Bisphosphonates & Rheumatoid Arthritis

[Ron]

Originally Posted by old waitress

My son is on Kineret and injectable methotrexate and has been for the last year. He has done so well he in no longer in a wheelchair and very littl pain,We are now unable to get the injectable methotrexate, anyone else have that problem? What the deal with nor being able to get it?

Hi Oldwaitress,

The improvement your son has seen may not be permanent.
Bone pain can be due to trauma, osteoporosis etc.. Methotreaxate
is a chemotherapy that prevents the immune system from attacking
the body's own tissues. It is not a cure, but instead carries its' own risks
as a carcinogen. It shortens lives as do all immune suppressants.

I ask you if your son has had a complete blood test to look for indicators of an activated immune system and products of a hidden infection?
Sed Rate, C Reactive Protein, Antinuclear Antibody, White Blood Cell Count and Rheumatoid Factor can indicate a need to treat with anbibiotics until the numbers return to normal ranges.

The thinking about RA is changing as more people are being successfully treated with long term antibiotics... (Studies have been done showing that
all subjects improved and none were harmed.)
Didn't a similar thing happen in the 80's regarding the treatment of
Stomach Ulcers? We all know that Helicobacter Pylori is treatable with a week of antibiotics and the ulcers go away as well.

I could post links, but that is not allowed... You can do searches yourself and find the information.

Regards..
Ron

[jacal5]

My doctor wanted me to take Actonel for ostepenia, but I read on-line that some of the side effects are heart disease and skin cancer. He made a special phone call to me at home to ask me if I filled the prescripton he gave me (what doctor does that?, I was wondering if the drug company put pressure on him to push Actonel). I told him to forget it, that I would just take calcium supplements along with the other appropriate vitamins and minerals. I also told him that I read only 50% of women who develop osteporosis will get a fracture, so I will take my chances. He replied,"oh you really have done your homework!"
I asked the doc since I have osteopenia in the hip only, what would the Actonel do to the rest of my bones that don't need any medication, and he said he didn't know. I also wrote to the drug company a few months ago (I forgot which one makes Actonel) and asked the same question and guess what? I never received a response!
I posted the info regarding Actonel on the osteoporosis boards a few months ago. I know someone who has skin cancer on her face who was taking Foxomax, but I don't know if it's related, I didn't read any warnings regarding Foxomax and skin cancer, only Actonel.

[olivep]

Hi. Have just found this great chat place. Have had osteoporosis for many years first having HRT treatment plus calcium and then (after a breast cancer scare) discontinued HRT and went on to calcitrol. Density reports were good but didnt have one for aouple of years (shifting house) and had a compression fracture T12 about ten weeks ago. Doctor advised actonel and (against my sisters wishes....she is a very bad sufferer with osteo) I took one tablet...that night was rushed to hospital with a severe bowel haemorrhage. None of the Doctors involved will blame the actonel, rather a coincidental bleed from diverticula (which I have also had for years without one single bleed of any kind) Has anyone else had this problem. Incidentally my sisters Doctor told her that she had had to send five patients to hospital from Fosomax induced bleeding. It is ten weeks now since the compression fracture and am still in great pain on the right side and am cross that I can now not take any drug other than the calcitrol which obviously did not prevent the fracture. Find all your comments very interesting...cheers

[Iwantacure]

Hi all. THanks so much for warning me for all those side effects.
You don't know how much I appreciate it. I applaude to you all.
By the way there is another medication in the market that can cause sever side effects for your vision, vision fluctuations!, blurry vision, double vision...yep you guessed it right, that is Plaquenil and Prednisone. you will need to wear glasses. I also want to warn here that if you have auto-immune disease such as lupus, RA or any other auto-immune disease you will never be able to fix your vision! once the damage is done it's done!.
The reason to it is because auto-immune disease involves with dry eyes and therefore today doctor refuse to do the laser/lasik vision correction on dry eyes!.
Also, with auto-immune disease you cannot wear contacts(because of dry eyes). So what you have left?
So, vision fluctuations, double vision and nice pair of glasses together with your illness. It just doesn't worth it.
I was offered those drugs, doctor told me that it doesn't cause damage for vision, No health problems(diabetic for example because of those drugs).
I'm glad I have this forum. Thank you all people, you are doing a great job!
Well, keep on posting here, you are doing a great job!

[Ron]

Originally Posted by olivep

Hi. Have just found this great chat place. Have had osteoporosis for many years first having HRT treatment plus calcium and then (after a breast cancer scare) discontinued HRT and went on to calcitrol. Density reports were good but didnt have one for aouple of years (shifting house) and had a compression fracture T12 about ten weeks ago. Doctor advised actonel and (against my sisters wishes....she is a very bad sufferer with osteo) I took one tablet...that night was rushed to hospital with a severe bowel haemorrhage. None of the Doctors involved will blame the actonel, rather a coincidental bleed from diverticula (which I have also had for years without one single bleed of any kind) Has anyone else had this problem. Incidentally my sisters Doctor told her that she had had to send five patients to hospital from Fosomax induced bleeding. It is ten weeks now since the compression fracture and am still in great pain on the right side and am cross that I can now not take any drug other than the calcitrol which obviously did not prevent the fracture. Find all your comments very interesting...cheers

Hi Olive,

The problem with Fosamax is well known and a solution has been found...
If the Fosamax is taken weekly instead of daily there is much less risk of
bleeding.

Anyone with swallowing issues must also ensure that the pill reaches the stomach, so it is wise to take it with, or at the beginning of a meal.

There are other ways of administering bisphosphonates, such as a Calcitonin Nasal Spray or an intravenous pamindronate which is a more direct way of getting into the bloodstream without going through the digestive system.

Ron