Fosamax
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This document discusses potential side effects and risks of taking the osteoporosis drug Fosamax. It notes that Fosamax is not without serious side effects, such as femur fractures and jawbone death. Long-term use of Fosamax may overly suppress bone metabolism and make bones brittle, increasing the risk of fractures from minor falls. The document provides information about osteoporosis, osteopenia, and alternatives to discuss with one's doctor before taking Fosamax.
Fosamax
- 1. “Why Shouldn’t I Take Fosamax?” Fosamax is not without serious side effects. The first thing you should Organized by the lawyers at Anapol Schwartz. do is become informed about this stage in your life and about the drugs © 2010 All Rights Reserved. you’re prescribed. Read on . . . Contact Lawyers: Thomas R. Anapol, Esquire Contents Greg Spizer, Esquire • What Is Osteoporosis? 2 Tracy Finken, Esquire Amber Racine, Esquire • About Fosamax 3 • How Does Fosamax Work? 4 Call: 866.735.2792 • What Is Osteopenia? 4 • How Do I Know If I Have a Fosamax Lawsuit? 5 Email: • How Much Does It Cost to File a Lawsuit? 5 tanapol@anapolschwartz.com • Resources 5 gspizer@anapolschwartz.com tfinken@anapolschwartz.com aracine@anapolschwartz.com Read more information online at: DISCLAIMER: This information is not intended to replace the advice of a doctor. Please use this information to www.anapolschwartz.com help in your conversation with your doctor. This is general background information and should not be followed as medical advice. Please consult your doctor regarding all medical questions and for all medical treatment.
- 2. Fosamax side eFFeCts What percentage of men has osteoporosis? According to the National Osteoporosis Foundation What are Fosamax side effects? 10 percent of men have the osteoporosis. Moderate side effects: joint pain, feeling bloated, What are Boniva side effects? constipation, dizziness, diarrhea, gas, headache, nausea, flu- like symptoms, vomiting, and tastes changing. Moderate side effects: diarrhea, headache, dizziness, flu- like symptoms, joint weakness, limb pain, nausea, upset Severe side effects: Get medical help ASAP for allergic reac- stomach, and redness at injection site. tions like itching, hives, rash, difficulty breathing, swelling of face and mouth, and tightness of the chest; bloody stools, Critical Boniva side effects: acute allergic reactions, eye pain, mouth sores, severe heartburn, blistering skin, muscle pain, grave muscle pain, change in the amount of urine, relentless persistent sore throat, swelling of limbs and jaw pain. headaches, vision changes, and jaw swelling. Get medical help immediately. What is osteoporosis? What are some debilitating Fosamax injuries? Femur fractures, necrosis of the jaw-jawbone fails to heal Osteoporosis is a condition that causes bones to become (ONJ), esophagus cancer, atrial fibrillation or irregular more porous which gradually makes them weaker and more heartbeat, severe joint and/or muscle pain brittle. What are bisphosphonates? What are the risk factors for developing osteoporosis? According to Wikipedia, bisphosphonates prevent the loss • Early menopause as the ovaries produce less of bone mass and are used to treat osteoporosis and similar estrogen which results in more bone loss diseases. All bisphosphonate drugs have been linked to • Hysterectomy and ovary removal at a young age rare femur or thighbone fractures, esophageal cancer, and jawbone death. • Smoking cigarettes doubles the risk of osteoporosis • Soft drinks, carbonation What are Actonel side effects? • Underweight women Mild side effects: back pain, constipation, diarrhea, • Family members who were diagnosed with dizziness, joint pain, mild flu-like symptoms, mild stomach osteoporosis upset and nausea. • Lack of regular exercise • Some medications decrease bone: cortisone drugs for Severe Actonel side effects include: allergic reactions such asthma, arthritis, allergies; thyroid meds; PPI drugs as rash, hives, itching, difficulty breathing, face/mouth/ • Some medical conditions: malnutrition, rheumatoid tongue swelling, hoarseness, tarry stools, painful stools, jaw arthritis, emphysema, Crohn’s Disease, pain, eye pain, light sensitivity, chest pain, coughing, and weight loss surgery vomiting blood. Get medical help immediately. • Low calcium & vitamin D “WHY SHOULDN’T I TAKE FOSAMAX?” Copyright © 2004–2010 All rights reserved. Anapol Schwartz. Read more information online at www.anapolschwartz.com. 2
- 3. What is the bone cycle and how does it all work? Is Fosamax bad for the bones? Two major cells determine your total bone mass— Prolonged use of Fosamax may overly suppress bone osteoblasts and osteoclasts. metabolism, affecting the ability of the bone to repair micro- • Osteoblasts build more bone. damage to the femur. • Osteoclasts remove bone Why does long-term use of Fosamax make bones brittle? • Osteocytes maintain bone. In patients who had femur fractures, their x-rays look more like an injury from a car accident than a minimal Osteoblasts build more bone and collagen and osteocytes fall. Research has never been done as to how long women maintain the bone. Osteoclasts dissolve bone and collagen. should remain on bisphosphonates. Now many doctors are recommending a 5-year limit. Bone remodeling starts with resorption; the osteoclasts do this function. Osteoclasts break down bone by dissolv- How do femur fractures happen? ing mineral and resorbing the matrix that osteoblasts have Fosamax takers who suffer this rare side effect may suffer formed. It’s complex. broken legs after minor falls. Spiral fractures occur along the length of the femur or the long thigh bone. Surprisingly, about Fosamax people may suffer fractures when walking across a room or standing up from a chair. It is reported that women’s thigh How long has Fosamax been on the market? Since 1995 bones just snapped like a twig, an odd occurrence after years of taking bone building drugs. Who makes Fosamax? Merck & Co. What are some facts about the femur or thigh bone? How long does Fosamax stay in the body? • the longest and largest bone Once ingested, Fosamax remains in the bones indefinitely • one of the two strongest bones (temporal bone of and can upset the delicate balance between the osteoblasts skull is the other strongest) cells that put calcium in bone and the osteoclasts cells that take calcium away. Depending on the expert or source, the • connects to the hip joint and knee joint effects of Fosamax can remain in your body for 2 years, 5 How frequently do femur fractures happen? years, or 10 years. At this point Merck & Co. and the FDA are saying it’s a rare What’s the long-term problem with Fosamax? occurrence but when there are millions of women taking Some long-term users of Fosamax may find out the hard way Fosamax, if you’re one of those women, it’s not so rare. Also that Fosamax makes bones brittle instead of strengthening Fosamax is changing its black box warning to include femur the bones. Since Fosamax remains active in your body, fractures as a side effect so it’s no longer under the radar. taking more may be redundant and unnecessary. No expert has figured out how to purge the body from Fosamax buildup. “WHY SHOULDN’T I TAKE FOSAMAX?” Copyright © 2004–2010 All rights reserved. Anapol Schwartz. Read more information online at www.anapolschwartz.com. 3
- 4. What’s the problem with jawbone death? What is osteopenia? One of the painful side effects of Fosamax is that it can cause jawbone problems. This is particularly problematic Osteopenia refers to bone mineral density (BMD) that is for dentists and their patients who need dental surgery, lower than normal bone mineral density but not low enough teeth pulled, and dental implants which is not uncommon to be deemed as osteoporosis. especially for an aging population. Does everyone who gets osteopenia get osteoporosis? What does the dental association say? Osteopenia is a normal sign of aging. Everyone who has According to a study by the Journal of American Dental osteopenia will not get osteoporosis. Bisphosphonate Associations, bisphosphonates are designed to decrease the treatment of osteopenia is controversial. breakdown of bone by increasing bone density. Problems Should I take Fosamax for osteopenia? occur when the bone becomes too dense. If bone gets denser than normal, it may crowd bone marrow, which That should be discussed between you and your doctor. contains fat and tissue that make blood cells and stimulates Before going on any bisphosphonate drug, ask your doctor bone healing. Higher bone density means less marrow, about lifestyle changes. Weight-bearing exercises like which in turn means the bone has less of a blood supply and walking, dancing, hiking, and working out with light weights is less able to heal. helps to increase bone mass as does a diet rich in calcium like milk, yogurt, cottage cheese, leafy green vegetables, salmon, fish oils, eggs, and calcium enriched products. hoW does Fosamax Work? Taking vitamin D and calcium supplements may also be • Decreases the rate of bone loss which occurs after recommended. menopause What causes spinal or hip fractures? • Reduces activity of the cells known as osteoclasts Thin or brittle bones cause spinal and hip fractures, which cause bone loss sometimes wrist fractures. • Increases the amount of bone in most patients Who should not take Fosamax? How long does it take to see bone Fosamax is not suitable for everyone especially if you already improvement on Fosamax? have trouble swallowing; have ulcers; have kidney disease; Osteoclasts are the cells that remove old bone. First you stop have a condition which causes low levels of calcium; and losing more bone than your cells are making. Slowly, you have digestive problems. begin to add new bone. It takes about one year to see the results of taking Fosamax. Research has shown that the rate of increase in bone mass usually improves in the second and third years of taking Fosamax. After the third year, further improvement is nil. It’s been 5 years and I’m still taking Fosamax. Why? That’s a good question to ask your doctor if after the third year, bone improvement is nil. “WHY SHOULDN’T I TAKE FOSAMAX?” Copyright © 2004–2010 All rights reserved. Anapol Schwartz. Read more information online at www.anapolschwartz.com. 4
- 5. hoW do i knoW iF i have resourCes a Fosamax LaWsuit? national osteoporosis Foundation www.nof.org You won’t know if you have a lawsuit or not until you NOF is the nation’s leading voluntary health organization contact Anapol Schwartz law firm which fights for dedicated to osteoporosis and bone health. You can find settlements against big pharmaceutical companies and numerous articles about bone health, medical referrals, tools unsafe drugs. for professionals, community involvement and events, and how to support research and funding. Anapol Schwartz lawyers will ask you to answer a few national institutes of health-osteoporosis questions about your symptoms, injuries, and diagnosis. The & bone disorders www.bones.nih.gov information you provide is confidential and you’re under no Information and publications in English, Spanish, and obligation to continue. Chinese and for all demographics – young, old, men, Is it too late to file a Fosamax lawsuit? women, and multicultural Anapol Schwartz, attorneys-at-law, recommends that you american bone health www.americanbonehealth.org file sooner vs. later which is always preferable as a legal Information about osteoporosis and a fracture risk calculator, strategy. Time flies. If you wait too long, you may miss the bone health news, facts, figures, and fall protection window of opportunity known as the statute of limitations. Female menopause mentors What is the statute of limitations to file a lawsuit? www.femalemenopausementors.com In Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and West Virginia, a personal Menopause need not be overwhelming especially if you have injury lawsuit must be filed within two years of the date a mentor along the way. There are life coaches, business when the injury occurred. coaches, sports coaches…why not a menopause coach who has been there, done that and is a health professional. Get the answers to menopause’s difficult questions. hoW muCh does it Cost to FiLe a LaWsuit? menopause the musical www.menopausethemusical.com Clients pay no out-of-pocket expense and only pay if and For a little humor and levity, the change is a hit musical. when their settlement is received. A settlement affords you compensation for mounting medical bills, caregivers, loss of the menopause expert income (if still working), and pain and suffering. www.themenopauseexpert.com Author: Feelin’ Hot? A Humorous & Informative Guide to Who is Anapol Schwartz? Menopause Anapol Schwartz upholds traditions of excellence in medical malpractice, pharmaceutical, toxic tort, class actions, menopause resources products liability, and automobile accident litigation. Law www.webmd.com/menopause/guide/menopause-resources offices are located in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West If you like lists, you’ll love this page for all links menopausal, Virginia, Arizona, and of Counsel in Ohio. hormonal, aging, and women’s health. “WHY SHOULDN’T I TAKE FOSAMAX?” Copyright © 2004–2010 All rights reserved. Anapol Schwartz. Read more information online at www.anapolschwartz.com. 5