Alendronate for Osteoporosis User Reviews (Page 4)

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2020

"I had taken 6 doses of Fosamax. Every week, intense stomach pain. After the 6th dose, I woke up in the middle of the night with vertigo. Paramedics suggested going to the ER to rule out a stroke. I’ve ruled Fosamax out of my life. I subsequently saw an orthopedic doctor for another issue. I asked him what he thought about Fosamax and what happened to me. He said if I can’t tolerate it, stop it. Get back out and run/walk daily. It’s taken me 3 months to see that the stomach pain is subsiding. And back out there running up to 4 miles. Never felt better."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 17, 2023

"I am 55 and have osteoporosis (in my hip). My doctor pushed me to take alendronate (Fosamax), and within a few hours of taking ONE pill, I had the worst back pain I've ever experienced. The spasms lasted for hours. Over-the-counter pain meds did nothing. I had to get some prescription drugs. I don't want to try 'getting used' to this poison, and I refuse to take this again. So now my doctor is pushing Tylmos (daily injection... oh joy!), and I am so afraid to get long-term (and even short-term) nasty side effects. I believe the women who write these reviews-why don't the doctors? Reduction in fracture risk has not been shown, with current data on this drug, to even decrease significantly. At my wit's end and looking for non-medical solutions."

• Shi...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 19, 2017

"I have osteoporosis in my left hip. My doctor prescribed alendronate. I took it for 4 weeks, the 2nd day I started having and continue to have hip, back, arm, and leg pains. I did not have any pain before the meds. I went back to the doctor, he said my side effects were not normal and to keep trying for 4 more weeks. I have not continued it, I see no reason to continue something that has only caused me intense pain. I have a very high tolerance for pain, but I hurt all the time now. I exercise by walking 2+ miles every day, it is helping, but if I miss a day, the pain is twice as bad again. I do not want to see or even think about what another 4 weeks would do to my body."

• Jer...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 24, 2018

"The low dose (10 mg) a day raised my blood pressure sky-high, starting with the first day of use. My cardiologist recommended stopping the drug, and when I did, the B/P came down to normal the next day after stopping this drug."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• June 13, 2024

"I have been taking this medication for 4 years, in which Kaiser claims I had severe bone density. No issues whatsoever. I am retaking my bone density test today at another hospital (outside of Kaiser). I never broke a vital bone (except my big toe) when I was pregnant 48 years ago. I have had lots of falls, skiing, bowling, and falling down steps. I never broke any other bones. No side effects, no bone issues."

• Lam...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 20, 2021

Alendronate "I have just taken my 4th weekly Fosamax pill. For 3 weeks, I have been exhausted. I am active, and now I don’t feel like doing things. I’m making myself walk. I have trouble sleeping. This is also new. My son looked at me yesterday and told me I look very tired. He’s right. I have also had the expected increased heartburn. I already have GERD and take medication for it. I don’t have any of the pain others describe. I wish there was another option. I have -2.9 in T3, T4."

• Wag...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 28, 2020

"Take 70 mg once weekly, but have bloating and acid reflux, which I didn't make the connection to until reading the reviews. Recently have knee pain and stiffness and extremely tender bumps on my lower extremities. Not sure if I should continue taking this medication, but would like to see if my next bone scan improves."

• Liz...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 17, 2023

"I was on alendronate for 2 years. I had one side effect: constipation. That's it, that's enough. No other side effects. I was irritated having to take a pill every week, early in the morning sitting up. My doctor suggested having an infusion once a year. I jumped on it. No side effects whatsoever. I've had 2 treatments. Did said medication help prevent fractures? No, lifting my bedroom window in May 2023 caused T11-12 vertebral fractures. X-rays showed I now have arthritis in my back. I NEVER had back pain until I fractured my vertebrae."

• Mal...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• March 12, 2016

"My husband is on alendronate (Fosamax), expensive. Severe low back pain, bloating and gas, and ankle pain did not connect the dots. Pain goes on since last April, now I have asked him to stop. Since today, I have to wait and see. I myself have severe jaw pain, took Fosamax in those days. Heartburn continues, though I stopped a long time ago. I take chondroitin sodium. My bone reading is from osteoporosis to osteopenia now."

• Ree...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• March 26, 2020

"I used alendronate along with Fosamax (separately through the years) for almost 6 years every Saturday as directed, but still got osteoporosis. I can’t understand this, and I’m wondering if this has happened to anyone else?"

• jbi...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• September 20, 2023

"74-year-old male. I have taken this drug, 70 mg weekly, for 3 years. I haven't had any side effects. I am fairly active, doing long walks and bike riding. I have had crashes on the bike, yet no broken bones. I think it helps. No aches or pains, but I didn't have them before either."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 27, 2020

"I began alendronate after breaking my pelvis. Bone density showed osteoporosis. I began having constant coughing and shortness of breath. Doctors do not believe it's connected. I feel terrible and want off of it."

• Kat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 3, 2023

Alendronate "I have only been on Fosamax for seven weeks, and so far, have had no adverse effects. The only possible effect I've noticed is that my fingernails seem to be growing a lot faster than they previously did. I am 82 years old and very active, and the only 'symptom' I've had is morning low back pain, which so far still persists. My doctor suggested treatment with Fosamax after a test he ordered following my last PE."

• Cin...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 4, 2020

"I took my first dose of alendronate this week. I had severe diarrhea, and it came with no warning-almost exactly 8 hours after taking the medication. I am glad I was at home when it happened. This was nearly like prepping for a colonoscopy. I hope my second week is not a repeat performance."

• Cha...
• December 19, 2020

"I have been using alendronate (generic for Fosamax) for 1 year and 6 months. I have now stopped using it because I've been having severe lower back pain, also in my hips, legs, and knees. The pain was so bad it woke me up out of a dead sleep. I will tell my doctor on my next appointment. I am hoping that after a while the pain will stop."

• Deb...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 5, 2020

"I'm on the once weekly 70 mg alendronate, and have taken it for four weeks. I'm fine, maybe a bit of diarrhea after the first dose. I hope it works! I'm wondering if it's caused some muscle weakness during my workouts, but will keep monitoring."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 20, 2020

"I took alendronate for osteoporosis for about a year. I just moved into osteopenia. The alendronate worked! I don't have to take this drug anymore. I am on 1200 mg calcium and 800 IU vitamin D. I didn't notice any side effects."

• Dot...
• August 21, 2023

"I took alendronate once a week for osteopenia. I had absolutely no side effects. After a few years, my bone density was normal. I've had 3 more normal bone density reports, each one 3 years apart since. I would highly recommend it based on my experience."

• Yar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 6, 2022

Alendronate "Was on Fosamax for just two weeks when I started PMS symptoms (I’m postmenopausal)... then started my period. Have to go through all kinds of testing, but I think it’s the Fosamax! Anyone else experience this side effect?"

• Gig...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 6, 2021

"Had both hips replaced fifteen years ago. One day my leg crumpled under me, and again three months later out of nowhere. Dislocated both times. Read some of the small print on alendronate, and it warns about hip issues. I discontinued use."

• Sha...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 28, 2020

"Please don't take Fosamax more than 2 years. My shaft femurs were broken during 2 years, and I had a hard operation 7 days ago. It was a very bad side effect of Fosamax. I am very sad because of taking this drug more than 2 years, just be careful."

• Wor...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 28, 2022

"This is my mum's life. She has osteoporosis and has religiously been taking the alendronate acid for nearly 5 years. They have not helped. I know there is no cure, but I thought they were to help slow it down, but it's not worked for my mum."

• 123...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• November 18, 2022

"My dose is 70 mg weekly. A 3-year scan helped to confirm improvement in bone density. Increased water intake on the dose day, which helped to prevent headaches. A one-hour period after taking the tablet before food. Didn’t take medication until 2 hours after the dose (especially calcium)."

• sus...
• April 3, 2023

"I want to know if anyone else got bad nosebleeds. I never had nosebleeds before taking alendronate. Every day, 3 and 4 times a day, I had bleeding with large clots. It took 3 and 4 hours to stop each. It doesn't show as a side effect, but after stopping, I had one nosebleed."

• Agl...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• November 18, 2020

"I’ve been taking Alendronic Acid since 2009. Had a break for 3 years (2016-2019), which caused an increase in bone loss, so I restarted it. Three and a half weeks ago, I had sudden onset of upper left abdominal pain. The doc wanted to prescribe a PPI, which could bring other problems. So I’m seeing another doc to discuss the probability that Fosamax is causing my pain. I have an appointment in December with the osteoporosis team to discuss a different medication."