Boniva - Does anyone else take?

[njean]

I went for a check-up yesterday & everything looked better than last month -- the PVC's that were there last month were just about gone this time; the doctor had told me to start taking magnesium tablets & they have worked!

A month ago too, I had a bone scan & I have "osteoperosis" on my spine & hips. Since I have been on coumadin for 30+, coumadin tends to deplete bone mass over the years & that's what has happened to me. So, he told me to start taking "Boniva" once a month & to start taking calcium supplements as well.

Naturally I am afraid of starting any new meds because I'm terrified of something else going wrong with me, & I've read that boniva can cause ulcers, problems with the esophogus, etc. There is also an injection that can be administered every 3 months if the patient prefers. I'm almost more inclined to go with the injection than the pill?

Do any of the other women on this forum take boniva or know of someone that does? The doctor gave me my first sample box but I am not going to take it until I do further research on this drug.

Thank you & I appreciate whatever info you may have.

God bless,
Norma

 

[Adrienne]

Although I do not take Boniva because it is not yet in Canada, I take Actonnel which is a once-a-week pill. I do not have osteoporosis yet, but I have osteopenia of the spine (my femur, etc. is fine) and do not want it to degenerate to osteoporosis. Actonnel also can cause problems with the esophogus, but I have not had any problems. I've been taking calcium for years. I wish Boniva would come to Canada so I would only have to take a pill once a month.

Oh, by the way, I read an article on the yearly injection you can get. The only thing that scares me (although it is supposed to happen seldomly) is that it can cause heart arrhythmia!!! Since I had a-fib before surgery, I don't want anything that could possibly cause that again!!

 

[Blanche]

Like Adrienne, I too have osteopenia. I have been taking Fosamax, which is similar to Boniva, for about 5 years. My husband has osteoporosis and has been taking Fosamax weekly for 7 years. Neither of us have had any problems but we have received good news every year. Our dexi scans have improved yearly. We also take 1,500 mg of calcium daily.
Kind regrds,
Blanche

 

[njean]

Thank you Adrienne & Blanche for your feed back. Fosomax was also recommended to me at one time so there's one more alternative to think about.

God Bless!
norma

 

[Christina]

I had a very bad reaction to Actonel a few years back that landed me in the ER for 9 hours. I think I posted my experience on the site shortly after it happened. Do a search and maybe it is still there.
I only took two doses of Actonel one week apart and the reaction started the day after I had taken the 2nd dose. I started having increasingly charper chest pains and I thought I was having a heart attack. The chest pains became charley horses in the chest cavity and they lasted for a long time and it took about two weeks before they finally wore off. I was on vacation in Oregon when I could still feel them. When the doctor in the ER finally figured out that it was a reaction to the Actonel I had been in the ER for 9 hours. The doctor wasn't allowed to tell me that it indeed was a reaction to the Actonel drug but she showed it to me on her little pocket computer without saying a word.
I stopped taking the Actonel that night and will never take it again. All those meds, Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva are all in the same family and have dangerous side effects.
Be careful!

 

[Adrienne]

I had a very bad reaction to Actonel a few years back that landed me in the ER for 9 hours. I think I posted my experience on the site shortly after it happened. Do a search and maybe it is still there.
I only took two doses of Actonel one week apart and the reaction started the day after I had taken the 2nd dose. I started having increasingly charper chest pains and I thought I was having a heart attack. The chest pains became charley horses in the chest cavity and they lasted for a long time and it took about two weeks before they finally wore off. I was on vacation in Oregon when I could still feel them. When the doctor in the ER finally figured out that it was a reaction to the Actonel I had been in the ER for 9 hours. The doctor wasn't allowed to tell me that it indeed was a reaction to the Actonel drug but she showed it to me on her little pocket computer without saying a word.
I stopped taking the Actonel that night and will never take it again. All those meds, Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva are all in the same family and have dangerous side effects.
Be careful!

That's terrible! Why wasn't the doctor in the ER allowed to tell you it was a reaction to the Actonel? Since she wasn't allowed to talk about it, I guess you couldn't get much more information about why they are sure it was a reaction to Actonel and not something else. That's not one of the side effects listed if I remember correctly.

 

[marky]

Norma
I have premature osteroporosis (pre-menopausal). Probably b/c I have celiac disease and didn't get proper nurishment for a long time.

I tried Boniva..but it tore my esophagaus up! I lost my voice and had such burning pain ..I lasted 3 months on it.

I have been on Evisita for almost 1 year now. It is a hormone type bone builder unlike the actenol/fosomax/boniva family. The only negative I saw with this medication is a slight weight gain.(5-8lbs)
I got for my next bone scan in Jan. and am hoping to see some positive changes!

HTH!

 

[Christina]

That's terrible! Why wasn't the doctor in the ER allowed to tell you it was a reaction to the Actonel? Since she wasn't allowed to talk about it, I guess you couldn't get much more information about why they are sure it was a reaction to Actonel and not something else. That's not one of the side effects listed if I remember correctly.

Adrienne,

When the attending doctor finally showed me on her pocket computer that one of the side effects of Actonel IS chest pains, but didn't say a word, the look on her face told me that she wasn't allowed to tell me anything more. I had been telling attending personel from the time I came to the ER that the only thing different in my life was that my doctor had talked me into taking Actonel for Osteoporosis and that I had taken two doses over a two week period. The chest pains/charley horses were absolutely horrible and I had a hard time breathing. They did put me on Oxygen but weren't able to give me anything for pain until they figured out where the pains originated from. When she figured that out I was sent home. I don't remember if any pain meds were given. The pains finally wore off after a couple weeks.

 

[Adrienne]

Christina, I just find it terrible that they didn't seem to be allowed to discuss the cause with you. I wonder why that would be.

I've been on Actonel since February, and so far so good, but I will keep your experience in mind.