osteoblast
01-04-2009, 05:59 PM
On Jan 2, I decided to run a search on osteoporosis news :eek: Well, here goes with a very brief summary of possible assoc. of bisphos use with ONJ, esophageal cancer, and Mega-cell Osteoclasts----
ONJ-osteonecrosis of the jaw which was once thought to be a "negligible risk" with use of bisphos. has now been termed by a representative of the Univ of So Cal School of Dentistry to be a "raging epidemic". He said before we saw 1 case of ONJ a year , and now we see 1-4 cases a week. They reviewed their records and found the association with bisphos. use. The finding from USC Dental School are published in the Jan. 2009 issue of the Journal of Am. Dental Assoc.(Taape mentioned this news a few days ago in another thread)
Esophageal Cancer-Published in the New England Journal of Med. Jan 2009 suggests a possible link between Fosamax and dev. of esophageal cancer. This info was included in a letter to the editor from an epidemiologist with the FDA. It was noted that esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus )with use of Fosamax was possibly setting up the conditions for dev. of esoph. cancer.There have been 23 reported cases of esoph. cancer with use of Fosamax and 8 have died.
Mega-cell Osteoclasts-Also in Jan 2009 issue of New Eng. Journal of Med, there is an article concerning a finding that with use of Fosamax up to 3 yrs. they are finding "giant" osteoclasts -single cells fused together with as many as 40 nuclei . Normally there would be 7-8 nuclei in one grouping. A dr. from Case Med. In Cleveland notes-we don't know what it means.
I hope that I have stated the info correctly but please do not rely on what I have written , if interested do a search on recent news.
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In one of the articles I read it stated that 30 million Americans are now taking bisphos.
ONJ-osteonecrosis of the jaw which was once thought to be a "negligible risk" with use of bisphos. has now been termed by a representative of the Univ of So Cal School of Dentistry to be a "raging epidemic". He said before we saw 1 case of ONJ a year , and now we see 1-4 cases a week. They reviewed their records and found the association with bisphos. use. The finding from USC Dental School are published in the Jan. 2009 issue of the Journal of Am. Dental Assoc.(Taape mentioned this news a few days ago in another thread)
Esophageal Cancer-Published in the New England Journal of Med. Jan 2009 suggests a possible link between Fosamax and dev. of esophageal cancer. This info was included in a letter to the editor from an epidemiologist with the FDA. It was noted that esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus )with use of Fosamax was possibly setting up the conditions for dev. of esoph. cancer.There have been 23 reported cases of esoph. cancer with use of Fosamax and 8 have died.
Mega-cell Osteoclasts-Also in Jan 2009 issue of New Eng. Journal of Med, there is an article concerning a finding that with use of Fosamax up to 3 yrs. they are finding "giant" osteoclasts -single cells fused together with as many as 40 nuclei . Normally there would be 7-8 nuclei in one grouping. A dr. from Case Med. In Cleveland notes-we don't know what it means.
I hope that I have stated the info correctly but please do not rely on what I have written , if interested do a search on recent news.
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In one of the articles I read it stated that 30 million Americans are now taking bisphos.
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DesertBloom
01-04-2009, 07:39 PM
Hi Osteo: How are you?? All of this news is so horrible! I don't know what to think anymore. I try to stay neutral on these topics, but then another warning is realized.
What did you make of the retraction from the FDA on Fosamax and atrial fibrillation? First they said there was a correlation and put out the warning based on the NEJM article/study and then retracked it, when was it, last month or so.
I hear so many complaints with these meds, but then there's a very large group that have no problems. Unfortunately the positive stuff is rarely put on the Internet.
Anything new going on with you? I think I lost track of some of you for awhile. I'm working part time and don't have as much time on my hands. I still have all the care taking duties, with my husband, and my limitations so this job just about fills up every last second of time. Luckily I'm working from home.
If you hear any other news, fill us in-ok? You mentioned getting new insurance, I hope it isn't turning your medical care into a major obstacle. I hear so many stories about changes in insurance or people with no insurance, it breaks my heart. Things aren't looking so good on the financial front.
Take Care and I hope your weather is bearable.:wave:
What did you make of the retraction from the FDA on Fosamax and atrial fibrillation? First they said there was a correlation and put out the warning based on the NEJM article/study and then retracked it, when was it, last month or so.
I hear so many complaints with these meds, but then there's a very large group that have no problems. Unfortunately the positive stuff is rarely put on the Internet.
Anything new going on with you? I think I lost track of some of you for awhile. I'm working part time and don't have as much time on my hands. I still have all the care taking duties, with my husband, and my limitations so this job just about fills up every last second of time. Luckily I'm working from home.
If you hear any other news, fill us in-ok? You mentioned getting new insurance, I hope it isn't turning your medical care into a major obstacle. I hear so many stories about changes in insurance or people with no insurance, it breaks my heart. Things aren't looking so good on the financial front.
Take Care and I hope your weather is bearable.:wave:
osteoblast
01-05-2009, 05:15 PM
The news on the bisphos. drugs looks bad to me as well . It really stunned me to read that the Univ. of So Cal. expert notes a " raging epidemic " of ONJ associated with bisphos. use. I am sure you read these news reports with keen interest .
Have you completed your healing process from the dental work ? I am grateful to you for sharing that experience with us .I know that you do not want to sway people concerning their treatment. Let's just say it made me take a hard look at the information coming out.
I was not aware of the atrial fibriallation news. I took a bit of a holiday from reading about osteoporosis . So, when I read the flurry of news on Jan 2 about "raging epidemic" of ONJ, the esoph. cancer and mega cells, it seemed like an onslaught.
One bit of news though that I read about 4 months ago continues to concern me , not for myself but for others. Did you read about the odd femur fractures occuring with bisphos use while people are also taking hrt? I know someone did a posting here on the odd femur fractures but they did not note the concurrent use of hrt. I spoke with my current osteo expert concerning this and she said that it appears the 2 combined cause too much of a slowing process.... I wonder could this be part of the mega cell situation?
Geez, makes me think someday the pharma companies are going to develop some drug to clear the bisphos. !The next ka-ching.
Your life sounds very busy right now, I hope the work at home is agreeing with you.
Regarding our new insur. , it just kicked in Jan 1-so time will tell. About the uninsured and the economy, hopefully things will change for the better.
And about the weather--it truly sucks at this time of year. California dreamin' is on my mind! :)
Have you completed your healing process from the dental work ? I am grateful to you for sharing that experience with us .I know that you do not want to sway people concerning their treatment. Let's just say it made me take a hard look at the information coming out.
I was not aware of the atrial fibriallation news. I took a bit of a holiday from reading about osteoporosis . So, when I read the flurry of news on Jan 2 about "raging epidemic" of ONJ, the esoph. cancer and mega cells, it seemed like an onslaught.
One bit of news though that I read about 4 months ago continues to concern me , not for myself but for others. Did you read about the odd femur fractures occuring with bisphos use while people are also taking hrt? I know someone did a posting here on the odd femur fractures but they did not note the concurrent use of hrt. I spoke with my current osteo expert concerning this and she said that it appears the 2 combined cause too much of a slowing process.... I wonder could this be part of the mega cell situation?
Geez, makes me think someday the pharma companies are going to develop some drug to clear the bisphos. !The next ka-ching.
Your life sounds very busy right now, I hope the work at home is agreeing with you.
Regarding our new insur. , it just kicked in Jan 1-so time will tell. About the uninsured and the economy, hopefully things will change for the better.
And about the weather--it truly sucks at this time of year. California dreamin' is on my mind! :)
DesertBloom
01-07-2009, 08:09 PM
Hi Osteo: I hear about bad weather everywhere it seems, this last couple of months, so I thought about you too.
I'm not completed thrilled with my dental healing and have to see my new dentist real soon. I guess I've been slacking on it, much like other things. I'm having other non osteo probs that have to be dx'd. I have some internal bleeding (in urine) and the doc thinks it may be a stone. I don't have any of the symptoms, except for the ongoing back pain. I had a spiral CT yesterday to determine whether it's a stone or something else since the bleeding is voluminous.
I don't know what the dentist will say, I just don't like the way one extraction healed. I don't have exposed bone or loose teeth, but it does still hurt, only when I accidentally chew on it, and the extraction was well over a year ago. The other extraction site is fine.
I have heard about the femur fractures, and my doc said they were seeing some of this at their clinic about a year ago.
I hope your insurance works well, you don't need anymore problems. Sometimes a info holiday is necessary!! You can drive yourself nuts with some of this stuff even if you aren't actually dealing with the problem mentioned in the news.
I can't imagine how they would be able to get BP's out of the system, but that would be something if someone figured that out!
It snowed here the week before Christmas, but it was really just an additional pain. We don't get snow very often.
Good luck with all your medical issues and hope this New Year will bring good health to everyone.:wave:
I'm not completed thrilled with my dental healing and have to see my new dentist real soon. I guess I've been slacking on it, much like other things. I'm having other non osteo probs that have to be dx'd. I have some internal bleeding (in urine) and the doc thinks it may be a stone. I don't have any of the symptoms, except for the ongoing back pain. I had a spiral CT yesterday to determine whether it's a stone or something else since the bleeding is voluminous.
I don't know what the dentist will say, I just don't like the way one extraction healed. I don't have exposed bone or loose teeth, but it does still hurt, only when I accidentally chew on it, and the extraction was well over a year ago. The other extraction site is fine.
I have heard about the femur fractures, and my doc said they were seeing some of this at their clinic about a year ago.
I hope your insurance works well, you don't need anymore problems. Sometimes a info holiday is necessary!! You can drive yourself nuts with some of this stuff even if you aren't actually dealing with the problem mentioned in the news.
I can't imagine how they would be able to get BP's out of the system, but that would be something if someone figured that out!
It snowed here the week before Christmas, but it was really just an additional pain. We don't get snow very often.
Good luck with all your medical issues and hope this New Year will bring good health to everyone.:wave:
Turquoise
01-09-2009, 10:55 AM
Thanks for your comprehensive search of the bisphosphates. This just shows that we have to be vigilant in watching for symptoms if we use them. And, preact and research ANY medication we are given for osteoporosis. If the side effects out weight the benefits don't take them or go off of them. If you stay on them reassess them each time you see your doctor.
So far, I haven't had any noticable benefit from anything I have tried so why take anything. Since I no longer trust the dexascans, I don't even get those anymore.
Good luck,
Turquoise
So far, I haven't had any noticable benefit from anything I have tried so why take anything. Since I no longer trust the dexascans, I don't even get those anymore.
Good luck,
Turquoise
starfish81
01-09-2009, 02:01 PM
So far, I haven't had any noticable benefit from anything I have tried so why take anything. Since I no longer trust the dexascans, I don't even get those anymore.
Good luck,
Turquoise
Speaking of which, did anybody see the Associated Press article earlier this week which questions the FDA and its role in technological products which aren't really effective but get approval anyway:mad:?
Good luck,
Turquoise
Speaking of which, did anybody see the Associated Press article earlier this week which questions the FDA and its role in technological products which aren't really effective but get approval anyway:mad:?
osteoblast
01-09-2009, 04:24 PM
DB-Sorry to hear about the internal bleeding! I hope the CT yields the information needed for diagnosis. I am hoping for you that everything works out well. If you feel like it, let us know how you do.
On the dental healing, do they expect these things to take quite some time? Sometimes I am so puzzled by the time (sometimes shorter or sometimes longer) it takes our bodies to heal. Of course blood flow is so important to healing-I wonder is there anyway to stimulate blood flow to your jaw?? Or any other things that you can do now to assist healing? Have they given you any ideas. One thing I have heard about recently is arnica-actually my dental hygenist told me that plastic surgeons are using this to promote healing. I wonder if it is too late or still possible that you may get some benefit from arnica? I did a little checking on what she said and apparently there may be some benefit to this. You would get the arnica from a health supplement store. Have you heard about arnica?
About a bisphos. clearing drug--Yes, it would be hard to imagine. While I said this in jest, I am sure alot of people would like to get their hands on such a drug now considering the long half life of the bisphos.
Turq-if this info was helpful at all I am glad. This latest info. wasn't found through any comprehensive search. Just one evening I decided to do a quick check on the latest osteoporosis news and I was overwhelmed by all the bad info.It seems like early Jan.is the time new journal articles hit because the news was related to the new articles. And, it was bad indeed for the bisphos.
Starfish-Yes, the role of the FDA is something to ponder. With all of this info now coming out about the long term consequences of the bisphos, it really makes you wonder. The drug companies have now made their fortunes and we are left the consequences of their wonder drugs.
On the dental healing, do they expect these things to take quite some time? Sometimes I am so puzzled by the time (sometimes shorter or sometimes longer) it takes our bodies to heal. Of course blood flow is so important to healing-I wonder is there anyway to stimulate blood flow to your jaw?? Or any other things that you can do now to assist healing? Have they given you any ideas. One thing I have heard about recently is arnica-actually my dental hygenist told me that plastic surgeons are using this to promote healing. I wonder if it is too late or still possible that you may get some benefit from arnica? I did a little checking on what she said and apparently there may be some benefit to this. You would get the arnica from a health supplement store. Have you heard about arnica?
About a bisphos. clearing drug--Yes, it would be hard to imagine. While I said this in jest, I am sure alot of people would like to get their hands on such a drug now considering the long half life of the bisphos.
Turq-if this info was helpful at all I am glad. This latest info. wasn't found through any comprehensive search. Just one evening I decided to do a quick check on the latest osteoporosis news and I was overwhelmed by all the bad info.It seems like early Jan.is the time new journal articles hit because the news was related to the new articles. And, it was bad indeed for the bisphos.
Starfish-Yes, the role of the FDA is something to ponder. With all of this info now coming out about the long term consequences of the bisphos, it really makes you wonder. The drug companies have now made their fortunes and we are left the consequences of their wonder drugs.