To be shocked that the frontline treatment for osteoporosis comes with the risk of YOUR JAW FALLING OFF WHAT

It's not actually an awful medication because it works.
It's an incredibly rare side effect.
All medical treatment requires a risk v benefit assessment. The risks of broken bones are high.
I have this on top on a long list of other health conditions.
I had alendronic acid for two years and the side effects of that on the stomach are common. It did however improve my bone density. I now have a yearly infusion which comes with slightly higher risk of jaw issues.

I visited my dentist before treatment started and he was very reassuring. I get more frequent dental checkups.
Implants might not be the best option for you but your dentist will know more.

You really must get the dental issues sorted out first , taking a tooth out when on bisphosphonates etc leaves you at risk of a really nasty problem called osteonecrosis where the jaw bone does not heal . Most hospitals want a certificate of dental fitness before starting.

As for implants , talk to the implantologist but most/many/all will not place implants on someone who is on bisphosphonates etc not just because of the risks of surgery on the jaw, the decreased success rate for bone integration but also in long term the longer you are on bisphosphonates the more likely the implants are going to fail.

Just read this thread, I am 56 and have just been diagnosed with osteoporosis a T score of -3.3. I have to go on this awful medication asap but also have dental issues and have been told I will need implants next year. I’m very concerned about it all.

All drugs have side effects. All side effects are disclosed no matter how rare.

The ‘side effects’ of osteoporosis can be extremely serious. Look up the consequences of a fractured neck of femur and the proportion of people who die or who go to a nursing home because of it, for example.

You read this on Facebook didn't you 😄

@Stickystickysticky
She'll be too busy making placards for the demo outside her GP's.

Lol nah...........

Is the op coming back to justify this claim any further?

Which would be 0.0010% according to my calculations.

A tiny fraction of 1%.

You should be embarrassed OP. Scaremongering AND wildly inaccurate.

Nothing on TV? Bored?

Sorry (not sorry) but op's post reminded me of the Brass Eye drugs expose. Bernard Manning: "one young kiddie on cake cried all the water outta his body, imagine how his mother felt... it's a fuckin disgrace. If someone offers you cake, chuck it back in their face and tell 'em to fuck off"

This is alarmist. Any medication can have side effects. Paracetamol for example? " • an allergic reaction – this can cause a rash and swelling.
• flushing.
• low blood pressure.
• a fast heartbeat.
• blood disorders.
• liver and kidney damage, if you take too much (overdose) – this can be fatal in severe cases.
"

As a dentist I would say, come for a check up before you start the meds and then come for checkups regularly so that treatment can be managed in a way to prevent MRONJ

Every medication has side effects. I used to take an epilepsy medication (for migraine) it wasn't unusual for people to report they'd developed seizures because of it.

I'm gone deaf on that medication and have had issues with excessive thirst

Gosh thanks OP. Really appreciated the reminder of what a shit disease this is. You see normally I just take my tablets and carry on living my life.

I queried the possible side effects with my consultant and he was totally upfront about the risks and benefits. You have to take a broad view sometimes, and just try not to dwell on what might happen, versus the much greater risks of doing nothing.Hopefully I can stagger on into old age with my jaw intact, no alternative really.

As seen on this thread a lot of us have to live with awareness of the many nasty things we have to do to survive. Are you going to do a series of posts about other things dropping off?

Osteonecrosis of the jaw is rare. It can be made even more rare with regular dental checks.

And even in the worst case I've seen, which wasn't related to bisphosphonates, the patient's jaw wasn't falling off.

Every treatment has side effects and possible complications.

Coupled with a middle finger, there would be little doubt.

Not for me, or not as effective. Like you, I read the literature. Unlike you, I make sure I understand the numbers before I react to them.

This.
It's quite alarming enough to be diagnosed with osteoporosis as I was aged 62 following breast cancer and a long period on steroids, not to mention a huge family history.
You are at risk of breaking bones very easily. I have this on top on a long list of other health conditions.
I had alendronic acid for two years and the side effects of that on the stomach are common. It did however improve my bone density. I now have a yearly infusion which comes with slightly higher risk of jaw issues.

There has to be a decision risk v benefit.
My (NHS) dentist is aware and super vigilant. I get dental checks every six months.

My MIL broke her femur whilst on this. They said she'd been in it far too long and stopped it straightaway.

"Up to 1%" means "no more than 1%" - whilst that sounds obvious, it can be misleading. A 0.00001% chance fits in the "up to 1%" bracket.

Claims which use "up to" a certain percentage are always suspicious. Like the Head & Shoulders advert that claims it can get rid of "up to 100%" dandruff (visible from a certain distance). Well, it can hardly get rid of more than 100% can it?

Percentages can be used in sensationalist ways that deliberately mislead. If for example eating a bacon sandwich daily increases the risk of bowel cancer by 50%, and the risk of getting bowel cancer never eating bacon is 0.01%, the increased risk is 0.015%. But headlines will scream "Bacon sandwiches increase risk of CANCER by 50%!!!" rather than highlight the real risk which is tiny.

Anyway, most medications and treatments have side effects and risks. Watch an American TV advert for any kind of medicine and you'll probably hear the disclaimer that it can cause death.

Great answer. The medical world is not perfect. We offer people with an awful illness (osteoporosis) the best we have. We give them information. They decide what is best for them.
The world of medical research and drug companies are constantly trying to find a better solution for pretty much everything. It just takes a lot of time and a lot of money.

This isn’t news. It’s been this way for years and years now.

All medicines have risks involved. Many of us with complex health issues have to make peace with that and just try to live the best life we can. Even paracetamol has quite serious risks involved if you take it regularly! I take 25 different medications a day. If I worried about all the risks and stop taking them I’d just die as my medications are life essential.

I'm on this medication - monthly injection - to strengthen my bones and prevent my breast cancer mets from spreading further. I'm prepared to take the risk and keep an eye out for side effects.

Thanks for the ridiculously alarmist post OP 🙄

My mum was on biphos for years. It actually weakened her femurs which was only found when one femur fractured with no apparent cause and they thought the pain was linked with her needing a hip replacement. Apparently it's also a rare side effect. She doesn't take anything any more.

Not much you can do - damned if you do, damned if you don't. There aren't many treatments for it.

5 of her 7 siblings also have osteoporosis - they are all bent, shrunken, twisted and walking funny after decades of fractures.

Fortunately DB and I seem to have fewer issues and a Dexa scan age 40 shows me to be normal.... Phew.

There is a risk of osteonecrosis (bone dying off) after extractions if on a bisphosphonate like alendronic acid etc , the same as there is a risk after head and neck radiotherapy .

The important thing is well before you start treatment , see a dentist and have plenty of time to get rid of dodgy teeth. Anything that has a poor prognosis should be taken out before you start treatment.

Likewise keeping regular check ups and good dental care is important to stop any problems quickly .

Osteonecrosis is rare and nasty . Deaths in elderly after falls resulting in hip fractures are, unfortunately, not.

Good grief talk about over the top scaremongering