Alendronate and Joint Pain: What Users Say

• pai...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 22, 2023

Alendronate for Prevention of Osteoporosis "After a freak accident where I slipped on a waxed floor and broke my hip, I was put on Fosamax for two years. However, my doctor eventually advised me to discontinue using it due to severe joint pain in my shoulders, neck, legs, feet, and back, as well as the development of TMJ and cramps in my feet. I also experienced tingling in my feet, hands, and arms, increased blood pressure, and three days of diarrhea every time I took the pill as prescribed once a week. I was always in pain and unable to sleep. Despite being an avid walker, I was unable to walk without pain. After being off the medication for two weeks, I am finally starting to get back to walking my 5 miles a day. I am hopeful that I will completely recover from the effects of the medication. In my opinion, the makers of this drug should provide compensation to everyone who has taken it."

• Tro...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 16, 2020

Alendronate for Osteoporosis "Used it twice. Stopped taking it. I can't recommend it. My doctor prescribed it because I was diagnosed with osteoporosis. First dose was very bad. Diarrhea, stomach pain like ulcers, very tired. Second dose was even worse. Diarrhea, SEVERE stomach cramps, I thought of going to the hospital. Joint pains in my ankle and knee. Do NOT use if you have any stomach problems. It feels like it is damaging, eating the stomach lining. Very scary experience."

• Cil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 30, 2020

Alendronate for Osteoporosis "First dose I felt achy and joint pain but it went away in a few days. Second dose my joints hurt so bad I could hardly move. I stopped taking them after the second dose. It has been two weeks and my bones and joints hurt so bad. Why is this still prescribed? It is horrible. I had no joint pain before taking this."

• Not...
• March 13, 2019

Alendronate for Osteoporosis "Took Fosamax for 4 months and got terrible side effects such as pain in my knees, hips, shin, and foot. The pain is not always in the same place. Could not sleep anymore. Painkillers did not help. It got so bad that I could hardly walk. Stopped taking Fosamax, and slowly I am feeling better."

• Nit...
• June 10, 2015

Alendronate for Osteoporosis "MD prescribed Fosamax. Took first dose and two days later woke up with a severe headache, bloating, gas, and terrible nausea. By the time I got home from work, I had severe back pain, joint pain, and a headache. The bloating was almost intolerable. The next day, nausea was worse and the headache continued with no relief even after OTC pain meds. I will take Calcium and Vitamin D instead."

• Sus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 30, 2019

Alendronate for Osteoporosis "I’ve been on Fosamax for 3 weeks, taking it once a week, on a Sunday. The first week I was constipated and bloated. That lasted most of the week. I started my second round on Sunday. By Monday afternoon, I started having joint and muscle pain. By late in the afternoon, my knees were swollen, and I had difficulty walking and climbing stairs. By Thursday, I was feeling back to normal. This past Sunday, I took my third pill. The next day, I had joint and muscle pain, flu-like symptoms, headache, nausea, fever, and chills. I’ve decided to stop the medication and take coral calcium and a vitamin D supplement."

• LaV...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 7, 2017

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "Give me osteoporosis. Nothing worse than this! I could not get myself to take my weekly dose today. I have been taking Alendronate Sodium for 1 month now. I feel so bad. Today, before taking it, I decided to read the reviews on it. OMG, I identified with all of them. I have never had so much pain in my bones, joints, jaw, feet, dry mouth, and sore eyes. How can a company put out such a product? I am so glad for everyone who posted their reaction to this terrible drug."

• Kit...
• January 21, 2020

Alendronate for Osteoporosis "I started taking Fosamax after I completed some dental work. My dentist refused to do implant if I was on the medication. After several weeks of taking the drug, I started having achy joints and difficulty stepping up, headaches, and weakness in my legs. Motrin didn't help at all. I didn't correlate the symptoms with the drug. I went to my doctor and requested physical therapy because of returning problems with my sciatica. During this time, I stopped the Fosamax for silly reasons. Sometime later, I started taking the drug again. This time it hit me like a brick wall. I was pet sitting for my son and literally had to pull myself up the stairs. Not realizing the drug was causing all these problems, I asked for physical therapy for my shoulder and hip. After 5 physical therapy appointments, my shoulder was worse and no improvement overall. Had an MRI of my shoulder and now have a torn rotator cuff. Yippee. Been through that before. I believe the Fosamax caused the tear and no clue about the hip."

• Anonymous
• February 27, 2021

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "I was taking alendronate for 6 weeks. I started getting headaches the first day I took them, which continued off and on. Lots of stomach and bathroom issues. By 3 weeks, explosive diarrhea, terrible stomach pain. The 4th, 5th, and 6th pill, the joint pains started. Why I stayed on this long still makes me angry. I called my doctor and told him I'm not taking them. Now it has been 4 weeks since my last pill, and I was woken up with jaw pain, and when I got out of bed, I could hardly walk for pain in my left ankle. Why is this stuff not taken off the market? I wish I had never taken it. Hopefully, side effects will stop soon."

• Cat...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 19, 2020

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "Prescribed Alendronate and I took it once a week for 4 weeks. I had side effects of severe joint pain and I could barely walk, did not put it together until I checked out side effects and then stopped taking it. I told my doctor I was also experiencing heart palpitations too, he said do not take any more. I've been off the medication about a week now, have been feeling a pain in my upper shoulder blade area, hope this goes away soon. I will not take this ever again."

• Hor...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 10, 2017

For Osteoporosis "Nausea... Headaches... Sticks in my throat... and sours in my stomach. Cramps with joint pains. Carpal tunnel from my shoulders down my arms. Cramps in my chest, hands, arms, legs, and feet. I started taking it because I was hurting from osteoporosis. Now I am hurting from taking this drug. Vitamins D and calcium would have been the answer, but doctors get paid to push this medication on their patients."

• nut...
• May 25, 2020

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "9 months from just 2 doses (35 mg/week), and I am finally recovered from the severe arm, hand, and shoulder pain it triggered. A factor in my adverse reaction to alendronate is likely that I was also taking PPIs, which I learned later amplify absorption. After the first dose, I noticed sharp pains in my fingers that came and went. After the second dose, the next day I had severe pain in my right forearm, which grew worse over the next few days. I switched to using my left arm, but then that forearm grew painful, too. (I also had a few cramps in my thigh muscles over the first few days and some pain in the balls of my feet.) Over the next few weeks, my forearms slowly improved, but as I started using my arms more, I developed pain in my shoulders and fingers. With rest, everything slowly improved. Believing I was well at 5 months, I carried a heavy bag on my shoulder, which triggered 6 weeks of shoulder pain. Now, at 9 months, I'm finally okay."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 3, 2023

For Osteoporosis "This is the worst medication I have ever taken! One dose of this medication and I feel like I have been in a major automobile accident (this is the only way I know to describe this pain). I took the medication in the morning, and by the time I was ready to go to bed that night, my entire body (joints) were sore. By the middle of the night, I woke up with such pain in the right side of my chest (bone pain) that it hurt to take a deep breath. I am seriously hoping that this is short-lived! I have never had a reaction to a medication like this. DO NOT TAKE THIS MEDICATION!!!"

• Cha...
• August 22, 2017

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "I started taking Alendronate 70 mg pill as prescribed. The next morning, I woke up with severe heartburn and belching. Then I started feeling the urge to vomit. All I could bring up was phlegm and a foamy liquid. I had a very bad, acidic taste in my mouth. I finally called my doctor and was told to stop taking the Alendronate and stay on a clear liquid diet. My joints hurt, my jawbone and teeth hurt, back pain, and severe indigestion. After 6 hours, I was still vomiting. My doctor prescribed Zofran to calm my stomach. I started feeling better, so I tried eating. It's been 5 days, and I'm still having indigestion after eating and pain in my feet and hands. I hope this nasty medicine is out of my system soon!"

• Mag...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 2, 2025

Alendronate for Prevention of Osteoporosis "Approximately 3 years ago, my rheumatologist prescribed Fosamax for osteopenia. I took it every Sunday for approximately 9 months. I started noticing that on Mondays my muscles and joints hurt. Sometimes the pain was so bad, I just wanted to stay in bed or lie on the sofa. It finally occurred to me that the Fosamax might be the culprit. That following Sunday, I did not take Fosamax. Monday morning I woke up and the horrible muscle and bone pain was non-existent. The next Sunday I omitted taking Fosamax again. Monday morning, no debilitating pain. I stopped the Fosamax."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2023

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "I took my first 70 mg yesterday morning. I didn't want to start this medicine, but I got scared when I woke up, and my neck felt like it shattered like a branch breaking off, I could hear it and feel it. I already had a neck plate at C5 and C6. Since taking just one pill yesterday morning, I am miserable. I have had severe nausea since, and I'm so bloated even at 106 pounds. I'm so fatigued and have always had severe bone pain because I was recently diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and lupus. I'm not going to take it anymore after reading all the reviews. I'm scared that more side effects will show up after taking one pill. I'm going to start back at the gym, using the treadmill and light weights. I'm 63, and I'm pretty mobile considering all my health issues. Also, I think I have long COVID. During my second COVID, I could barely walk because of severe joint pain from it, or it's possible I'm doomed from one Moderna vaccine. I never finished my vaccines and won't."

• Cha...
• December 19, 2020

For Osteoporosis "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."

• cco...
• November 6, 2010

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "I noticed joint aches with this medication (and also from concomitant Femara, an anti-estrogen drug). Taking Glucosamine/Chondroitin (1000/600 per day) solved the problem. When I stop the G/C, the aches come back. The only downside to this medicine for me is forgetting to take it once per week, or accidentally ingesting food beforehand, so I couldn't take it that day."

• joe...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 21, 2021

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "After 6 weeks, have experienced nighttime leg cramps that wake me, vomiting, joint pain, headaches, shaking, vertigo. I don't know how this med will help me not to break any more bones when that is a side effect. What up with that? 1 tab weekly in A.M., 70 mg."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 19, 2020

Alendronate for Prevention of Osteoporosis "Fosamax gave me absolutely shocking joint pain and diarrhea all the time."

• Anonymous
• September 28, 2009

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "The side effects increased with intensity the longer I took it. Muscle, joint, and bone pain. I reached the point where I needed a cane to walk. Once I stopped taking it, problems all went away."

• Pat...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• February 28, 2017

For Prevention of Osteoporosis "Joint pain, back pain, involuntary jerking, swelling, thinning hair, constant in pain."