Survey. Please help

[AlanWare]

Hello everyone. I am asking members who have had oesophageal cancer, if they had ever taken Alendronic acid tablets. I am asking in order to find out if there is a connection. I would appreciate your time. If there is a link, it may help to prevent others suffering as we have.

[Kate1503]

Hi Alan, I've asked my husband and says that he's never taken any antacid tabs or liquid of any make. Post op, he now occasionally takes Gaviscon but that's all.

Regards, Kate

[Kate1503]

Sorry Alan - didn't read your question properly!! Alendronic acid tabs are not antacids as I thought - but the answer is still no. He has never had these either.

[hunsdon]

Hi Alan I am 6 years post op and no never taken antacid tablets but thanks x

[Mazken]

NO

[Sue125nd]

No

[Stringbean53]

Hi, I was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer in April 2013. I received chemo, radiotherapy and Ivor Lewis oesophagectomy. I have never taken Alendronic acid. In fact Prior to the diagnosis I never took any regular medication, apart from a daily vitamin tablet.

Good luck with the survey. It is good to know that research into this condition is occurring.

[Hidden]

No. Are these the ones given for osteoporosis ? Would be interested to know as a friend was given what I think this is and had terrible stomach discomfort. She had an endoscopy and had to discontinue this medicine.

[Aussiepete]

No. Have not taken these tables but do regularly take Omaprezole and Gaviscon.

[Joseph84]

I have never taken them, but I was prescribed them when I was diagnosed with osteoporosis when I read the directions I went straight back to my GP and told him I wouldn't take them.

[DavidP]

No never taken taken it

David

[Danko]

Hi Alan. No I have never taken them.

[lux46]

Hi Alan 2yrs post op have not taken Alendronic acid tablets just Gaviscon at times.

Regards, John

[Rayslife]

I have never taken these Alan.

[rasor]

hi

i have never heard of these tablets ,i presume they are used for bile reflux ,i take ranitidine ,please keep me posted

[Joseph84 in reply to rasor]

No they are for the treatment of osteoporosis brittle bone.

[Lab1]

No I have never taken them either had my op 2013.

[Spikey]

No, I have never taken these.

[Hidden]

No, I've never taken them.

[Steelestrong]

Hi Alanware. My husband never took that.

[Hidden]

The only thing know about alendronic acid is that it is sometimes prescribed in relation to osteoporosis, but it is not generally recommended if you have achalasia because it would stay too long in the oesophagus.

I suppose it might be an issue if somebody is on a PPI medication for a long time, and then has a concern about osteoporosis because the stomach acid (which the PPI switches off) helps the bones to absorb calcium.

I have not heard of a connection between alendronic acid and cancer (which is not significant either way), but I am wondering if it might somehow be mixed up with persistent reflux (which does have a connection), long term use of PPI medication to counter the reflux, and perhaps some use of alendronic acid to combat the potential effect towards osteoporosis? But this really is completely unqualified speculation on my part and it would need an expert to give any kind of opinion that you should take any notice of.

[Mauser1905 in reply to Hidden]

Alan, your points are striking exact wavelength on my view of the long term use of PPI's.. e.g. a person might be just borderline to particular underlying/potential illness/s in this case say Osteoporosis; the use of PPI's on long term might have pushed the patient past the boundary. This could happen for people with variety of illnesses when multiple variables are taken into consideration such as age, sex, ethnicity, lifestyle and choices, diet. My speculation.

[catlover50]

Yes I was prescribed colcalciferol with alendronic acid probably 5 or 6 years ago but after being diagnosed with Achalasia I was taken off the tablets and have had annual infusions of zolendronic acid although I think I am now on a rest period having had 3 infusions.

[Enryb]

Hi Alan I am 8 months post op Ivor Lewis no I take losec only

Good luck Bill

[JML62]

Hi Alan, I am 6 years post op and have never taken Alendronic acid tablets.

[Hidden]

no sorry not had these

[gutlesswonder]

Alendronic acid or alendronate sodium, sold under the trade name Fosamax among others, is a bisphosphonate.

Yes Alan I was prescribed this powerful drug following a dumping/hypo induced seizure during which I fractured two vertebrae.

As part of the ensuing investigation whilst in hospital for six weeks (with log-rolling immobilization) a DEXA (specialised xray) scan revealed that I had a normalized bone density loss in the standardised thigh bone of 27%.

This was in 1998 some seven years after my IL oesophagectomy.

At this distance I do not recall much else except that I panicked at the possible side effects and ceased the treatment.

Whilst I have not so far suffered another fracture ( I do take enormous care avoiding going hypo and managing that when I slip up) my Kephosis ( curvature of the spine) continues to increase and I guess it is high time I made the effort to update my DEXA score.

I take the recommended daily dose of calcium and vitamin D and carry out load bearing exercise as much as possible.

Not many people appreciate that our entire skeletons are continuously recycled. There are two classes of cell responsible for this - osteoclasts consume old bone ( clasts clean) whilst osteoblasts follow on behind rebuilding new bone (blasts build). The dynamics of the two processes varies in response to myriad factors and proceeds at different rates in different parts of the skeleton.

Bisphosphonates inhibit the action of the osteoclasts, the theory being that less removal improves the strength of the bone however a recent re-think is tending towards a conclusion that, long-term, old bone is bound to be weaker than fresh, new bone. The jury is still out. There are differences between men and women due to hormonal influences.

Intriguingly I am a confounding patient in that I have never taken a PPI or other suppressant. So was the reduction in gastric tissue and the vagotomy sufficient to attribute that level of depletion to acid/calcium malfunction in a mere seven years. Or had that depletion occurred during the long, pre-diagnosis period of tumor genesis due perhaps to the action of TNF?

Suffice it to say that bisphosphonates enter the bone matrix where they remain almost forever (half-life of 15 years) so once taken that's it. Unless and until there is definitive evidence of lack of harm that is not a risk I am prepared to run!

[Buzzboy]

No - never taken these....