taking daily aleondronic acid

[humlies]

Hallo wonderful people, our local chemist can't manage to source the usual 70mg aleondronic acid pills that I have, and I have been forced to accept daily 10 mg doses. I find the rigmarole of what I can't do after taking the pills quite trying, and do not like the idea of having to do this every day!! Is there anything to stop me taking 7 10mg pills all at once?

[PMRpro Ambassador]

I don't think it would be a good idea - they are bad enough as a single dose for causing gastric problems. Is it likely to be a long term sourcing problem? Missing a week and getting something else from the doctor would be better - it isn't the only bisphosphonate, and some are monthly I think. I certainly wouldn't accept that on a daily basis.

[humlies in reply to PMRpro]

Yes, I do sometimes miss a week anyway. What mystifies me is why anyone should want to take one a day?? Thank you for your comments.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to humlies]

Me neither - nor why anyone would WANT you to take a daily tablet with that performance!

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer]

Boredom!...

If desperate I suppose you could try 2 every other day, but I'd be inclined to chase up doctor and/or pharmacy and say its not on!.. and until you get a sensible alternative you're not going to take them...

and as PMRpro says probably a week or two without won't be that detrimental.

[humlies in reply to DorsetLady]

Yes, when we return from holiday I do this. Thank you.

[jinasc]

Can I ask if you have been diagnosed with Osteoporosis?

[humlies in reply to jinasc]

Yes, I have had it for about 15 years. No breaks yet - I was only diagnosed after having a scan as a thank you from the NHS for running a course for them!!

[jinasc in reply to humlies]

There are alternatives as AA as it should be stopped after 3 o4 4 years.

Look on the Royal National Osteoporosis website there is a list on alternatives, which don't have to be stopped and if I remember correctly one of them is one injection a year. But don't quote me on that last one.

[SheffieldJane]

Eek! Ring round some pharmacies. That is not good enough.

[humlies in reply to SheffieldJane]

The problem is we are going on holiday on Monday - taking the whole family camping on Jersey (!) so no time to ring around.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to humlies]

Darn sure I wouldn't be messing about with daily tablets on my jollies!!!!!

[humlies in reply to PMRpro]

Maybe I should have a novelty treasure hunt in Jersey...ask the grandchildren to Find the Aleondronic Acid Pills. They are old enough to tolerate my unusual ideas!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to humlies]

As long as they don't swallow them!

[humlies in reply to PMRpro]

I doubt it - they are all teenagers. On reflection however ,little white pills might be quite alluring......

[Hidden in reply to PMRpro]

😂May j ask whereabouts on one’s body the jollies can be found 🤣

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to Hidden]

Ahh..now that would be telling!!😉

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Hidden]

On their hollys??????

[rosie_jones in reply to SheffieldJane]

My pharmacy has also told me they are having difficulty with sourcing the 70mg AA tablets and that they are unlikely to be available until the end of August. The alternative they'll offer is the soluble form - which appears to be significantly more expensive. Anyone know what it's like to swallow?! 🤢

[humlies in reply to rosie_jones]

Useful to know - the ones I was given are not soluble

[hugovictor]

You could ask the g.p. to prescribe risedronate 35mg. This is equivalent to 70mg of a,a, and it is a weekly dose,

[humlies in reply to hugovictor]

Thank you - I will bear that in mind.

[autumnlass in reply to hugovictor]

I had horrid problems with AA so switched to Risendronate 35 mgms weekly - no problems with it at all, and been on it 20 months. Could you request that before you ‘jolly’ and have an AA jolly free time?

Have a lovely time … weather will be good! 🤩

[humlies in reply to autumnlass]

Good to hear - unfortunately it is now the weekend ; even on weekdays a phone appointment is hard to get, though I will do this when we return.

[autumnlass in reply to humlies]

Yes similar with our practice too, but could you do ‘ e consult’ and they could do an electronic script to the holiday destination in Jersey when you arrive there? Just a thought…..

[humlies in reply to autumnlass]

If only - unfortunately they do not do this. One of my plans is to write to the practice manager after we get back (politely of course!) making a few suggestions for change. Thank you for your suggestions; enjoy your Modern Practice!

[autumnlass in reply to humlies]

Well thank you - but it didn’t help you. 😕 & I’m sorry about that.

Hopefully you’ll get the Risendronate or another bisphosphenate when you come back.

Meanwhile enjoy your holiday even though daily AA will be a bore! 😎

[humlies in reply to autumnlass]

Actually I am not that dedicated - as PMRPro says, it won't hurt me to go without AA for 2 weeks! Thank you for your good wishes!

[autumnlass in reply to humlies]

Exactly that! 😎

[Kafkaontheshore]

Hi there. I’m in same boat. I’ve asked my GP to prescribe an alternative. It’s a national supply issue apparently. 😀👍

[humlies in reply to Kafkaontheshore]

So if enough of us complain we might get somewhere with alternative prescriptions.

[Grannymiaow]

My pharmacist said to ask GP for alternative which I did.Now taking Risedronate sodium 35mg once a week, which apparently is soon going to be in short supply as well.

Maybe by then the AA will e back?

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Grannymiaow]

Presumably because the stocks are being used up to cover the lack of AA.

[DorsetLady PMRGCAuk volunteer in reply to PMRpro]

😊

[humlies in reply to Grannymiaow]

Thank you - i wonder why this is all happening? Probably it will be blamed on Covid.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to humlies]

Most of these problems are due to a shortage of a key component of the tablets - much of such stuff is produced in India or China. India has had a few problems with contamination during the manufacturing process and the production lines had to be shut down. China just has problems created by their zero Covid approach where a lockdown in the wrong place closes all manufacturing there ...

[humlies in reply to PMRpro]

That's interesting. What a mine of information you are!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to humlies]

Signs of a misspent youth I suppose. I have a predilection for crime procedure novels - but far prefer documentaries and factual books! I read anything science/medicine orientated for bedtime reading - always did

[humlies in reply to PMRpro]

Isn't it wonderful that we have all been made so differently!!

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to humlies]

Be awful boring if we were all the same though wouldn't it!

[humlies in reply to PMRpro]

Absolutely. Probably every leaf on the trees I am looking at is completely different from all the other leaves....

[Exflex]

Ask for an alternative, eg Risedronate.

[humlies in reply to Exflex]

Yes, thank you - I will do this/

[Booklover57]

Apparently some came in last week. I was in holiday in Somerset and struck lucky.

[humlies in reply to Booklover57]

Lucky indeed! Perhaps I should trawl the Jersey pharmacies - though I think there will be better things to do....