Eye inflammation side effect

[Sheep_lover]

I’ve been on Residronate for 3 years and have been diagnosed with UVEITIS - inflammation of the eye.

It can apparently be a side effect of bisphosphonates and I wondered if anyone else had experienced this side effect?

[powerwalk]

Im just seeing your post now. I had a biphosphonate infusion 6 months ago and have had very sore eyes since. Red eyelids bloodshot, irritated. I would presume on the same lines as you describe. Every day hoping it will be better. I had gone to gp and got drops but it seems to be an ongoing thing. The meds just look at me like im mad when i say these things are from the infusion. (I also had other very severe side effects). Never again.

[Sheep_lover in reply to powerwalk]

Thankyou so much for your reply. Sorry to hear about the side effect you’ve experienced. I hope your eyes improve very soon. I’ve been to the hospital for mine and it was affecting my vision. I’ve been put on steroid drops for about 8 weeks. I’ve stopped taking the Risedronate and I’m hoping to be offered an alternative. I think sometimes an opticians is a good place to try for advice - I was advised by my GP to go to the minor eye care clinic at the opticians. I think certain opticians offer the service perhaps? I had been to the hospital by that time, but I think that seems to be the best place now - maybe depends on which area you live in though and how it’s all managed. It never seems straightforward these days.

[powerwalk in reply to Sheep_lover]

I know, its exhausting trying to sort things. Just be careful they dont try tell you the infusion doesn't have the same side effects, it does. Hope your eyes settle.

[Green_girl in reply to powerwalk]

Interesting.....I had severe side effects from an infusion of Zoledronate too. Didn't get the eye issues though, thankfully. I ended up having a gastroscopy which showed that I still, 6 months after the infusion, had a patchy stomach lining and mild gastritis (so after the infusion I was right to think the stomach lining had been removed - and the gastritis was truly awful). I had reported to the clinician doing the test that I was 100% certain that the bisphosphonate had done the damage....but in the report he commented simply that ' something had irritated the stomach lining'!! They don't want to admit that a drug causes an issue....so the Yellow Card Scheme is our only redress....but trying to fill this in online is a nightmare, as you have to do a report separately for each side effect - and give an end date for each symptom (I had about 7...). This was impossible for me, as some of the side effects seem to be permanent!

[powerwalk in reply to Green_girl]

Greensleeves, yes i totally get it. If you have a minute click on my name and it should bring you to my post that i did on the Pmr site. Its been truly awful and ongoing. I did report it online, im in Ireland. Doesnt make it go away unfortunately. Where to go from here is now the issue too. I was told a couple of days of maybe flu like symptoms!! I hope things improve for you and we can move forward. Interestingly, i have been having stomach pain also since the infusion. Its just beyond mad.

[Green_girl in reply to powerwalk]

Powerwalk, at least my Rheumy did warn me that side effects could last for a 'couple of weeks'...but of course that also meant that I couldn't complain about the horrendous side effects until after those few weeks had elapsed, by which time I was in terrible pain from muscles and stomach! Clinicians have no answer anyway - and here in England you are shoved back onto your poor GP to try to take things forward. As they are generalists and often know nothing about osteoporosis treatments (I had to give mine a quick run-down....good job I had done my research!) you are again at the mercy of their interest in your issue. Thankfully mine was, but apart from the diagnostic Gastroscopy, was unable to help me, as I am so intolerant of many chemical drugs.....

[powerwalk in reply to Green_girl]

Oh, my Rheumy who booked it retired. It would be funny if it wasnt so tragic. New rheumy was like a waste of space!! I know you spend your time trying to educate some of them. Well most of them in my case, its very stressful. I do know there are good medics out there, maybe im just unlucky. Good luck to us all! I sound weary, apologies, i am! Heres to better days!!

[Green_girl in reply to powerwalk]

Absolutely.....better days. Seems we need to have medical/pharmaceutical/nutritionist degrees in order to be ill and recover successfully.

Keep up a good diet and try to do whatever weight bearing exercise you can do for those bones. Interestingly stress is very bad for bone health, which means that our doctors must often be contributing to our health issues!! You couldn't make it up......

[Calmlake in reply to Green_girl]

I have now been told that the first zoledrolic acid infusion i had could have caused the ibs flare up i have been having. I now have to manage the symptoms until it wears off. It will just take time.

[Sheep_lover]

thankyou for the good advice