day of, and day after infusion. 2. Make sure they give the infusion over a 45 minute time frame. NOT the 20 minutes they normally do. If they refuse, get it done elsewhere. 3. Take a couple of Tylenol before going to bed. I had no horrific side effects and although I have joint blame, I couldn't never say with certainty that it is a side effect from the OP drugs. But if you do nothing, lean to heavily on social media and people calling the drugs poison, you may find yourself in trouble later on. All drugs come with risks and you have to weigh the risk/benefit ratio. If you do nothing and your bone density keeps decreasing every year, you will not have a good quality of life in your elder years. I am going to fight for my quality of health and take the drugs. I do know that Reclast should only be sued for about 5 years. I also know that at some point my life, I will probably have to get on Prolia but I'm trying to use all of the other drugs first. I plan on finishing the year of Forteo and staying on Reclast as long as possible. This is certainly something you need to discuss with your doctor. If you don't trust your doctor, find another one. I do recommend seeing an RA or endocronolgist to discuss your OP because they are more knowledgeable about the treatment options for OP. But please be cautious about listening to the people calling it poison. Make your own informed decision.

I declined a second treatment until my endocrinologist can prove the Reclast infusion did not cause my aches and pains. He suggested that I see my Neurologist. My primary has ordered blood work and X-rays . Today I did the blood test and still waiting for X-rays to be scheduled. Blood work is to check for inflammation; not sure on the X-rays.