She can smile and recommend Boniva for osteoporosis and I truly hope it realy works for her without side effects, but I think I need to speak with my doctor about another alternative. Two months ago I took my first Boniva pill. For those of you who have somehow missed the commericals, Boniva is a drug taken once monthly to help fight the damage done to bones by osteoporosis. As always, I carefully read the directions before taking the first dose. You must take it first thing in the morning before you've had anything to eat or drink. You must drink at least 8 ounces of water with it and you may not eat or drink anything but water for the next hour. You cannot lie down after taking the pill for at least an hour. I'm not a morning person, but I thought I could handle that. I took my first dose the day of my neice, Joanna's sixteenth birthday party. By the time I got home I had a headache and a little nausea but just thought the cats at my sister-in-laws had triggered an allergy. Later that night, I was really sick: headache, nausea. diarhea. My husband had just gotten over the flu so I figured I'd caught it. Sure enough, had fever and chills too. My bones ached and I was miserable. I stayed sick for a week, at the end of which I was exhausted and weak.
Two days ago, I took my second dose of Boniva. Had a little headache Friday afternoon that gradually developed into a mild migraine with nausea. A few hours after that the diarhea set in. For more than 24 hrs I had headache, nausea, diarhea, and pain in my bones and joints. I felt like I had the flu and someone had beaten me with a baseball bat. I couldn't have the flu again and I didn't believe my fibro was acting up. Sure enough, late last night, I fially got some relief. I'd re-read the pamphlet that came with the Boniva and sure enough, all of my symptoms were possible side-effects from the drug which, by the way, the pamphlet discribes as an "acid" (& I've already got gastric reflux problems!). Now I have to consider whether to try this one more time or just say "No!" If I try it again, I'll defintely lan in advance for my "Boniva day" by instructing hubby to go out to dinner and not planning anything for myself except making trips back and forth between bed and bathroom. And what I'm curious about and will have to research is how does an acid help build bones? The connection eludes me. If I find out, I'll let you know. Meanwhile, I'm checking out the other options like Fossamax but suspect it's pretty much the same.
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