Alonderic Acid alternatives help

[Wayfair]

Cannot tolerate Alendronic Acid. What are the alternatives and has anyone tried them and have they been successful please?

[jinasc]

Go to the National Osteoporosis website and read up on all of them,

theros.org.uk/information-a...

[Wayfair in reply to jinasc]

Very many thanks. I rang them and they explained the alternatives. There is a tablet that may be more suitable and failing that I can see a consultant to arrange injections. Kind regards

[castingcollectives in reply to jinasc]

I cant take alendronic acid either had a verterbra fracture and discovered i had osteoporosis so i have zolendronic acid infusion had two now no side effects no nasty reaction either. As on steriods for 18 months started january this year forGCA on 60mg now on 15mg just had a new scan my hip bone very slightly worse but not serious so definately think its helping. My mother spent 13 years in a wheel chair with osteoporosis so dont want to end up like her.Good luck.I also take 1000 calcium and 20 V D each day do weights and walk used to do Circuit Training and yoga before GCA but up to returning yet

I am 77yrs old.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Have you had a dexascan? Do you really need a bisphosphonate? What is your problem with AA?

Don't panic. Whatever your doctors may be suggesting you won't crumble in the next few months! Take calcium and vit D in the meantime and read HeronNS's story:

healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

There are other oral bisphosphonates with less problems and if you can't tolerate them then there are some given by infusion once or twice a year. And have you had full dental checks and had anything done that needs doing firt?

[Wayfair in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you for your help. Despite my doctor contacting them and explaining that it is urgent the waiting list for a dexa scan is 8 months. Yes had a full dental inspection Apparently there is another tablet I can try and if that’s a problem can see a consultant for injections. Kind regards.

[Casia in reply to Wayfair]

Wayfair, Have you ever had a DEXA scan? If not, how do you know you need to take a Bisphophonate? Not everyone who is on Pred gets osteoporosis and quite a few of us are focused on alternative methods of preventing it such as calcium, vit D and K2 as well as weight bearing exercise if you can manage. I find walking and Pilates work for me and aqua aerobics for strength and heart. Obviously we’re all different and you may have a genetic disposition etc but these are powerful drugs as you know and personally I’d rather do thorough research on any drug before making the decision to take it.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Casia]

It says in Wayfair's reply immediately above that there is an 8 month waitfor a dexascan.

[Casia in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, thanks. I just wondered if she’d had one previously as I find it crazy that people are getting prescribed drugs with no evidence of symptoms. It seems that as soon as you get prescribed pred, you automatically get a Bisphophonate too. Perhaps those are NICE guidelines? I think I’ve a bee in my bonnet about it.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Casia]

It does appear in the British Society of Rheumatologists' guidelines BUT it isn't as simple as give pred, give bisphosphonates. In younger patients the automatic script should be for calcium and vit D supplements and a dexascan within 3 months. For over 65s it should be dexascan and appropriate medication based on the results. They assume that older patient will have low bone density - but that is, of course, not true. Unfortunately there is a shortage of dexascanners across the UK and in some places the waiting lists are long. My husband had a dexascanner in his department which was covered by existing staff anyway but the scanner itself was old and needed to be replaced. He had charitable funding available for the capital cost - but the Trust refused to approve it because the running of the machine wasn't covered. So within a short time there would be NO service available. Pigheadedness at its finest ...

[Casia in reply to PMRpro]

Thanks for your reply. It’s really worrying that the NHS is having to struggle in this way and some patients are therefore not getting the standards of treatment they need. Dishing out drugs that aren’t always necessary is surely a false economy.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Casia]

That was about 10-12 years ago - no idea what happened later, he'd got fed up with not being able to run the place properly and not being able to do research (in his own time) so retired early! I assume it has got worse not better. The cost of the drugs is not high - whether the cost of providing dexascans is more or less overall I don't know. My concern is the polypharmacy - 2 drugs may interact in one way, when you add in others that may change the dynamics considerably but they don't look at that.

[Constance13 in reply to PMRpro]

I find the d-scans are disappearing in Germany too (both the hospitals in Soest haven't got them now). However, there are many clinics here in Bad S that have them (even the health system ones) but you can go to one of them privately for a scan and it only costs €35. If it's so cheap to run WHY are they disappearing??

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Constance13]

In the UK they cost rather more than that! I only pay 35 euros too but have to travel to Bozen, just over an hour by car. It is in a private hospital - so private funding - but the health system buys in the service. It is an advantage of having private and public medicine running in parallel.

[Constance13 in reply to PMRpro]

I have to walk 100 metres!!😂😂

[Ruadh]

I had a Dx of osteoporosis. Was suggested Alendronate. I checked it out. No thanks. Then found out about Strontium *Citrate and to bolster with a variety of supplements, which included Vit-D, Calcium, Boron, Vit-C, CoQ10. Also, good nutrition - No GMO foods, stick to organic as far as possible.

Would highly recommend the book by Lara Pizzorno, 'Your Bones'. Excellent.

Hope this helps.

[Wayfair]

Thank you for your reply, kind regards.

[Ruadh]

You are welcome. If the injection is Prolia, then strongly suggest checking out the side effects - drugs(dot)com is excellent at giving the skinny on drugs. Take care - best to you.

[Wayfair in reply to Ruadh]

Thank you, will do. I am taking a lot of tablets for other health issues, these side effects can be quite scary, Hope the advantages outweigh the treatment.

[Mellow-Yellow]

I had hideous side effects with AA..Then was changed to risedronate..my nutritionist asked me how bad my osteoporosis was,when I told her I had to tell that I hadn’t had a scan,she was horrified and urged me to book one through my GP.Fortunately a good result, so no biphosphanates for me,(and no ratadine either). Apart from Vit D,I take my pred with a large glass of full fat milk every day.No tummy aches since. My rheumy automatically prescribed biphosphonates without any questions about bone density,scans etc..whatsoever..in my ignorance I asked no questions.When I was diagnosed two and a half years ago,apart from the pain,I was just bewildered.On line research didn’t get me very far either.. I have now become more knowledgeable and assertive about PMR,when I see my GPs ..thanks to this amazing supportive group here,who share their symptoms with us all.