Dangers of alendronate.

[DeliaGray]

I have been on Alendronate for 3 1/2 years.for a diagnosis of GCA and PMR made in 2014. I started then on 80 mg pred. per day. Now I am getting esophageal pain and have asked my Dr. to remove me from the alendronate.. When I look at the warnings on the product, esophageal cancer is named. My Dr. wants me to take a month off and then begin again. I am now only on 2 mg of pred a day and wish to stop this horrible medicine permanently. I would rather have a broken bone than cancer. I would appreciate feedback on this please. Thank you Delia

[SheffieldJane]

The maximum time to be on this kind of drug is five years. I don't believe that you have to taper I think I would just stop them to be honest. Unless your doctor has a special reason tor keeping you on them. You are on a negligible dose of Pred now anyway. Any damage that was to be done would have been done in the early days. I would also want my Oesophageal health to be looked at. So I'm with your thinking. Stop and take a good Calcium dose with vit D. A DEXA scan would be useful to ascertain your bone density now. I hope you had one and a vit D blood test before you started on biophosphonates. AA is not turning out to be the wonderdrug they hoped for initially and some worrying reports have emerged about fractures.. hope this helps!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Hi Delia,

It’s your choice as to whether you take any medication.

I took AA for 4 years with no problem - good reasons to take it- but then decided to stop. GP (not original one who prescribed) was quite happy. I was at about same dose of Pred as you, and as he said 4 years is plenty long enough and it stays in you body for a long time.

Please get your oesophagal problem checked though.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I really don't call a month a "drug holiday"!!! If he is really worried tell your GP to send you for a dexascan - which he should have done in the first place anyway. But at 2mg - I really don't think you will collapse anyway! I took a whole 4 AA tablets and stopped with my GP's blessing. My bone density has barely changed in 7 years - loss of bone density is NOT a given when on pred.

And please do get the oesophageal pain investigated - don't let him put you off.

[HeronNS]

As PMRpro says, you should have a DXA scan. Also your oesophageal pain must be investigated. The latest recommendation for AA is actually lower than five years now. It appears that two or three years is the time where you will gain the greatest benefits and run the least risk of serious side effects. Take your supplements (add Vitamin K2 to calcium and D3) and get enough appropriate exercise. Good luck.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

[DeliaGray]

Thank you all, I had a DEXA scan 2 years ago and they told me that I had 30% chance of a hip or neck fracture in the next 10 years.! . I really think they love to scare us and so I responded ,"that means that I have a 70% chance of not having one. I like those odds better.!!!"

I always try to look on the positive side and I have now decided that I will not go back onto Alondronate. I will be 80 next birthday, I still work full time and really apart from GCA and PMR am pretty fit. I appreciate all of your help. Thank you again.

[Jackoh]

"

I will be 80 next birthday, I still work full time....,"

Wow! Seems like you're doing marvellously. Keep up the good work.

[altywhite]

Hi Delia,

I stopped my AA at the beginning of this year and have never restarted it. I am currently on 8.5mg of pred and I take Adcal alongside Vit K2 (after advice on here). My Dexa scan a few months ago was normal. So from my point of view I wouldn't worry about stopping it, especially as you are only on 2mg pred now. I would definitely get your oesophageal pain investigated though. Good luck.

[DeliaGray in reply to altywhite]

Thank you for your advice, I will definitely not be going back onto it. My GP thinks that the recent flareup with my osophegeas is because he put me back on 60 mg pred for 5 days to help with the pain of sciatica. He thinks that along with alendronate it cause inflammation. The pain was alleviated with the pred. but it isn't a cure and I have now had 4 sessions of acupuncture and virtually got rid of the sciatica.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to DeliaGray]

That's a bit OTT - I'm surprised it worked at all to be honest.