Bone density test symptoms and conditions

I have had serious hip pain, especially when extending my left hip, and even worse with abduction of my left leg. I had absoluetly no pain before taking Fosamax. My doctor insists, the pain is only arthritis, and had nothing to do with the Fosamax.

53 year old female who has taken "F" for almost 2 years - the past two months was the generic version. Have noticed a gradual onset of joint pain and heart palpitations, but am not one to see a doc unless I feel like I'm dying... So I wrote it off to aging. (-:
A friend recently mentioned that she had heard that Fosamax causes bones to be brittle, which caused me to wake up, look around and see what people are saying and what new articles or research are out there. Yeah, sure - there are lawsuits. Not a surprise in our litigious society. More importantly, however, are the comments from real people. Thanks to you who've posted your experiences!
I stopped the drug several weeks ago and seem to have an increase in joint paint. But I'm not going back to Fosamax! Also interesting to me is that around the same time I stopped the drug, I experienced an uncharacteristic downward shift in my mood/mental state. Not sure if there's a correlation to the drug or not...
It is reassuring to see some comments from people who indicate they feel better after weeks/months of being Fosamax free. I am a "gym rat" and very fit/weight appropriate. Weight training and nutrition will be my treatment of choose for osteopenia for now. With time, I am confident that the symptoms I'm experiencing will subside. And any future ailments for which I am prescribed a drug will be very carefully researched by me beforehand.
Be careful out there and stay informed!

I am 24 and was on "the shot" for 2 1/2 years, I always had problems with spotting and felt really depressed (would cry easily, very sensitive). I was pretty much bleeding daily but didn't do anything about it. I was really out of touch with reality - it was really alarming when my doctor said casually that I should do a bone density test because taking it for more than 2 years could decrease your bone mass. What caused my to get off of the shot was that my provider quit carrying it in their office and not realizing it when I set up an appt. I was to late to get it...etc. I felt especially depressed after that. Finally after a several months of not being on it, I started to feel back to normal. This was just my personal experience and I would not recommend using depo.

My wife just met with her oerthopedic surgion about a total knee replacement and the Dr. could not understand why, at her age,she could have such advancded osteoperosi. The result of the query was that her doctor had her on Prednisone for over a year and it should only be used ,at most, for two weeks at a time. There is nothing wrong with the med if it is properly prescribed but if you are experiencing hair loss,colin symptoms and any joint problems PLEASE see another Dr.

I am going to begin taking 25 mg of Topamax at bedtime tonight. After reading all of these posts I am a scared. I was prescribed Topamax for bipolar disorder. I am currently taking Lamictal as well. I always gain weight on psychotropic drugs and need to lose about 15 lbs (all of which I have gained over the course of being on Lamictal). Any who-my psychiatrist said that this medication may help counteract the weight gain I have experienced. Although I do not consider my self an overeater now. I do hope that it helps me to not like the taste of sodas though. I am addicted to Mt. Dew and caffeine, which I wouldn't mind stopping. Anyway, I am supposed to increase my dosage by 25mg per week until I reach 75mg per day. I am also supposed to go back and see my doctor before I increase the dosage beyond 75mg. I just hope I do not have the horrible side effects I have read here. Some of them I know I can deal with especially if they are temporary but the anxiety/depression/shortness of breath/lack of energy/morbid thoughts are the main ones that concern me. My psychiatrist said that with this medication I should drink plenty of water. He said that it could cause headaches and other side effects if I'm not sure to drink plenty of fluids with this medication. So, I am planning on hydrating myself really well today before taking it this evening. I'll post back and let you know how the side effects are going. Is anyone else on a combination of Lamictal and Topamax or on it for bipolar disorder? I'd like to hear more of your experiences.

Well.....I've had two good bone density tests (the proper test)...the last i had was in 2002, and showed an actual increase of density of 7.5% in one hip, and 4% somewhere else....I was THEN put on Fosamax by my dr. because I am "white, thin, hysterectomy and smoke...." and said he wanted to keep my bones healthy. Hence, I've been on this since. I'm now wondering.....I had alopecia (hair loss) 2 years ago, just patchy, it's back in fine, no recurrence. I'm seeing a chiropractor now, as I feel constantly "pretzeled" My head feels like it weighs 100lbs on a wobbly neck, my fingers are often sore, one of my knees is dodgy, ....we have no athritis, osteoporosis in my family, I cannot remember a female breaking a bone! I just don't feel great all vague feelings. I exercise every evening 20mins on a glider, I'm 105lbs, I eat a sensible diet, I do everything at 100mph, so not sedentary! I go for my Bone density the end of this month, and I have a feeling this is the end of my Fosamax!

My 70 year old mother starting taking Fosamax a few weeks ago because her bone density test showed she had osteoporosis. She became quite ill soon afterwards, said she had the worst headache of her life, couldn't eat, had nausea, severe head pain, and dizziness. She was in bed for a week. Her doc said maybe it was a swollen temporal artery (huh?), and put her on strong pain meds, which she said didn't even touch the pain. After reading the other comments on this website, I called her and told her to not take another dose. Merck is being sued over this drug. How many women have to suffer horrific side effects, including loss of their jaws, before they pull this crap off the market?? It's all about maximizing their profits, folks, and those pharmaceutical companies will ruin your health with their poisons to make a buck.

I am only 36. I had a Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy of my uterus. I was in surgery for over 2hours. My uterus was attached to my stomach, my ovary attached to my uterus. I had my right fallopian tube all twisted like a telephone cord. My left fallopian tube had a huge endometrioma in it. The doctor put everything back where it belonged, and cauterized some of the severe endometriosis. After surgery, I took Lupron for the recommended 6 months. Yes, it helped my Endometriosis, while I was on it. But, it is now ONE year later, and I am in just as much pain as I was BEFORE I took this medication. AND NOW on top of the endo pain, I HAVE SIDE EFFECTS FROM THIS MEDICINE THAT WON'T GO AWAY. I have had Foot pain since the first shot. I had leg pains, deep in the bones. I have had tendonitis in every limb, it just keeps moving around my body. (Lupron supposedly dries out your tendons) I had memory loss (though that was mostly temporary, mostly words) I had the night sweats and insomnia, though those both went away for the most part. I too was extremely emotional, both angry and upset. I also began to feel helpless and almost suicidal. The pain from the side effects made me feel this way. I gained about 20lbs. I have Osteopenia now, which is bone density loss, everyone should have a bone density test after Lupron. My feet are still killing me though. I wish they weren't, I would give anything to turn back to before Lupron so that I could say no thank you. Good luck to anyone who takes this, but hopefully all these posts will help you decide not to take it. It really isn't worth messing your life up at such an early age. I will never be the person I was before.

I am 50 years old and my bone density test showed beginning signs of moderate loss. I took the once a week fosomax for about 4 weeks. After the second week I developed hip joint pain. The next week my shoulder joints and knees started hurting. After the 4th week the joint pain lessened slightly. Because I was going on a business trip with lots of walking, I decided to stop taking it and experienced some relief immediately so ... I decided to stop altogether. My joint pain is nothing like it was while taking it, BUT I STILL AM EXPERIENCING some JOINT PAIN and it's been 5 months since I stopped. Before I started taking it, I was extremely active and experienced NO joint pain.

I have been taking Fosamax for 3 1/2 years for severe bone loss and family history of osteoporosis. During this time my bone density has increased by .1. I execise every day and lift weights 3 times a week. In the past year I have experienced chronic neck pain that radiates from the back of my neck up over the top of my head. It lasts for 3 weeks, then disappears for about a month, then reappears. My doctor feels it is skeletal but Advil does not touch the pain. After reading about the side effect , necrosis of the jawbone, coupled with my neck pain I decided to discontinue Fosamax. I will be anxious to see if the pain disappears and if my bone density remains the same in 6 months when I am scheduled for another bone density test. Has anyone experienced similar side effects?

I had a bone density test that revealed that I had major bone loss, so my doctor put me on fosamax. I have been taking fosamax once weekly 70mg for about a year. About 6 months ago I started noticing bruises on my legs and I know I didn't do anything to cause them, like bump into anything. I also started having really bad leg pain below my knee on the tops of my legs, shin area to my feet. They were aching, and any pressure on them, such as crossing your legs laying down was painful also. I started having pain in my lower chest. The doctor said to stop taking the fosamax for 2 weeks. I have stopped for a month now and the bruises have subsided a bit, but no more leg pain (which was my main concern) and the chest pain is gone too. I will NEVER take fosamax again.

I had many of the named side effects so refused to use fosamax and actonel.

I searched the internet to find other help. was buying many minerals. Finally tired a suplement that contained most of those recommended. I buy it from independent health food stores.
It is called BONE UP .

I got tired of taking the recommended 6 capsuls each day. so took only 3 capsuls. Just had a bone density test scan. two years after last test and found that my bones had improved.!!!! the nurse that gave me my results was very impressed. Still need to let my docter know what I've been up to.

I have taken lipator for a number of years,within the last 3 months I have had more pain in my left shoulder and arm than any pain I have ever had in my life,I was told I was told I had extensive degenertive disc desease in my neck and spine, I had a bone density test about 2 yrs ago and there was no sing of it.I was also given sinthroid abouth 4 months ago for my aches and pain in my joints and for fatigue,when I ask if the sinthorid could be iteracting with the lipator ,the doctor said it was possible,but didn't take me off of either one,I now have a frozen shoulder and am taking phyical therapy,I just at this moment thinK I will take myself off of both of these medications,Ihave a pretty big problem with my memory,I have gone from being a high energy,fun loving person to trying to figure out what to take or do for the pain.I sometimes feel like I am lost if I drive after dark.

I have been on prednison since l980. I was told I had steroid dependent asthma. I briefly had moon face. I was very organized. I even typed my honey do list for my spouse. I was "driven" to get tasks done. I had difficulty sleeping, muscle cramps, frequent night time urination. easily bruised on my forearms when I bumped into things, lots of 3 corner skin tears and recently had a bone density test and now I have to take Boniva. I did not gain weight. Over the last two years I went from 140 to 120. I did experience two very serious illnesses (Throtoxic with Thyroid Storm and a spinal tumor and surgery.) I finally weaned off about 3 weeks ago. I went from 10 to 5 to 2.5 to 1.25 then 1.25 every other day - very slowly. No asthma symptoms yet. At this time I fatigue very easily. I have lost subcutaneous fat in my forearms, feet and face. I still have some muscle cramps in my feet and somethings deep in legs. I am sleeping much better. I am wondering if the loss of fat has anything to do with the long term use of prednisone. Has anyone experienced or heard of this connection to Prednisone?

I am 63 years old, going through radiation for breast cancer. My doctor recommended a bone density test and the results were that I was starting to loss bone density. After reading the negative effects of this medication, I will not take it. Also, I had a heart attack five years ago and the side effect of this medication is chest pain. I think the doctors have no clue to the effects of this medication. I was also reading the literature on the mild side effects of this medication, to me this would cause you the discomfort and you are told not to call the doctor for this. It isn't the doctor who is going through this mild side effect. Another thing are these side effect permanent or temporary? Thank you for letting me voice my opinion.

I started taking Fosamax on a Friday morning and by Saturday morning I was aching. By Saturday night I had severe aching and chest pains. My doctor said that my only other alternative was a nasal spray derived form salmon which could cause severe nose bleeds and nose sores PLUS aches.
So I decided to take my chances with Fosamax and hoped that the side effects would go away once my body got used to it. I just started my second week dose again this past Friday and have developed ongoing shortness of breath and chest pain. I can not live like this on a day to day basis and have decided after reading all the different side effects that various women have experienced while taking this drug to discontinue its use. As I am at risk for Osteophorsis according to my Bone Density Test, I can only hope that I never actually develop it and put put myself at risk in the future for hip fracture and loss of teeth.