Hi

My mother (68) is a complicated medical case. Five years ago, she almost died of AIDS-related illnesses before being diagnosed as HIV+ and making a remarkable recovery on combination therapy - with apparently few side effects. There is a history of osteoporosis in the female members of our family in later years (65+) and some arthritis but she'd shown no signs of either until several months ago. At that point, she suddenly developed crippling arthritis in her legs, preventing her from living her normal fairly-active life. Tests showed osteoporosis (I don't know the level) and she was put on weekly Fosomax, which she's been taking for a month.

In the last week, she's developed oedema in her legs and ankles so serious that she can barely struggle from one end of her small apartment to the other. She's utterly miserable and hopeless - things not normally in her nature to be. I've found a couple of sites which link this drug with this side effect, but nothing on here.

I've ordered some high quality natural progesterone cream for her (which I've found - at 40 - has helped me with low-progesterone symptoms such as thin hair and insomnia) and Vitamin C to help with the oedema symptoms. I'm going to warn her of the possibility that it's the drug, but would love some corroboration of the theory.

Anyone?

Thanks, Alpha