Anyone Constipated Taking Fosamax? - Osteoporosis Message Board

Mothers Pride · 08-01-2003, 12:52 PM

Hello, my mom has been taking Fosamax (70mg) going on three years along with two Caltrate 600mg calcium w/Vitamin D pills and she began feeling really bloated with gas, says she smothers from her stomach feeling so bloated and is now very constipated. I figure it must be the calcium for it really constipates me but she took the calcium for 10 years, long before she even heard of Fosamax and always had a healthy bowel movement, one, sometimes twice a day. She never had any trouble with her stomach or any bone pain before Fosamax. She has quit taking it going on 4 weeks now and her constipation is a little better and her bone pain is gone. Has anyone else had any trouble with constipation since taking this horrible drug?

blondegal · 08-01-2003, 03:34 PM

Try adding magnesium that should help but go easy at first.

Mothers Pride · 08-01-2003, 08:56 PM

Thank you, blondegal, for taking the time to respond. As far as magnesium goes, she takes a multi-vitamin, Centrum Silver, once a day which I'm sure has so much magnesium, not sure how much though. Is that not enough or does she need more? If so, how would she go about taking it, is there such a thing as a magnesium pill? I noticed on her calcium bottle where it lists magnesium stearate as one of the ingredients. Not sure what that means though. Thanks again for the information and I hope to hear from you again.

merryk · 08-02-2003, 07:36 AM

You might want to question the amount of vitamin D that she is taking. Centrum Silver gives you 100% of daily requirement. The calcium pills with added vitamin D puts her over the recommended level. If you get too much vitamin D it contributes to excretion of calcium. You don't need to take vitamin D with the calcium because it is stored in the body, you just need to have it available. I agree that calcium supplements can cause constipation, and if she has added foods to her diet to increase calcium intake this may have contributed to the overall problem.
If she has become more sedentary, it would also contribute to the problem.

Mothers Pride · 08-03-2003, 02:27 PM

Bless you, merryk, for the wonderful information. You know, we both had discussed the fact that she might be getting too much vit D but just wasn't sure. And the doctor who told her to take that much (she said at least 600 to 800 IUs a day) has left her practice and moved away, so we did not have anyone to ask until we can find another doctor. She just turned 80 and has to walk around on forearm crutches which makes it hard for her to be as active as she used to be although she walks the treadmill at least 30 mins. a day, no matter how much pain she's in. But we think you are absolutely right about too much vit D and calcium along with calcium food. I have already bought her a huge bottle of Caltrate without the D in it. Hopefully that along with cuttimg back on some of the calcium will do the trick! Thanks again, your response means so much!