share: Fosamax and Femur Fractures
Last year I suffered a nontraumatic femur fracture of my left femur. In July, 2008 I read an article that described femur fractures identical to mine and a possible link to long term use of Fosamax. Since then I have had a bone scan which shows increased activity in my right femur which could very possibly be a stress fracture. I am very worried about the risk of a fracture occurring in my right femur. I would love to communicate with others who have had this experience. I am also interested in learning about how I can protect myself from this happening again.
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Hi Olive, Thanks for writing. With regard to the article for those who aren't familiar, there was a study out of Cornell
and New York Presbyterian Hospital that links long-term use of Fosamax to fractures.
To read the article, click here.
September 3, 2008 - 9:30amOlive, have you chatted with your doctor about alternatives to Fosamax? If so, what did he or she say? Thanks.
This Comment
This happened to me also, last October. I have not yet healed. Have you had this problem.? If so, what are you doing to help it heal?
October 6, 2008 - 9:47amHello, I spent a lot of time writing a blog last evening but now I can't find it. The long and short of it: I have been having "thigh pain" for quite a while. Have seen 6 Drs, had many tests and blood work with no diagnosis. Finally, my Dr ordered an X-ray of my femurs, sure enough, bilateral femur fractures. Went to an Orthopedic surgeon, low and behold, I was the second patient in one month with the same problem. Yes, we both had been taking Fosamax. I am now walking with a walker, have been out of work for 5 weeks, (I am an RN) and am contemplating surgery for bilateral femur rodding. I am waiting one more month to make this huge decision. I am praying that they will heal on their own, a possibility. Hope this is of some help to you. Pls respond if you feel you need to. Good luck
October 30, 2008 - 2:37pmWow, my exact same story. It has been 3 years of constant pain in my thigh/groin. Fosomax for almost 15 years, now taking Boniva. Thinking I need to take your comment to my orthopedic dr. Are you ok now? What did you do?
March 11, 2010 - 12:33pmBoniva has the same bone breaking substance Alendranate. My Drs. took me off Fosamax and said the other would do the same, they just haven't been around 15 years (Fosamax came on the market in 1995 and my Dr. put me on it Oct. 31, 1996. When Boniva has been on the market longer the same thing will begin to happen unless they do something now. Experts are now saying 4 years is long term for Fosamax! I was on it 14 years. Blessings to you all!
December 9, 2010 - 12:55pmLook at Boniva side effects before continue taking it. My mother had severe thigh, hip, groin, back, and calf pain, think as a result of Boniva infusions for 3 years (taken quarterly). She (and I) are going to stop taking these meds and will try Strontium Citrate, magnesium, and Vitamin K2. Read up on it. Far fewer side effects, much cheaper, and no drug company will be using us as unpaid guinea pigs!!!!!
January 2, 2011 - 8:56amcrstljnn: I was on Fosamax 12 years. Stopped taking it in Feb 2011 and within 3 weeks started experiencing a deep aching at the very top of my left leg. After several months of this pain, along with severe nerve pain in the same area, I saw my orthopedist. He did x-rays and saw nothing and treated me for muscle problems. After 3 weeks of therapy I saw no change. I'm pretty concerned about what I'm reading about leg pain and Fosamax. How is your pain? Have you had a fracture? I'm sort of worried about going out on my own, especially since I live overseas and don't speak the language very well.
August 3, 2011 - 1:34pmDo not wait to have the surgery (oh sorry yours is dated 10 days before my first break)! In Nov. 08 I broke my left femur before I got to the bottom of the steps. It just fell apart. It was the worse pain I could not even imagine. I am a history teacher and know about Medieval torture, seemed like that when they had to move me. I truly thought I was going to die or wanted to! I had 3 years of thigh pain prior to this. After the surgery I never healed right. Two years later, I tripped and fell and broke the right femur, Medieval pain again! If I could have seen a partial fracture, I would have had it done then. The pain is not worth the wait. My surgeon says he firmly believes it was caused by the 14 years I took fosamax. He has other patients this happend to. He said all the surrounding bone looked great. Now 2 months after surgery the extreme low temps are causing severe aches in both legs. Thanks FOSAMAX!
December 9, 2010 - 12:48pmComment by Sandy on March 3, 2009
I had been walking in pain which became worse by the month for about 6 months.The thigh bone area hurt so bad I could hardly walk. I finally went to an orthopedic doctor and he found that both femur bones were fractured and had to have surgery within the week to insert a rod in each leg. I had been taking fosamax for several years. I am now recovering from the surgery.
March 3, 2009 - 11:53amanon, thanks for writing. When did you have the surgery? Did your doctor say the fractures may be attributed to the Fosamax? If not, what was behind the fractures?
March 3, 2009 - 12:04pm