I took my first dose of Alendronate and then experience significant muscle pain for the next 4 days. Does anyone know if I should expect this to happen each time I take it or is it something to happen for the first few times until my body adjusts to the medicine?
Do you mean Fosamax (alendronate)? If you do, its for treating bone problems like Osteoperosis by adding bone mass and slows bone loss. I use it for Osteopenia.
Since that attack I have been plagued with continuous upper abdomal discomfort, gurgling, wind and pain on both right and left side immediately under the breast. I even have shap chest pain. I wonder if I suffer from SOD and if so does anyone else have these symptoms. They often resemble symptoms of hiatus hernia, indigestion and heartburn.
The prescription drug Fosamax (the generic is alendronate sodium) is a medication which has been prescribed to hundreds of thousands of postmenopausal women to treat osteoporosis and help increase bone mass thereby reducing the chance of spinal or non-spinal fractures. Fosamax has also been prescribed to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis. Brand name Fosamax is manufactured in the United States by Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc.
The authors examined the effects of high-dose oral alendronate (40 mg daily) for 6 months on 3 adult patients with intractable headache due to fibrous dysplasia of the skull. Each patient had disease processes not amenable to surgery. The patients underwent clinical follow-up at 1, 3, and 6 months. Their pain levels were documented at each visit by using a visual analog scale. All 3 patients demonstrated a significant decrease in pain levels and became independent of scheduled analgesics.
I have noticed you have written on SOD. I was wondering if that is what I may be suffering from. I do not have pain though, only extreme pressure under both rib cages and the middle of my sternum. I have exhausted all tests with the exception of ERCP exam. I am able to get positional relief from my symptoms when I lay flat on my stomach or on either side. The symptoms are constant and never completely go away.
These do not guarantee showing SOD, but there are two types of SOD that can be indicated by checking these levels. The only true way to DX SOD is via ERCP with manometry which should only be done by top experts in the country.
I agree with CalGal....SOD can be the beginning of a long road pain, although some have luck with medical treatment (meds) and surgery.
Check with the SOD group at yahoo - good people, good information. You need to be working iwth a SOD specialist to find out IF you have it, and if so, what type. In the meantime, have you discussed using either high doses of anti-spasm meds, or calcium channel blockers or even nitroglycerin to see if it will help? Do you also know that narcotic-based meds can make things worse?
It can be very difficult to find a doc that knows of SOD. Much like that Mystery Diagnosis show on DH, most SOD patients go through a lot of problems while they are trying to figure out what is going on.
where are you guys from? You need to find a GI who specializes in diseases of the pancreas, or at least knows of SOD and can refer you to someone who does. Major centers that I trust are in North Carolina, Minnesota and Indiana.
I am scheduled for a ercp in two weeks. I am a type 3 sod and am quite nervous if anyone could give me advice on if this is a good idea I wood apreciate it. I live in pain daily. I have five kids I am divorced and cannot work and now live with my parents because I lost my job and home because of this illness. If anyone has suffered with this I could use help in knowing what you did to get help.
However, I discussed this with my doc and she said due to the fact that the HIDA scan revealed an issue with the gall bladder it is not SOD as SOD is diagnosed when all tests come back normal and my HIDA scan did not. I have had many docs tell me many and very different diagnosis so any ideas, suggestions or comments are greatly appreciated. Thanks!!!!
Hi, your symptoms could be due to sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD). The diagnosis of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is frequently a challenge. The simple combination of biliary type symptoms, common bile duct dilation, and elevations of liver function tests, when retained stones have been ruled out makes a strong arguement for type I SOD. The vast majority of patients will see significant relief of symptoms following an endoscopic shincterotomy in this category.
Working on the pancreas is very different that SOD. Although with SOD the bile and the pancreatic fluids can back up and it can cause pancreatic issues.
You don't want to be working with a primary doc on this issue. You should be working with someone with a large amount to experience in biliary issues and especially in SOD. It's a very specialized field, and small changes in medications can make large changes in the pressures.
Sorry for your suffering - I also have SOD, but not as severely as your symptoms are. You might have both Pancreatitis and SOD at the same time which is difficult.
Mammo had good advice - get away from your current doctor. YOu need to get to a GI who specializes in SOD and diseases of the pancreas. There are a few places in the country, and as great as a reputation that the Mayo has for many different conditions, I have not heard good things about them when trying to explore SOD.
Nani - I am not sure about the skin color and tailbone problems, but sometimes after gall bladder surgery people end up with Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction which I believe is what the Biliary Dyskinesia is - it's basically a muscle that attaches to the pancreas from the small intestines that is not functioning properly and is causing a back up of bile in the common bile duct.
Do some searching online for SOD (Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction) and you'll get a lot of information.
I have been doing a lot of research on SOD, because it most closely matches my symptoms. In 2004 I had my gallbladder removed and within a year started having the same symptoms (my liver felt like it was stuck to my ribs). Pain in my upper right abdominal. Seems to come and go.
Can severe stress be a trigger for SOD episodes? My husband recently had a heart attack and while attending to him I had to be hospitalized for a severe attack of Sphyncter of Oddi spasms. Had a stent inserted about 10 years ago for this problem and had not had any further attacks until the last one. I know from experience that alcohol, certain oral pain medications (vicodin) will trigger these spasms but had never had one triggered by sudden stress.
You may want to check into the possibility that the condition is due to SOD, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Here's a decent link to the condition: http://www.hopkins-gi.org/GDL_Disease.aspx?SS=&CurrentUDV=31&GDL_DC_ID=320F4EDD-0021-4952-83D7-8B0C67B47BFF&GDL_Disease_ID=7AB086B0-AB01-446E-B011-2E67CAFEF96D
Narcotic-based pain meds will do little to control the problem, and many docs don't know how to handle the issue.
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