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Hi All, I've received between 30 to 35 responses to my two emails regarding
Fosamax. Thank you to all of those who responded!
Many stressed the importance of following the rules while on the Fosamax
regimen:
1- Take it with 8 or more ounces of plain water,
2- Do not lie down until after you eat something.
Some wait half a hour or so after taking a dose before eating, One waits
two hours recommended by the fine print in the instruction sheet.
One also does weights twice a week and treadmill at 4.3 five times a week.
Many take 10mg daily or 70mg weekly.
Some take calcium and vitamin D along with the Fosamax regimen. One has
used Twinlab Bone Support with ostivone.
Most started on the once a day dose, and changed to the once weekly one.
Practically everyone has shown a significant increase in bone density after
one year or so of taking either Fosamax dosage. One reported a 50%
increase in bone mass after one year. Some are now showing normal density
levels. Most report no side effects.
One is intolerant to many things, and is doing cautiously OK on 70mg a week
for the past two months.
With positive experiences, there are almost always drawbacks. Here are the
reports:
- Fosamax contains anhydrous (no water) lactose as an inactive ingredient.
This is lactose in powder or crystallized form which still has an effect
for those of us who are lactose intolerant. One takes lactaid along with
Fosamax.
-one reported an allergic reaction with severe bleeding in stomach. Must
refrain from Fosamax and aspirin, even though density was improved.
-caused gastro-intenstinal problems - now taking Actonel.
-one with spinal and hip osteoporosis got horribly sick with indigestion,
etc. in spite of following instructions. Now takes Miacalcin nasal spray
with significant improvement in bone density. (My doctor said Miacalcin has
no effect on hip density).
-didn't work for her sister who had extremely painful chest spasms. Had
to stop taking daily/weekly dosage.
-one felt it precipitated minor CD symptoms after six months, and prior to
diagnosis. Now experiences no side effects.
-One has been on Fosamax for five years, and is now taking Celebrex and
finds it nasty stuff. Bone density went from severely bad to perfectly
normal in two years of Fosamax.
-a non-celiac friend was on Fossamax for five years and found that it did
not help one bit. She recommended Dr. Lee's book,3What Your Doctor Didn't
Tell You About Menopause2. He claims that natural progesterone only, not
progesterine or estrogen helps with this problem. Progesterone actually
builds bone mass not just slows down the loss. (I read it, and I've been
taking Progest for five years - and yet my bone mass decreased over these
years).
-one used daily Fosamax for several years, then Miacalcin, then back to
weekly Fosamax (using 7 pills once a week) with no aftereffects. Is
also taking Born Again Wild Yam Cream recommended by doctor since she is
unable to take prenisone due to terrible mood swings and muscle pains.
She rubs 1/4 tsp. cream on fatty areas of the body twice a day with
positive results. Her hair started growing again. It costs about $15,
and there are 2 strengths. The higher strength is about $20 which is
worth it to more easily digest the calcium. Her bone density has increased.
-one was put on 1200mg. of Calcium, Rocaltrol (which is a high dose of Vit.
D), and had already been on HRT. A year later, her bone density scan
showed a decrease in bone density. Her estrogen levels turned out to be
low and so she was put on a new HRT, as well as once-a-day Fosamax. A year
later the bone density scan showed a good improvement. Since she only
began her gluten-free diet 2 months before the last bone scan, it had to be
either the estrogen change and/or the Fosamax that helped.
-Another includes a HRT with significant improvement.
-was on the daily pill for a couple of years before CD diagnosis and then
had to change to Miacalcin because of some G.I. Problems. But a couple of
months ago, the doctor gave samples of the new once-a-week Fosamax to try.
Started getting some symptoms that were present when diagnosed with CD, but
didn't make the connection right away.
But when discontinued, they went away. Not sure whether symptoms were
caused by Fosamax, and when I called the manufacturer, they said it is GF.
-One took Fossamax every day for three years, and began to suffer from
reflux quite badly. There were no other side effects. Bone specialist
switched her to the once a week Fosamax and after a couple of months the
reflux quieted down a lot. She has tried all of the products for
Osteoporosis excepting EVISTA, which she won't take as well as HRT.
Fosamax stabalized her bone density for a time, but then, although hip
density increased slightly, spinal density was decreasing slightly. So
the doctor has now switched her to influsions of Pamidronite which have
to be done four times a year. It takes 4 hours for each infusion and I
probably won't know for about a year whether this new product is helpful
or not. It would seem that it is best to circumvent her digestive
system and put the chemicals directly into her blood stream.
-one improved 50% after one year on daily dose with no side effects.
Doctor doesn't want her on weekly dose. She had breast cancer.
-One had to discontinue Fosamax due to her having Barretts esophagus
disease which is esophagus damage caused by acid reflux/heart burn. This
occurred in spite of her following instructions.
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So, my dear readers, in spite of my adversion to taking drugs and being
lactose intolerant, I've decided to try the Fosamax weekly dosage. If
problems arise, I plan to supplement Lactaid. Wish me luck!!
Again many thanks for your wonderful support.
Mildred Oberkotter
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