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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Lupus / June 2008Had to cancel infusion today
I went in this morning to get the infusion type of Fosomax (because the pills always make me sick) and my Rheumy asked if I had any dental problems. I said I was do for a deep cleaning and one filling replacement. Well, she suggested I put off the infusion until after the dental work because the dentists won't work on you if they know you are on this stuff! She also advised me that there is a residual effect for months after taking this stuff, but I will be OK because I've been off for a while in anticipation of the infusion treatment. It was news to me..... I've taking the two pill types for years and wasn't aware of the dastardly side effects... Now I am scared of all of it and my bones are getting thinner by the day. Anyhow, I'll get the work done and go back in August for the infusion. Thought I would share. Steroids, gotta love em'. George Fosomax is taken, (at least from what I've been told by my doctor) to inhibit osteoporosis, which can be caused by steroids; but fosomax itself is not a steroid.... so how does the fosomax bother the dentists? did the doc say anything about that? I take one weekly and just recently heard of cardiac related problems but never the dental stuff .... can you expand on that at all George? TIA Shelagh Lupus - Invisible in Plain Sight "George Parton" <GEParton@netscape.net> wrote in message >I went in this morning to get the infusion type of Fosomax (because >the >pills always make me sick) and my Rheumy asked if I had any dental [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > Steroids, gotta love em'. > George Hi again, I did not mean to infer that Fosamax is a steroid. I made that sarcastic comment because taking the steroids is why our bones are at risk. While avoiding taking Prednisone for years I now take it gratefully. It makes me feel good even though I know the risks. My new mindset... I am going to live until I die, so why not live good? My clock is running out. The end of this journey is near even if everything were normal and healthy. When I take these higher doses of Prednisone I can feel almost normal again. It may be flaky but it feels good to feel good! George > Fosomax is taken, > (at least from what I've been told by my doctor) [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] >>Steroids, gotta love em'. >>George > Hi again, > [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > George LOL, we must be close to the same age <g> ... at least mentally speaking... I too have realized that in the past year and have come to the same end result as have you... Heck Yes! It does feel good to feel good, even once in a while... so why not take those meds that keep it that way? at least sometimes!... Oh I know ... all the evil side effects!.... but sometimes, somedays it just doesn't matter -- at least not as much as feeling 'good' does at that point in time!.... I hear you!! re my 'fosomax isn't a steroid' remark?... that wasn't meant for you, as it was for any newbies who may be reading and who may have misinterpreted your 'sarcasm'.... sorry if you thought I was on your case, but it wasn't intended that way! hugs, Shelagh http://members.shaw.ca/tiderington Lupus - Invisible in Plain sight >I went in this morning to get the infusion type of Fosomax (because the >pills always make me sick) and my Rheumy asked if I had any dental [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] >this stuff, but I will be OK because I've been off for a while in >anticipation of the infusion treatment. Have you talked to a dentist about this? My mother has been on Fosamax for several years, has dental work done all the time and has never had a problem with it. Maybe your rheumy is overreacting. There's some information and other links about it here: http://www.ada.org/prof/resources/topics/osteonecrosis.asp (There are several links with "lawyer" in the name. Maybe that's why your rheumatologist is being careful.) --Bill Thompson Bill, My doctor couldn't care less about the legal ramifactions, she is backed up by The U S Government. She is being careful because she is good at what she does. She was quoting from a report that she had received only yesterday which emphasized the risks involved. I hope that your mother will mention it to her dentist. He may have a different view after reading some of the collateral material now available. Thanks for the link. George William R. Thompson wrote: >>I went in this morning to get the infusion type of Fosomax (because the >>pills always make me sick) and my Rheumy asked if I had any dental [quoted text clipped - 17 lines] > > --Bill Thompson > I went in this morning to get the infusion type of Fosomax (because the > pills always make me sick) and my Rheumy asked if I had any dental [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > > George http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osteonecrosis_of_the_jaw Careful anamnesis (patient history) and assessement of pre-existing systemic problems and possible sites of dental infection are required to help prevent the condition, especially if bisphosphonate therapy is considered.[1] FWIW http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fosamax/AN01379 ''Fosomax and ONj: Is there a link? Since 2003, there have been reports of a possible link between bisphosphonates and a rare disorder called osteonecrosis, or "death of bone," involving the jaw - a condition marked by pain, swelling, infection and exposed bone. The majority of cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw involved people with cancer who were receiving chemotherapy and had been given intravenous bisphosphonates to treat cancer that had spread (metastasized) to the bone. However, a small number of cases of osteonecrosis of the jaw have been reported in people taking oral bisphosphonates - such as Fosamax - for osteoporosis. These have been primarily associated with active dental disease or a recent dental procedure, such as a tooth extraction. Osteonecrosis of the jaw is a serious disorder. But so is osteoporosis. If you take a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis, don't stop taking the medication without consulting your doctor. Keep in mind that the risk of developing osteonecrosis of the jaw due to bisphosphonate use is very low in people without cancer or dental problems. If your doctor recommends a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis, consider getting any needed dental work done before starting this medication. If you currently take an oral bisphosphonate and need a dental procedure, you should discuss this with your doctor and dentist.'' ~Shelagh Lupus - Invisible in Plain Sight @ http://members.shaw.ca/tiderington >> I went in this morning to get the infusion type of Fosomax (because the >> pills always make me sick) and my Rheumy asked if I had any dental [quoted text clipped - 23 lines] > prevent > the condition, especially if bisphosphonate therapy is considered.[1] Thank you Shelagh, you have posted what my Rheumy said. She also warned that one should not take for granted that the dentist will be sensitive to the risk unless notified by the patient. In fact I have had dental work performed while taking Fosamax and was not quizzed by the dentist. The responsibility is ours to inform. I did not stop taking Fosamax on my own. The doctor suspended it in anticipation of my starting the infusion. That is why she said to get the dental work done now. Otherwise one should wait six months before dental work. The parallel with cancer is also true. In the clinic where I go (VAMC Phoenix) where have been two cases (osteonecrosis) to date even though the risk odds are stated at 100,000 to one. Of course they do not have 200,000 patients. This fact may be why she is so sensitive to the risk. She did not say whether these were cancer patients. However the unique connection between these drugs and osteonecrosis is the mystery. It could be because the jaw is the only bone area which is invaded. I appreciate the input. I do not pretend to be an expert. I am only a patient and a fellow traveler on this Lupus highway. My posting was made only to inform because I had not heard of this risk before. Hopefully it was beneficial. Again, thanks for posting the Mayo info. George > FWIW > [quoted text clipped - 65 lines] >>prevent >>the condition, especially if bisphosphonate therapy is considered.[1] > Thank you Shelagh, you have posted what my Rheumy said. > [quoted text clipped - 28 lines] > >FWIW >> http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/fosamax/AN01379 My pleasure George :) It helped to clear things up for myself as well.... It gets scary when you hear these things, in this group and online, and you are taking the meds talked about! I am going to get my own doctor to put me onto something different, perhaps like Evista, or maybe even take me off all of them (if that is possible with my bone density level being so poor!) if they too do the same thing, 'potentially' ..... frankly I am so tired of taking pills anyhow.... it would nice to have a 'drug holiday' ..... forever!! lol ... but unlikely! ~Shelagh http://members.shaw.ca/tiderington Lupus - Invisible in Plain sight |
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