I always suspected that biphosphonate drugs like Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva, which are prescribed to women who show signs of osteoporosis, or bone-thinning, fell under the “too good to be true” category.
Though this class of drugs has been used for more than thirty years, I first heard about Fosamax a few years ago when a friend of mine, who showed signs of osteoporosis while in her early 40s, said that the drug not only stopped her bone loss but also improved bone density after taking it for only two years. Naturally when my dexa scan showed osteopinia - a pre-osteoporosis condition- I readily accepted my physician’s recommendation to begin a treatment of Fosamax, which is the most widely used drug treatment for osteoporosis.
However, within just the last few weeks, there have been three published studies that raise concerns about this class of drugs. One, from the University of Washington, concluded that women who have used Fosamax are nearly twice as likely to develop the most common kind of chronically irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) than are those who have never used it. You can read the press release about the research findings here.
A second research team at the University of Southern California School of Dentistry has concluded that biphosphonate drugs are causing a jaw tissue infection – called osteonecrosis – in some patients. The researchers say that microbial biofilms, a mix of bacteria and sticky extracellular material, are the culprit. You can read about this research here.
In a third study, Canadian researchers at The University of British Columbia and Vancouver Coastal Health Research Institute concluded that use of biphosphonates nearly triples the risk of developing bone necrosis, a condition that can lead to “incapacitating pain.” The study was based on the health records of 88,000 Quebec residents from 1996-2003 and researchers say it is the largest study examining the relationship between bone necrosis and bisphonates. You can read about this study here.
The FDA did issue an alert about bisphosphonates that highlighted “the possibility of severe and sometimes incapacitating bone, joint and/or muscle pain” in patients taking the drugs.
If you’ve been diagnosed with osteopinia or osteoporosis, and you’re concerned about taking this type of drug, be sure to read Dr. Pat Yarberry Allen’s column, “10 ways to improve bone health without drugs” found on the Women’s Voices for Change website.
{ 1 trackback }
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
There is also the side effect of GI disturbances. Many women who take the medication for their bones also end up taking medication for GERD. If it is an elderly woman it becomes a chicken and egg situation for doctors.
Fosomax has a half life, I have been told, of 10 years. When the drug first came out it was given to women in their 70’s. But giving it to women in their 40’s or 50’s with a life expectencey of more than 10 years???
I developed atrial fibrillation from Actonal. And my muscles hurt so much I couldn’t get out of bed.
Clare Flocco
I’ve been on Actonel for at least 10 years for ostopenia and since Nov. ‘09 my neck has been aching and sore everyday. Also my thumb joints are sore, weak and click. I’m 65 but these symptoms all started to appear about the same time. I’m quitting actonel now.
10 years seems like a long time to be on Actonel – especially for osteopenia. Have you had a new scan to see how your bone density compares with your baseline pictures? I suggest you discuss this with your physician.
Dangerous reaction to Actonel: I was on Fosamax, and was moved to Actonel, which seemed to work fine, until 5 months ago. I am a high BP patient, and take BP meds like Benacar and Metoprolol to lower my BP. However, for the last 5 months, every time I took Actonel, within 24 hours, my BP dropped significantly, I felt dizzy, stomache and heartburn. I had to take electrolyte water all day to get my BP back up. I gave these symptoms to my physicians and they did not think this could be a cause, so I started to monitor the patterns.
However, this last time when I took Actonel, within 24 hours I started feeling the same symptoms- only this time, I fell on the floor, and fortunately my family was around. They pulled me up, and I had passed out and was taking very short of breath and could barely breathe- they called 911, and gave me water and tried to pull me out of this condition. After the 911 crew arrived, they checked the vitals, and my BP, which had dropped very very low. I was sweating, dizzy, and had heartburn.
I do believe that there is some reaction to this medication, which could have been fatal if my family was not around at the time.
Kasturi – Thank you for sharing your story. I hope you will report your experience to the FDA . You can do that by phone or email. Here is the URL to the website where you can obtain the contact information. http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm
It was wise of you to monitor your reactions to Actonel. Your experience offers two good lessons for all of us. First – pay attention to how our bodies’ respond to prescription drugs as well as supplements. If you are noticing a serious problem and your doctor dismisses your cause & effect hypothesis, you’ll know to seek another opinion. Secondly, do not take prescription medicine lightly, even if it’s widely used. Many physicians don’t think twice about writing a prescription and in the case of osteoporosis, this class of drugs (phosphonates) is often prescribed for borderline cases of Osteopinia.
Leave a Comment