Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

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Muscles & Bones
/ Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Reclast

peppyest
peppyest
I've had RA for years and years of prednisone.My Dr wants me to take
reclast.I've read some nasty stories from women who have taken and I'm not necessarily talking about the atypical femur fx's that have popped up.I'm even more considered about nasty side effects...mylagia,joint pain
etc(already have all that,no thx).i've lost 6% of bone mass over the last 2 yrs and in a real BIG quandry over how to treat it.Thx,Kath
deleted_user
deleted_user
My cousin is on this trying to build up her bone mass so the surgeons have something to attach her third hip replacements too. So far, it has not worked enough.

I was supposed to take the pills which are a level down. I don't even remember the name, just that there was a warning if your jaw hurt to discontinue. Pain in the jaw would not describe it. Probably worse than the original TMJ from RA.

I really don't know what to say about this whole depleted bone mass issue. It is major. My sister forwarded me an article that even taking calcium supplements increases the risk of heart disease by 30% even with vitamin D. Now that is a big side effect, and it is so hard to absorb the stuff anyway. I quit the supplements and started craving ice cream and cheese after a few months, and I don't eat dairy because I am lactose intolerant.

I hope someone figures a way to remedy this. I do weights and exercises, but I am not up to pounding the pavement to knock the calcium back into my post menopausal and prednisone damaged bones.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I am so interested in this topic, and will be interested in the replies you receive. I have a friend, a man, who was taking the once a month pills, and he ended up losing all of his teeth due to major jaw problems. He stopped the med. My GP told me I am going to need one of these meds, and since I have major stomach issues, she said I would come to her office every three months for an IV, but it only takes about five minutes...??? I have no clue, because I didn't want any more detials. I'm not sure I want to take any of these drugs. It is a dilema, and I do not have an answer.
deleted_user
deleted_user
I have osteoporosis really bad. I have been on everything else including Forteo injections every day for a year. Since starting Reclast two years ago, I have finally had my first bone scan where I didn't lose more bone mass. I held steady. Maybe I have some muscle pain from it, but since I already have RA and Fibro, who can tell? I recommend it because it takes 15 minutes once a year and you don't have all the other problems that the pills give you.
peppyest
peppyest
Thanks Jenny,Angela,Missourit,...Yes,this is a big problem for women..after thinking about it and doing my homework,I've decided
to go with something that isn't YEARLY.Honestly,it makes perfect
sense to be leary of something that you get in a yearly dosage.
20 yrs ago I had a lymphoma and HAD to take the big BAD drugs.
I would have been dead if I hadn't but I have a little leaway in making this decision.AND,honestly(again) why would I not want to listen to
other women who have already had bad experiences with some of these biphosphonates...Alot of MD's really just roll their eyes
when they even START to hear "i've read stories on the internet"
They just think that the folks that Don't post their reactions are the ones who did fine...that made be true sometimes but the post I've read about reclast have sounded a little nasty.thx again for the responses.Best