Fosamax and legs

Hi, I am a 57 year old female who was just recently put on Fosamax to counteract the bone loss caused by Femera that I am taking to keep my breast cancer from coming back. The first two weeks I felt okay albeit I did have stomach ache for two days and loose bowels. Then the bone pain began and I mean pain, not light, not moderate as the labels say, and it was especially severe at night. I found myself also feeling dizzy, depressed, no energy, kinda weird. I couldn't have relations with my husband because my hips and pelvis were so painful, also my neck, lower back and legs. Not fun. I took myself off it....Bone pain subsiding..also gastric upsets were getting worse. I tend toward gastritis and have IBS so this drug did not agree with me. I hate it! Will not go on any of these again, as I have also had lots of jaw problems in the past, and dental problems and DO NOT WANT that horrible jaw thing to happen. Yike... Love Pam

Thank-you for this site! After reading all the testimonials I was greatly helped in realizing I was not alone in the terrible side-effects I was having since being on Fosamax for the past 5 months. A week ago the pain got so crippling I could barely walk,---left hip was awful, pain going right down the leg. It was hard to even sit without pain... X-Rays ordered by our internist revealed no new fracture or injury. I was on 70 mg tablets once weekly. Fortunately a lobotomist lady told me while taking my blood that the pain she had when on a Biphosphate medication (Boniva) crippled her with such pain she had to stop working! My internist is unable to accept the fact that Fosamax is the culprit causing the horrible pain...and although he has asked me to continue it, and use acupuncture to alleviate my pain, I HAVE TAKEN THE LAST DOSE Of IT AND HAVE INFORMED THEIR OFFICE...Many of the postings reiterated what I have suffered the last few months. The capstone came yesterday when an adult doctor-student of mine told me he would not take any Biphosphate drug and feels that like Vioxx the FDA in time will HAVE TO TAKE IT off the market. In the meantime, you folks are doing a wonderful service in helping your fellow-beings make wise decisions! I feel doctors prescribe these drugs in good faith,---after all their training is drug-oriented...I am thankful there are also Natural Alternatives and this is the route I plan to take! Blessings on all you dear folks out there who are victims of drug-reactions....The good news is that I understand most symptoms will be relieved when we stop taking the drug....Also, aural surgeons will not do surgery on any patient until they have been off Fosamax or any Biphosphate drugs FOR SIX MONTHS.....THANKS AGAIN FOR THIS SITE AND ALL OF YOU WHO POSTED ON IT....You have all helped me make a wise decision...Thanks again and God bless!

As a prime candidate for osteoporosis I was prescribed Fosamax at least 12 years ago if not longer. At the time I started taking it, my mother was very ill and did pass. That was when I noticed small 'jumps' in my legs at night which I attributed to the stress of the time.

Over the years, the 'jumps' increased in intensity to almost convulsive movements of not only my legs - but my arms - head - neck - torso. There were times when I thought I would be flung from my bed or dislocate my joints so strong were the muscle contractions. It was impossible to get to sleep and I was often woken from sleep by a convulsive movement.

I went to the Seattle Sleep Clinic for help (around 2000/01) after 5+ years of progressive worsening of these symptoms. Unfortunately, the doctor only wanted to fit me into the 'restless leg syndrome' in spite of my constant statement that I had NO feeling of 'creepy crawly, etc' before the convulsion. None. They just whipped me about out of the blue. No resolution.

About two months ago I ran out of Fosamax (actually taking a generic here in Mexico) and (for whatever reason) I did not refill. Since then I have noticed a HUGE lessening in these god-awful, annoying, scary convulsive movements. I have made no other changes in medications nor can I think of anything else that would cause this reprieve. A "milagro" isn't likely.

I haven't seen this side affect listed and am wondering if any other people have experienced this 'convulsive' problem?

Gracias,
Jillian

Today is Friday, I took my first Fosamax tablet this past Monday and I have severe brusing and a burning sensation in both legs. No more for me.

Upon taking fosamax I started getting shoulder pain. Approx. 2 weeks after 1st pill. Second, I started to develop leg pain. Lots of muscle ache in lower legs. After reading posts I will discontinue fosamax. Thank you for your postings.

I started taking Fosamax several years ago. Over the past few months, I have experienced rapidly increasing joint, bone and muscle pain. My strength has been seriously diminished.

I am 70 years old and have always been strong and active. Now I have a serious limp in both legs and find my former activities impossible to continue.

I am extremely angry about this and may seek legal assistance to place blame where it belongs - with the manufacturers whose medicine has caused this condition.

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.

My mother took her first dose of Fosamax last Thursday, Friday her legs had swollen up, her right more so than the left. The doctor advised us to go to the ER to make sure it wasn't a blood clot. All her blood tests were fine, checked for heart failure, it was fine, ct scan of her chest, all fine, next day we got an ultrasound on her legs, that was fine too. It's been a week later and they are still swollen, she has NEVER had this problem in her whole life and usually avoids doctors but she pulled a muscle in her back and finally broke down and went to a doctor. Since she is 70 he immediately wanted her to take Fosamax. She will not take it anymore and he is at a complete loss as to why she swelled up, but I know the Fosamax caused it. But I'd like to know who is going to pay her medical bills from all of the testing she had done...Merck? She's on a fixed income and Medicare doesn't cover everything. Perhaps Merck rushed and manipulated research on this medicine to get FDA approval?

The day after taking Fosamax for the first time, I suffered from extreme joint pains. I could hardly walk the next day.
Every bone in my hips and legs were sore.

The doctor asked me to wait two weeks and try Fosamax again. I did and the next day, I suffered from the worst headache I have ever had. The headache lasted for about eight hours and ending only after getting sick to my stomach.

I will not try taking it again.

as i am reading everyone having pain in you hips and legs. about a year ago i was having pain in my hips and going down like the siatic nerve. the pain was so bad i had to set on a heating pad. it hurt so bad sometimes i would actually cry. at that time i really did not attribute it to fosamax. but i quit taking it about 6 to 7 months ago simple because i could not remember to take it. i thought it was the lipotor that i had recently started to take. maybe they have some of the same ingredients. but recently i went to get two teeth extracted and the dentist refused, because i have taken fosamas. it seems there is a side effect if you have teethe extracted you do not heal good. leaving the jaw bone exposed and eventual the bone dies out. requiring lots of money to rebuild the jow bone. has anyone had problems with there teeth getting brittle and breaking off?

I have been taking Fosamax 70 for two years - recently took myself off it. I have had SEVERE pains in the muscles of my legs - so much so that I have trouble standing for any length of time - like waiting in line, etc. I've been off Fosamax for two months and gradually, this pain is subsiding.

Ive been taking this medication for 3 months - every morning my right toes are numb. I have severe bruising on both my legs and calves and wonder if anyone else is experiencing bruising.

Considerable muscle pain in legs and hips; severe neck
and shoulder pain, mental sluggishness, memory lapses,
weight gain. This was 70 mg. once a week from Nov. 02
to May 03. I had been on the 10 mg. per day regimen from '96-'00 and had similar side effects but not as severe.
Why are doctors so gung-ho on this stuff and patients know
it is a bummer? When they put their wives on it they'll
believe us!