A Class of Osteoporosis Drugs Can Cause Severe Pain

You’ve seen the commercials with Sally Field for “Boniva.” Well, add to the long list of side effects the possibility of severe muscle and joint pain!

Osteoporosis Drugs Found to Cause Severe Pain in Muscles, Joints and Bones

“(NaturalNews) The FDA has issued a new warning that a popular class of osteoporosis drugs may lead to severe, chronic and even permanent pain in muscles, joints and bones. The agency has known of this risk from the drug class known as bisphosphonates since their approval, and prescribing instructions for doctors warn of the possibility of severe pain. But according to the FDA, many doctors do not appear to be aware that the drugs may be linked to severe pain in their patients. The bisphosphonate drug family includes Merck’s Fosamax; Roche and Glaxo SmithKline’s Boniva; Novartis’ Aredia, Zometa and Reclast (marketed as Aclasta outside the United States); Procter & Gamble’s Didronel; Sanofi-Aventis’ Skelid; and Actonel, sold by Procter & Gamble and Sanofi-Aventis. Oral or injected bisphosphonates are prescribed in order to increase bone mass in osteoporosis patients in order to reduce the risk of fractures. But according to the recent FDA warning, patients may develop severe pain ‘within days, months or years after starting a bisphosphonate.’ In some cases, the pain is so intense that interferes with day-to-day activities, requiring some patients to use a walking cane just to get around.”