Fractures symptoms and conditions

My 15 month old daughter was given Prednisolone eye drops for pink eye, that was not the medicine the doctor prescribed but was given to me. I have been doing research on side effects of that drug and there are a lot... but the one that caught my eye was fractures and bone weakness. My daughter last week fractured her elbow and between myself, her father and sitter (the people that are always around her), we have no idea how that happened. There have been other side effects that she is having as well. I am not sure what to do. Please email me back with some information on what I should do.

I have been on prednisone since I was two years old (I am now sixteen) because I have Autoimmune Hepatitis IIa. I would like to point out that there is still a life worth living being on prednisone, maybe I say this because I do not know life without it, but at least we're alive! Last year I had a flare up of the AIH and had to 6x my dose of prednisone. It sent me into a spiraling depression of constant sleep, crying, hopelessness etc....but I made it through. Just PLEASE keep hope that things would get better, because I know what it's like being on the dreaded drug better than most.

Started with a Pred pak for a sinus infection. Made my heart race and had tach and early heartbeat, which kept me from sleeping. Went to Cardiologist. Several doctors denied that the Pred would cause the rapid heartbeat. Then the Cardiologist did an echo and found a pericardial effusion and some weird spots on my lungs. They suspected lung cancer which may cause the effusion, so I had surgery to do a pericardial window and a lung biopsy. Then a pulmonologist decided to put me on Pred again...steady dosage...because she didn't know what else to do. (Didn't have lung cancer) I didn't have any more funny heartbeats, so maybe the pred didn't cause it after all. But I've gained 40 pounds. My hair has grown faster, and I've gotten some facial hair (not supposed to have that, being a female)...which I call fur. Moon face with cheeks that are hard, muscle cramps, can't sleep, but once I do go to sleep, I can't wake up. Tired all the time, headaches, joint pain-sometimes severe, dry skin, generally bad attitude, with very little patience, low potassium levels which add to my muscle cramping problems, difficulty swallowing, indigestion which I've never had, with painful and burning reflux. And occasionally when I eat, I have the rapid heartbeat again. I go in search of food like I'm going to store it in my thighs for winter. Anything you eat will turn to fat, including protein. Can't wait to get off this stuff which will take until June of next year. Then my doctor says it will be 3 months before all these effects wear off. No one told me I would get fur.

I am a 72 year old white female who has been on Fosamax over 5 years for osteoporosis which runs in my family. In December, I had severe discomfort in the thigh area of my right leg. X-rays ordered by my GP showed nothing. Sent me to orthopedic surgeon whose x-rays also showed nothing. He ordered bone dye test which showed stress fractures of BOTH femurs. No one, NOT EVEN THE ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON, could figure out how it happened since I had not fallen or had other trauma. When I began to do my own research, I found answers to other problems I had been experiencing, for which no one had answers.....bone and muscle pain, hair loss, depression. I realize doctors are overwhelmed with info but I am especially disappointed in the orth. surgeon who should have known this was a possibility since the study came out in The Orthopedic Journal. As I continued my research, I find that women have been experiencing these side effects for years. I was previously very active and a dedicated walker, but this has robbed me of my confidence since I fear breaking other bones. The femur is the largest and strongest bone in the body and if I broke both of those with no trauma, what else could happen? I want to get the word out to women but am not sure the best vehicle for that. Any suggestions? There are Fosamax lawyers anxious to jump on this but I am more interested in spreading the word, not litigation, however I think there are possibly many unreported cases of the Fosamax side effects just because people don't know where to turn.

I am a 56 y/o female who started on Fosamax last Sunday. I have a dx of osteopenia. I followed the directions of taking pill with full glass of water and remained upright for 30 minutes before having anything to eat. I was fine on Sunday but on Monday I woke with SEVERE bone pain! My whole rib cage, back, knees and heels were hurting so bad. It felt like I had pain in every bone in my body. I could not take in a full deap breath as my rib cage was hurting so bad. I could not bend or turn without terrible pain. My energy level was zero. I immediately called my doctor who told me to hold the Fosamax (ya think?) and ordered Vit D lab levels. Apparently when you Vit D levels are off (don't know if too high or too low) you can suffer this bone pain. I am awaiting the results. The pain is better today and I was told it takes 5 days to get out of your system. I only wish I had done my homework and found this site before taking this poison. I have to say I'm a registered nurse and know that ALL medications have side effects and everyone responds to meds differently. Some side effects subside as your body gets use to it and some can experience severe allergic reactions. But it's important to weigh the risk vs the benefit. I would rather deal with osteopenia in another way. So my search begins for alternatives to Fosamax for good bone health. Has anyone had good results with other supplements/meds?

Just wanted to add another little bit of fun side effects for everyone.

Last month, I woke up with a pain in my right groin. Since no gymnastics were involved, I treated with ice and ignored it. After a few days, pain was worse, so went to the ER (My home away from home) where a bone density scan was ordered. 4 weeks later I find out that I have a stress fracture of the lesser trochanter (part of the femour just below the femoral head - English translation hip fracture).

Turns out that long term therapy on warfarin (ie. over 1 year) also increases your risk of fractures.

And what does one do for this? Nothing. Orthopedic guy said just go as usual and no physio required. Easy for him to say since he does not have groin pain, and associated thigh/Knee/calf pain associated with accommodating my gait. Needless to say, seeing a new orthopedic guy.

I have started iron infusions monthly as my iron and ferritin levels are low (but hemoglobin is fine).

Still wondering which came first - the insanity or the warfarin!

Fiona

I have been on Warfarin since Sept 2004 when I had multiple blood clots in both lungs. Since then I have had two more PE's (one with a therapeutic INR) and a blood clot in my left arm (INR was also therapeutic). Genetic tests show nothing.

Since starting Warfarin I have had
- dizziness issues,
- eternal extreme fatigue
- hair loss
- short term memory and cognitive issues,
- joint pain and
- head aches all the time. I think the headaches are the worse since I can't take any NSAID's for them.

I have lost weight and push myself to exercise because it is supposed to make you feel better, right? Well not yet. I keep waiting.

I have not been able to return to work and worry about the long term implications of this.

Many times I have wondered about my sanity and if I was imagining all of this, so finding this forum at least lets me know that there is a possibility that it is not all in my mind.

I have been seeing a psychiatrist to help me work through the almost dying 3 times thing, but it is hard to accept since no one knows why I throw the clots. My INR is not stable in spite of close monitoring of Vit K and other drugs, and my INR must be taken twice a week.

I have had a severe case of polymyalgia rheumatica and was initially put on 60 mg of prednisone a day. It was wonderful! Within hours my pain level dropped almost in half. From there the pain has gradually improved even more. I went to 40 mg per day to 20 mg per day to 15 mg per day. Have been on the 15 mg for 2 months now and want off as soon as possible. Yes, I too have the moon face, camel hump, slight weight gain, nausea, digestive problems, cramps, depression, etc. Not fun! My question is - does anyone experience burning/stinging in their face, arms and legs from the prednisone? I wonder if it is the polymyalgia rheumatica or if this is a side effect from the steroid. Thanks for your comments.

Prednisone is a catabolic steroid, not anabolic which increases muscle, so people should know that continued use over time will literally break down and destroy muscle tissue. Without muscle, a person has no way of even standing more than a few seconds and could suffer many falls.....these falls are worse on the prednisone patient because prednisone also effects bone density and multiple disc fractures can result, leaving the person wheelchair bound.

How do I know? That's what happened to my mom. Also, if you are in a nursing home and contact scabies, forget about ever getting rid of them prednisone supresses the immune system so it can't kill them off, even with all the meds and treatments out there for scabies. Again, my mom.

My mom has been on predisone off and on for the last 19 years. First for asthma for 5 years weight gain of 100 pounds. then got off of it by going to national jewish hospital in Denver. Still put on it over the years Now the last year has been diagnosed with sjogrens syndrome and put on predisone as well as methotrexate injections. They started coming down and she had some heart trouble so back up and she kept telling drs her chest hurt all the way to her back this went on for 6 months 6 times in hospital and ER they kept saying it was her heart and rib cage. Well finally 10 days ago finally took a back exray and she had three fractures in her spine. So she has had a broken back for the last 6 months which was caused by the predisone. Had surgery 4 days ago but is now in nursing home for a while and the sjogrens is showing up in her lungs and was told this week that the treatment is predisone. She has so many things wrong that I now feel like the predisone has probably caused most of her health problems. Predisone should never be used for long term use it is to dangerous and so very painful.

PLEASE---all who are here on this board...go to the bookstore or library and get this book--The Myth of Osteoperosis.
It is a short read and you will be amazed at what you learn.
Throw away the drugs...they are not proven to prevent fractures and may cause more trouble down the road.

My sister has been on fosomax and shortly after starting was diagnosed with Chrohns(sp?) disease...seems funny started about the same time as she began using this dangerous drug.

God Bless and good luck to all!!

I don't think our doctors know any more than we do about this drug. It's up to us to research it ourselves. According to what I've read, there is no evidence that even taking it at all prevents fractures, and there is quite a bit of evidence that it is in fact harmful. What's more, the drug stays in your bones even after you stop taking it and has a half-life of 10 years, meaning that it takes 10 years for it to reach half it's potency!! This, plus the fact that the long-term effects of this drug are unknown!!

I have been taking Didronel, which is a weaker form of bisphosphonates for several years and was recently put on Fosomax because my bone density had gone lower according to the DXA test. I've now stopped taking it after having perused this forum, and reading an excellent book on the subject called "The Myth of Osteoporosis" by Gillian Sanson. All I can say is, I wish I'd read this material before taking any of these drugs.

A very interesting fact that our doctors do not tell us because presumably they are ignorant of it themselves, is that bone density itself is not a reliable indicator of fracture risk.

I've drawn the conslusion that our doctors are ill informed and we put our trust in them at our own (often considerable) risk.

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Oops! Excuse the entry below. I goofed & hit the wrong key.
Anyhoo, here is my Levaquin story. I am 51 & was diagnosed with cellulitis on Jan. 19th of this year. I was given an IV drug, (Daptomyacin) & 500 mg of Levaquin for 16 days. Towards the end of the treatment, my joints became very achy. (mostly in my knees) I was having burning, tingling sesations throughout my body & my calves were cramping. One week after treatment, I could barely walk through our house. I normally am active, with daily walks & short jogs. Within days, I had to have knee surgery. It is now almost 5 weeks past my surgery. The achy joints, burning, cramping & tingling are still present off & on throughout my body. Although the orthopaedic surgeon did find trauma in my knee, (past fractures, etc.) I am convinced the Levaquin sped up & exacerbated the damage. Now my other knee is hurting so bad, I am starting to think that one will need surgery as well. Both my orthopaedic surgeon the infectious disease Dr. that prescribed the Levaquin dismiss the notion that Levaquin had anything to do with it or that my joints are aching because of the drug. I am thrilled I find this site, because I realize that I haven't imagined these symptoms. But the reality of these reactions is quite sobering. I have never had a bad reaction to a drug in my lifetime. This one was so sudden & severe, I had to add my account to this list. I've just started trying the Milk of Magnesia & hope it works. I too have been drinking lots of water. God bless each of you out there suffering with this & may we find some solutions soon.

My mother had been on advair for a few years....she has had multiple fractures from her jaw to her ribs to her FEMUR (the strongest bone in the body)!!! Has anyone else experienced this or known anyone who has??? Please let me know how long after the advair stops, that this will continue. Thanks...Elissa (*******)

Why is Advair still on the market?? I had 5 fractures when I was on this. With all the other people citing problems-heart, weight gain, cuts that don't heal quickly. I suggest we get to-gether and get a class actions going. Also, why aren't more Doctors more responsible?? They should be.