I have just been speaking to my 80 year old Uncle and he suddenly said to me "when I went to the Doctors the other day I was given a new prescription. I don't know what it is for or anything?" I asked him what it said and he said "Actonel, with 4 tablets in that I have to take one a week, do you know what they are?"
He said his Doctor handed this precription just as he was leaving and never explained why he was given it.
I cannot believe that Doctors still readily hand out these drugs with no consultation or any discussion with their patient. He was really confused by this medication and fortunately hasn't taken any yet because he wanted further reassurance. He then went and asked his pharmacist who simply said "Oh they stop calcium from leaving your bones." Not a very indepth answer!
My personal experience with biphosphates have been really bad but I didn't want to frighten him into not taking them if this is what he should take. I have told him he needs to discuss this in depth with his Doctor before making a decision as they are strong drugs and he has numerous other health issues.
Sorry but it just makes me so MAD that these drugs are handed out with no conversation as to why they are being given and particularly to someone elderly and on his own.
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- By Loods
- Posted September 12, 2009 at 11:18 am · 16 replies
- In Osteoporosis medications
- Shared with the public
Explore topics in this discussion:
Exercise Boniva Fractures Fosamax Reclast Actonel Pain Heartburn Osteoporosis
16 replies
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- By sdivas
- Posted September 12, 2009 at 4:44 pm
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Loods, I'm very sorry to hear about your Uncle's experience. Is there anyone that advocates on behalf of your Uncle? Perhaps that person will phone the doctor's office and request an explanation. Meanwhile, as difficult as it is for those of us that have knowledge to make decisions on medications, it must be very confusing for your Uncle. No one, at any age wants to fear the possibility of a fracture.
- By Loods
- Posted September 13, 2009 at 5:12 am
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Thank-you sdivas for your kind reply.
Fortunately my Uncle is of sound mind and very independent so it would be difficult for anyone to intervene on his behalf, even though he is elderly he likes to be in full control still.
Normally he would discuss any medication he needs with his Doctor, but obviously on this occasion the prescription was just handed to him as he was leaving, so no time for questions.
He has never had a broken bone (touch wood!) or had a dexa scan but he has lost at least 6 or 7 inches in height, so I suppose they are airing on caution.
I don't want him to suffer a broken bone but at the same time I don't want him to suffer side effects from the medication either. Perhaps in the end it will be a case of trying it and see how he gets on.....like many of us it's the less of two evils!!!
- By djatsw47
- Posted September 13, 2009 at 7:33 am
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Your uncle must go to my doctor!! He did the same thing to me. I went for my regular checkup for blood pressure and as I was leaving, his nurse gave me a prescription for my blood pressure medicine and also Actonel. At that time, I was not familiar with Actonel and so took the prescription to the pharmacy to be filled. Luckily, for me, they told me they had to have prior approval from my insurance company before they could fill it and to call back the next day. So I went home and looked it up online. Wow! I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Not only did my doctor not tell me he was prescribing it and what for, but it looked to be a rather dangerous drug and also expensive. My insurance did not cover it! He then ordered Boniva and his nurse wouldn't even talk with me on the phone about it, after I voiced objections to it. I was ridiculed on my next visit for not taking the medicine. He wanted to know how I planned to deal with the osteoporosis of my spine that showed up on the Dexascan. I told him I would use diet and calcum and Vit. D for now, because none of my family's women ever had fractures even though they probably had osteoporosis and fell many times, and that I would rather take my chances than deal with drugs that caused such horrible side effects. He said he had thousands of women on those drugs and they had never had problems. I told him that may be, and maybe they just haven't connected their problems with the drugs yet!
- By Marlys
- Posted September 13, 2009 at 12:07 pm
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djatsw47,
Last week my doctor told me that she had given fosamax to hundreds of patients without any side-effects or complaints. I asked her if she would take if she had osteoporosis and she replied 'yes".
i told her about what i read and she recommended Nationioal osteoporosis Foundation as good site (LOL I'm on it now )
i posted that day very upset not knowing what to do and I don't know what i will say when I go back butI I am not taking it.
i am doing everything possible otherwise, exercise, diet , supplements including strontium citrate on my own to attempt to improve things myself although she feels that I am high risk for a fracture as my spine T score -3.8
She originally gave me the drug through the email servce through the hospital so she didn't expain it until i went back to the office to talk to her.
I am lucky that it is my nature to examine anything a doctor tells me or gives me ..I feel that one has to watch their own back in terms of medical care ;
you are lucky that you had time to look it up first.
Maureen/Marlys
- By Loods
- Posted September 13, 2009 at 12:42 pm
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Why, oh why, will some doctors not accept that a particular drug causes unacceptable side effects. Do they honestly think their patients are making it up?
When I went back to my Doctor having given up work due to the horrendous side effects and said I wouldn't take any more osteoporosis medication she never looked me in the eye. She couldn't defend the drug therefore she chose to say nothing. I'm sure they do know what's going on but choose to ignore it.
I believe many people don't realise the pain they are in is caused by the medication (I didn't!!) and I think you hit the nail on the head, djatsw47, when you said quote "they just haven't connected their problems with the drugs yet." I hope both You and Marlys continue to manage your condition the more natural way, as for many of us this seems to be the best option at present.
- By bettyrenshaw
- Posted September 13, 2009 at 1:45 pm
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LET YOUR FOOD BE YOUR MEDICINE AND YOUR MEDICINE BE YOUR FOOD . who said that, was it HYPOCROSiS, [sp that] more and more i am becoming removed from drugs==thus from those prescribed. questions are appropriate to the doctor and your keeping your symptoms foremost in mind with or without doctor's comprehension of what you tell them. sometime in the next 1o years, they will be telling you just what you're telling them today. go online and 'SEARCH THAT DRUG SIDE EFFECT'!
- By millie123
- Posted September 14, 2009 at 7:43 am
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I can certainly believe this. My mother-in-law had horrible problems with Fosamax a few years back. Yet just 2 weeks ago, her doctor handed her a sample pack of 4 of the generic version. She didn't know what it was, but when we went down to visit her, she was doubled over with joint pain. She said she thought it was the new medicine. She showed me the package and I told her what it was. She won't be taking it anymore. It is infuriating.
- By Loods
- Posted September 14, 2009 at 8:22 am
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Hi Millie123, I'm sorry your Mother-in-law had to experience that, having already had a problem with fosamax. I hope she now feels better.
Why do doctors say they never know anyone have side effects when it's obvious many people do? Do they never go on any of these web-sites? Perhaps next time a Doctor denies these drugs cause pain someone should direct them to the NOF and let them read these postings for themselves. Or do they all have selective reading as well as hearing?
- By djatsw47
- Posted September 14, 2009 at 1:02 pm
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I think too many of them have developed the "God" syndrome, thinking they are infallible and can't make mistakes.
- By juliemarie
- Posted September 14, 2009 at 2:44 pm
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I am amazed that doctors just dispense these bisphosphonates without a thorough explanation of standing upright for an hour or so, drinking water before and with the pill, watching for trouble with heartburn or esophageal problems as these problems can be devastating. What about the NOF member who had her esophagus removed? I can't even imagine how that is done!
Change doctors and let him/her know why you are leaving. Not just bad service - dangerous practice. And, the pharmacist should follow up with instructions, brochures, etc. (Someday I should post about my pharmacists and the injury they caused me among their many mistakes!)
When my calcitonin caused me to be so sick, my conventional doctor tested my urine and said to discontinue it because it wasn't helping. I know she was annoyed about it because I refuse to take bisphosphonates. She was just silent about it. My alternative doctor was pleased as punch and gave me an hour session on natural treatment, diet (alkaline), exercise, life style.
However, neither the regular doctor, the alternative doctor or the pharmacists reported my problems that were crippling and fatiguing to the pharma company. I did call Usher-Smith and talked to a customer rep who was very nice and tried to help. Sent me loads of information that the doctor should have supplied in the first place. Still it just killed me. No report has been placed with Usher-Smith. So how do other doctors, pharmacists and patients know what the real history is with these drugs?
I could have, at least, avoided the initial toxic reaction if the pharmacist had not made a huge error on the label instructions when I picked the drug up!
- By millie123
- Posted September 14, 2009 at 4:45 pm
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I think YOU can go to the FDA website and report the problem yourself.
- By AussieLass
- Posted September 14, 2009 at 9:08 pm
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Hello Everyone,
If you want to really understand what you are up against, watch that documentary video in the introduction to Drugs Versus the Natural Way. It's an hour plus in length but well worth it.
Might actually be empowering.
- By Loods
- Posted September 15, 2009 at 5:04 am
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Thank-you everyone for your input.
I read with interest your post Juliemarie because when I was referred back to the Specialist (after my experience with biphosphates) she said "We could give calcitonin a try?"
Having read the leaflet I was alarmed to see it also had numerous side effects, so decided against it. Reading your post I am glad I never tried it, I have enough problems as it is, I didn't want to add any more!!!
Kind regards Loods
- By bettyrenshaw
- Posted October 25, 2009 at 12:38 pm
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AUSSIE
send me this site/? i have missed this.
- By lottie-lorraine
- Posted October 26, 2009 at 5:25 pm
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My doctor wrote me an RX for calcium reclast. I asked about side effects and she said there were none. I didn't believe that for a minute and did some copious research on the internet and found that lots of people had horrendous side effects from it. You can't just "stop taking it" since it lasts a year. Not much recourse there.
Research, ask questions. I've learned more from pharmacists and the internet than doctors. They don't want to scare you away. I told my doctor's nurse that I wish she would have been honest with me. Is that too much to ask? Apparently so.
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