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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Vicki,
I just wrote a very long response and was logged out of the site before it posted. It disappeared (I worked on it for an hour!). After I took CIPRO in 1/07 I had the pop sound in my rotator cuff a few months later. It was limited in motion for a few weeks then went away. 8/07 stabbing pains in my head, neck and hips. 9/07 another UTI (dr never said you can get them more after menopause) and more CIPRO. Then came white diarhea for a week, frozen neck and then what I thought was Chronic Fatigue. Diagnosed myself because the Dr. just said an "allergic reaction to CIPRO" but it never went away. Two months later I still had no energy, could barely work or think past 2 pm, almost lost my job (never had health problems other than Osteopenia at 48). Frozen shoulder set in from Cipro (still didin't relate the two) 10/07 Accupuncture. Helped a little. PT for shoulder 4 months. Helped but still lots of pain. It eventually went into what the rheumatologist said was Fibromyalgia. Came and went but very painful. Saw her in 7/08. She said the latest fibro "miracle drug" was aggressive exercise, the more time at the gym the better. She said her patients that do it say it's like a prescription drug. They get much better and the ones that don't stay the same. She was older and I trusted her. I know that it's important to start nowdays as soon as you get the Fibro but maybe this might help you. It's worth a try:
7/08 I started walking 10 min / day 3 days a week = it's all I could do beside work and sleep. Then went to 30 min after three months.
9/08 diagnosed with Osteoporosis instead of penia so more motivated to go to gym.
10/08 My new female MD suggested what her clinic offered through a nutritionist at night: a 30 day "cleansing diet" through Avenues for Health. I knew that I had four rounds of antibiotics in two years, so maybe something happened in my intestines that affected my immune system. I tried it and it basically was shakes and elimination of wheat, dairy, moldy foods (ie mushrooms), alcohol and caffeine. My pain almost disappeared for that 30 days. Even though I knew she probably got a little commission off of the program, she was a highly recommended MD (my lady pharmacist said may women in the area go to her) I tried it. It worked and that's all I care about. They try to sell you more after it's over, but I didn't. I just kept eliminating the stuff that I felt really triggered pain.
12/08 Same female Dr. also recommended that I see a gastroenterologist to have a bacteria overgrowth test because when so many antibiotics taken, they kill the good and let the bad spread. I did (she did not recommend a specific doctor - most gastro's will do it if asked) Three breath tests done. One positive. Took medication. Continued to work out more at gym as I could. Mostly walking some running on treadmill. Light weights with trainer. Pain almost gone after that.
1/09 Splurged since I am single and don't take vacations: Needed to keep my job because I will have to work til I'm 70 as no retirement. Went to better gym, bought a 3 month intensive weight training program from a level 3 trainer. Told her to train me like I was going to compete at 57 (I wasn't). She was so upbeat and pushed me 3 days a week - 30 min each. Heavier and heavier weights each week, all parts of my body. It was for osteo but I noticed the tingly fibro neck and hip pain fighting back and trying to take over. But they were gradually going away. I was sore all over but it became a normal sore after awhile. I just quit that trainer and gym after six months due to cost, but joined a $15/month one and am staying with the heavy weights two times /week and adding the treadmill 30 min 6 times / week on a slight incline.
I think that I beat it. The fibro pain sneaks back into my spine, neck and hips when I 1) go several days with too little sleep 2) drink caffeine too many days in a row (I try to drink none) or 3) overload on carbs (rarely but sometimes I binge for a few days and then bang - the fibro pain sneaks back in. If I go a week without the weights it tries to sneak back in, too. It's like it's waiting in the wings and I keep having to trick my spine and nervous system to override it.
Hope that helps!
Nan
July 5, 2009 - 5:05pmThis Comment
Hello Nan,
Thank you for taking the time to write a lengthy reply--twice! On the day you wrote that my left femur broke, just like the right one did on March 21. I just got home from the rehab center. So much of what you are doing and continuing is wonderful, however, I have also had seven spinal surgeries so I do warm water therapy exercises everyday instead of a gym or weights. I am 61...young, but not quite spry. I hope to see things improve throughout my year-long healing period as I rid my body of the various drugs alternately. Right now there is such a varying amount of pain in my body, I can't tell what is causing what, but I keep moving and as you said, that is extremely important.
Thanks again,
August 3, 2009 - 1:29pmVicki
This Comment
Hello Vicki, thanks for sharing your story. Pain is difficult in dealing with fibromyalgia as it seems to happen in every joint.
A few recommendations for easing pain from the Mayo Clinic are listed below:
* Reduce stress
* Get enough sleep.
* Exercise regularly.
* Pace yourself.
* Maintain a healthy lifestyle. Eat healthy foods. Limit your caffeine intake.
They also recommend a few alternative treatments including acupuncture, chiropractic care and massage therapy.
EmpowHer also has a very nice interview with a 45-year-old woman who is also battling fibromyalgia-related pain. You may want to take a peek at it as well.
July 5, 2009 - 2:05pmThis Comment
I too have fibromyalgia, but the doctors think it came on after a rear-end collision 4 years ago. How do I know, I too had taken Cipro for UTIs, which I do not have often. I had a hysterectomy when I was 38, so I have no idea how goofed up I am because of drugs. I take a cholesterol-lowering drug now--Zocor and I don't want to take it, my GP says the cholesterol problems are genetic in this case. After a strict diet change, the numbers still hovered around 190. Hmmm...Drugs...and now the Tylenol and Percocet and Vicodin are said to be dangerous levels of the acetaminophen. Just read about that in the yesterday's paper. How do I kill the pain! I pray a lot and have a hot tub for warm-water therapy which I know keeps me mobile. Anything I do on "land," ruins my body. Vicki
July 4, 2009 - 10:29amThis Comment
Thank you both very much. I will stop taking the Fosomax right away and call my Orthopedic doctor tomorrow. It's the GP that ordered the Fosomax, but he was so far behind the times on Vit D that he never tested me. I changed to a new physician (women's clinic!) about 8 months ago, however, just saw her two weeks ago, told her I was taking the Fosomax faithfully now, and she said good. I'll send this to her tomorrow. Also thought I'd shed some more light for all of you on another problem since we're all in or past menopause. No doctor ever told me that you get more Urinary Tract infections after menopause so I was getting about 2 per year and was prescribed CIPRO in 1/07 and 9/07. Supposedly, it's rare, but I experienced fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue (instantaneously after the second dose in 7 months) and then spontaneous torn rotator cuffs (I am only 118 # and was just sitting on my carpeted floor and pushed myself up to get up and pop!). Thank God I was proactive and didn't take the diagnosis lightly. After 1 1/2 years, I'm back to normal, after months of P.T. and then the rheumatologist said to go back to the gym carefully, but increasing weights over a year. I think that it's very coincidental that most women who get the Fibro and CFS are over 50. Anything with Levaquin in is worse. There are lawsuits on that one. My bet is that if you took a poll of all women (and maybe men) who have Fibro/CFS that most of them took antibiotics in that family of drugs (all flouroquinolones). The CIPRO now has a blackbox warning, however, they still say it's rare to get my symptoms. I doubt it. My gyno said thank you cuz she prescribes it all the time. She's going to take a survey and let me know because she agreed that many people may not make the connection to an antibiotics and spontaneous shoulder tear + Fibro. Talk about disabling! I almost lost my job over that one. Thanks again for your posts on the Fosomax!
July 4, 2009 - 8:30amThis Comment
I just received a letter from a retired doctor in our church congregation with a reprint of the report that Mayo Clinic had on Fosamax and femoral fractures. Get off of Fosamax! I have two broken femurs, one has a rod and the surgery to do the other is upcoming in about a month. Since my broken femur in March, 2009, I also have suffered a compression fracture in my spine. Let me tell you, it is hard not to be mad right now. My orthopedic surgeon took me off of Fosamax as he said they are seeing more and more fractures in women who have been on it long-term. I was on for 10 years, but i now take 1200+ calcium with Vitamin D, plus another 2000 IU of Vitamin D3. Not sure if I want to try anything else at this point. Obviously nothing that has not had a long-term clinical study! I began taking Fosamax when it was new to the market and my doctor thought it best for me at the age of 50 to insure a good quality of life. I'd laugh out loud, but the pain is too much. My life is rather ruined at the moment because of the drug. The bone density tests only show that the bone is indeed thicker, but what it doesn't show is that the bone is more porous. Won't see that till they do the surgery to repair it. I will be 61 in August and now walk with a walker and a cane and will do so for about another 8-12 months. Be careful if you find yourself having any kind of hip or upper leg pain. A bone scan should show if you have an stress fractures and doing any exercise without that knowledge could be harmful.
July 3, 2009 - 9:20pmThis Comment
I am one of the group calling ourselves Femur Fighters. My story is the one about tripping in my backyard and fracturing my femur. Ow Ow Ow! I'm now graduated to a cane. Anyway, I wondered if you could give the site for the Mayo clinic article your doctor friend from church sent you. I am gathering all the info I can find and that is certainly a credible source. Thanks for any help.
July 4, 2009 - 10:59amThis Comment
It is in an obvious manual for doctors--the July issue--Mayo Clinic Proceedings, July 2009. The link to the article is http://www.mayoclinicproceedings.com/content/84/7/632
It begins on page 632 and seems to address each horrible side effect possible. Doctors need to be educated. It was my orthopedic surgeon who told me about it, otherwise I would have never known. I would have blamed it on
July 4, 2009 - 12:41pm"bad heredity," or some such thing!! Hope this helps in some way. Vicki
This Comment
Hi - I'm new to this site. I'm 57 and have been taking Fosomax hit and miss for 10 years. Only had osteopenia until after I went thru menopause and had the bone scan last October taht showed Osteoporosis in the left hip. I take Fosomax once a week faithfully. I also was told that I was 50% low on calcium and Vit D, so am taking 2,000 units Vit D and 1500 calcium. I still work 50 hrs a week (stressful job) and decided to hire a personal trainer to work with me on just heavy weightlifting for the last five months. Now I'm nervous about Fosomax. Dr doesn't want to do a bone density scan until January 2010 because I had one in September 08 What are all of you taking instead of Fosomax now?
July 3, 2009 - 7:45pmThis Comment
I broke both my femurs and had rods inserted in both. I have been off of Fosamax since January of 2008, after taking it for 9 years. My new endocrinologist has suggested I take 1200 mg of calcium and 2000 IU Vit.D daily. I also exercise every day, yoga, the pool and at home. I don't lift weights, but from what I have read, that is a good plan. I truly believe that Fosamax was related to the fracturing of my femurs. The literature now says that you should not be on it for more than 5 years. I suggest you google Fosamax and femur fractures. The more we read and the more we talk to each other the more we will be able to make informed decisions.
July 3, 2009 - 8:35pmThis Comment