Actonel & Prevacid?

[Woodruff]

I went into early menopause, they gave me a Bone Density test & said I needed to be on Actonel, after 2 years tested me again & said my Osteoporosis had improved. During the next 2 years my Acid reflux got worse so now take 2 l5mg prevacid in morning & 1 l5mg at night. So got tested again & my hips have gotten worse, now is it because of being on Prevacid? Maybe the Actonel isn't working either. Any suggestions would be appreciated....

Thanks, Deb

[Misty800]

I have read that other areas are helped by biophosnates such as Actonel and Fosmax, but the hip area is weaker and more hip fractures. The improvement in other areas was very small.

Recently a study says Prevacid keeps calcium from being absorbed.

[taape]

Misty 800,
How are your hands after surgery? Did it involve the bone in your hands? I always get nervous thinking that I have osteo in every bone in my body but not sure. My hand surgery was done and I was sort of afraid that small bones in my finger would break. But no problems luckily.

[Misty800]

taape,

Thanks for asking. The thumb release surgery went well on the right thumb. The tunnel was slit to enlarge for the thickened tendon to slide thru (similar to carpal tunnel release). It has been 2 1/2 weeks and everything seems to be healing on schedule. Not doing much, do not want to aggravate the healing process. I now can eat with the right hand again, what a mess with the left hand!LOL!

I was off the anti-inflammatory med Limbrel 2 weeks before and 2 weeks after surgery and it allowed ligament inflammation to rear it's ugly head again all over body. Hopefully it will settle back down soon now that I am back on Limbrel. I was enjoying being basically pain free (still have misery) for the first time in 2 years, now have to wait for it to be under control again.

Hopefully the Limbrel will prevent the other thumb and fingers from getting worse and avoid surgery in the future. Unfortunately I have the same ligament problem in all fingers/thumbs. The right thumb was the worse. Hope the others do not start catching/locking.

I also have impingement in rotator cuffs, thanks to the Actonel side effects. Doing exercises in hopes I can keep them from freezing and needing surgery.

Every day I just shake my head and say over and over "I am so sorry I ever took Actonel". Don't think the ligaments in my body will ever be the same again.

A thought keeps running thru my mind. Limbrel is working wonders for me but what kind of unknown damage is being done to my body since it is a new medical food prescription on the market for only a year. I don't think they really test drugs before putting them on the market.

I am trying to hang in there after stopping Prevacid, using Tums, Rolaids, Mylanta to control stomach. Was doing very well until I took pain pills which irritated the stomach. Hopefully that too will settle down. I stopped Prevacid Dec. 26.

Have you found a miracle solution for controlling osteoporosis? I am only (was) osteopenia, who knows what it is now, don't think I will bother with another scan, don't plan on taking biosophsonates again. My mother lived to be 93 with transparaent bones, maybe I will be so lucky. I saw her x-rays and the bones were only shells. She was not hunched over any more than a regular aged person would be.

What kind of hand surgery did you have done?

[taape]

I had a trigger finger release (ring finger) left last year this time, and then had the right hand done in November with a ring finger 4th one trigger release and a ganglian removed right near the intersection of the tendon. Both times the tendon sheath was cut to allow for space. I'm an expert now in using either hand to eat or dress, etc., All has healed great. I was worried that they might do something to my bones although my hands don't show osteoporosis.

I think I'll skip the bisphosphonates especially since they hurt my stomach also. If more medicatons like Forteo could be developed then not so many patients would have stomach problems and probably better bone density.

I'm goingto ask about taking Limbrel. Do you think it bothers your stomach or can you tell? I don't have osteoarthritis but I do have inflammation that causes pain. Do the pills taste weird? Do they work on a one time basis like tylenol or another pain medication? I see my osteo doctor next month and then I'm going to ask about this.