Trigger finger or trigger thumb after Actonel... - Osteoporosis Message Board

Misty800 · 07-22-2006, 04:34 PM

Did anyone get trigger fingers or trigger thumbs after taking Actonel or other biosophnates?

I am still suffering from side effects of taking Actonel, that is, inflammtion in both feet. I now have trigger fingers and thumbs.

After taking Actonel for 6 weeks at night I waked up with hands in stiff claw position and painful to move them. Often wonder if Actonel is the cause of the trigger thumbs/fingers now.

jacal5 · 07-23-2006, 09:42 PM

Hi,

I have suffered from trigger finger because of a repetitve strain injury, not Actonel. My doc wanted me to take Actonel, but I refused. Anyway, I copied the post below from another health web-site message board, several posters had similar complaints about Actonel:

"Tinnitus, severe balance problems, extreme weakness in knees & stiffness of knees, thigh & shin. Difficulty in walking. Floaters in my eyes, blurry vision, frequent waking up at night & not able to get back to sleep. Night leg cramps. "Trigger" finger (tendon related). Always been healthy before Actonel. Now feel like I am 100 years old!"

I hope this helps.

taape · 07-23-2006, 10:59 PM

Misty800
I have trigger finger (ring finger/4th finger in both hands. I've never taken biophosphates but I think I got it from over use so says the surgeon. I've had one hand operated on already and I'm getting ready to have the other hand done in a few weeks. Are your fingers/thumbs actually get stuck so you can't open/close your hand? It's very painful. Are you planning on having surgery? My surgery was only 30 minutes and my hand felt better immediately.

Misty800 · 07-24-2006, 10:10 AM

Taape:
Thanks. I am still waiting to see the orthopedic hand specialist, appt. Aug.8. Have had the trigger thumb for about 4-5 weeks. I preferred a hand specialist rather than the reg. orthopedic doc.

Don't think mine is caused from repetition, however, I do sew practical quilt tops for chairty, doing so on my own good time, a little here and there. Do use the rotary cutter off and on. I also crochet a little in the evenings while watching TV. Manage to make one motif of a tablecloth. That is not all that much crocheting and do not do it every night. otherwise I am retired.

The right thumb pops, locks, very painful. Sometimes I have to manually release the thumb. The left thumb also has it but does not lock at this time. The ring fingers on both hands have a problem but not locking. Actually all joints in fingers are sore. Both thumbs hurt down thru the wrist and arm almost to the elbow.

I took Actonel once a week for 6-weeks. Three days after the 6th pill my body literally crashed, it was poison to me. Finally began to improve a little after 6 months. At night I would wake up with fingers on both hands locked into claw fashion and had a hard time getting them to release. This continued to happen off and on during the past year and now real problems with both hands. Occasionally at night I find my hands stiff in claw fashion.

I have inflammation in all of my body. Feet still have plantar fasciitis definitely caused by Actonel. It caused faciitis in sitting bone area too. Fortunately the sitting bone cleared up but feet are still a misery. In January both knees swelled/pain, had steroid shots in both. The right knee is now almost liveable but the left knee is still swollen/painful, but, it has improved some. If I bump a door facing accidentally I feel soreness throughout my body. The orthopedic doctor taking care of my knees did a MRI and x-rays. He said I have inflammation all over.

I could not take Motrin or Aleeve, caused stomach pain. A week ago my internist prescribed "Limbrel" an anti-inflammatory med. which is called a health food but is a prescription. So far it has not bothered my stomach and inflammation has improved some, I have hopes.

At the moment I have no feet, no knees, no hips, no hands, no upper arms to do diddley squat!!LOL!! Sure is boring not being able to do anything. Wish I had never taken Actonel.

taape · 07-24-2006, 08:44 PM

Misty800,
Your prescription for Limbrel - do you get it at the health food store or pharmacy? Are you in the US? So this one didn't cause you stomach pain. I need something for inflammation and can't take the regular NSAIDS because of stomach pain. Maybe I should ask about this one.

Yes, I would definitely go with a hand surgeon as hand surgeries are very intricate - small spaces to deal with, etc., Be careful about letting your fingers lock up because that can aggreviate the condition alot and cause more damage. If it's not too bad they cut the tendon sheath (covering) to allow for more room for the tendon to go through. If it's really bad and twisted up they have to cut all the way through the tendon, it's a more comlicated surgey and then your finger or hand might be weak. You only have a few weeks to go until your app't I'd get help doing things until then.

Yes, it does sound boring not having any limbs to use. Take it easy and let us know what the surgeon says.