Worried about Alendronic Acid and pain

[Diver6]

Hi

I started AA last Thursday when my doctor rang me with the results of my Bone scan and told me I had osteoporosis, he didn’t give me any results or tell me how bad I had it, just checked what reflux medicine I was on and asked if it was controlled which it is.

I took my first tablet and 4 days later I have excruciating pain in my knee, and gave trouble bending it, do you think it has anything to do withAA .

I haven’t had knee problems before and I haven’t hurt it, after reading lots of comments about AA causing bone issues, I am getting worried, I have just got over a broken elbow and I don’t want to start with knee problems.

Thank you for any help you can give.

[piglette]

You should be able to get a print out of your results. Ask the receptionist perhaps. Do you think your knee pain is the joint or muscles?

[Diver6 in reply to piglette]

I’m not sure where it’s coming from it seems to be all in my knee, I’ve been taking ibuprofen today and it is eased at the moment. I am due to take my second on Thursday morning and if it happens again I will know it’s that and I will ring doctor straight away.It’s worrying about dental care, I think I had better stop reading things, it seems to be a bad drug to be on,I will speak to my doctor, thank you for replying.

[piglette in reply to Diver6]

AA is not a drug to be used as a prophylactic which my GP thinks it should be in my case. If you need it that is a different matter, but it is a powerful drug. Dentists do often react badly to it.

[Bcol]

When/if you manage to get your full results from the docs there is a post in FAQ's ( scroll down to the D's) which will lead you through reading and understanding the results.

[Diver6 in reply to Bcol]

I will thank you x

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

As mentioned by other responses, link to DEXA scan - healthunlocked.com/pmrgcauk...

I doubt that AA would have given issues within 4 days, probably just coincidence, so follow knee pain up as well if it persists.

[Diver6 in reply to DorsetLady]

I will thank you, it’s a bit easier this evening, I’ve been taking ibuprofen

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Diver6]

Okay… so it’s not PMR then, and ibuprofen gel might be better than tablets if you need to take regularly. Not really recommended to take NSAIDs and steroids together - can cause stomach issues - unless it’s just a flooding dose taken once in a while.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Severe muscle and bone pain is listed as an adverse effect of AA - and a case report on skeletal pain says that the patient had pain the following morning after the first dose. She also took second and third doses before reporting the pain to her doctors. So it can happen quickly.

The bone problems we have discussed on here won't have happened in 4 hours but the adverse effect of bone pain could.

[autumnlass]

I too had issues with AA. I was put on it following a DXA scan in September 2020. I took it for 6 weeks and had excruciating pain in my left knee. I was in a knee brace & GP advised me to stop and put me on Risedronate in the December, which hasn’t given me any problems since then. I also started Glucosamine 1500 mgm daily and it has worked in mitigating pain dramatically. GP put me on Codeine Phosphate which I took along with paracetamol. Hope it soon goes as I understand exactly how you feel.💐

[Hidden]

I couldn't get on with AA either took it once a wk 70mg only took for 3 weeks which cause me to get vertigo, dr had to check to see if vertigo was a side effect which it is. So came off that and was put on risedronate 5mg daily and that gave me diarrhoea which was like water so was taking off that as well. So now not on anything, Both were prescribed as a precaution until I get my dexa scan which I have on the 25th, from the conversation I had with gp at the time was if dexa shows I need to be on anything it is probably going to be through a drip every 3 months I think it was.