Are osteoporosis treatments safe for pre-menopausal women with Crohn's?
Hello, I'm 28 and was diagnosed a few years ago with osteoporosis in my spine and hips. It was thought to be caused by high doses of steroids in childhood - to treat both my severe asthma and also my Crohn's disease.
At first my doctor thought it best I did not go onto Fosomax as she considered me too young. She also was worried about the possible effects on my Crohn's (I do have severe Crohn's and have had many small bowel surgeries). She also mentioned that it could possibly lower my chances of having children in the future.
I wonder if you could please first tell me if there is any way that Fosomax could affect my ability to have children at a later date? And if no, is it safe to take whilst trying to conceive - and during pregnancy?
Also, I have suffered with swallowing problems and gastric reflux etc for several years now, and I am very worried about the possible effects of taking a drug like Fosomax in case it causes further damage/ulceration/inflammation in my oesophagus as I have had active Crohn's there, and also the effect it may have on my Crohn's in general. I wondered whether there was a possibility of having one of these drugs in injection form to help minimise any effects.
Also, is Fosomax (or similar drugs) safe alongside Remicade/Infliximab? As I have been on regular infusions of this drug for a few years for my Crohn's.
Thank you for your help in advance!
Kindest regards,
Miss P
Hi Miss P,
Thank you for your questions! Very little is known about the effects of Fosamax on pregnancy. Fosamax has only been studied in post-menopausal women, so it is unknown whether it could affect your chance of conceiving at a later point in time. Similarly, there have been no controlled studies using Fosamax or any similar drugs in pregnant women. The benefits and possible risks of taking Fosamax should be carefully weighed before deciding on a course of action. Since the effects of Fosamax during pregnancy are unknown, this is something you would have to seriously consider and discuss with your doctor.
There is are IV medications available for osteoporosis. Reclast, Zometa, and Boniva are all indicated for the treatment of osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Again, these medications haven't been studied in pregnant women, but Zometa and Reclast have been shown to cause problems in animal studies. The IV medications are associated with less irritation to the esophagus, as you had suggested.
There are no reported drug interactions between bisphosphonates and Remicade.
I hope I answered all your question!!
Best of luck,
Casey
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