FOSAMAX Reviews (ALENDRONATE SODIUM)Average Rating: 1.4 (1230 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare FOSAMAX with similar:
Type: Rx Drug
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Results are sorted by Date added. Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 |
More on FOSAMAX: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR FOSAMAX | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | bone scan indicated osteopenia | severe bone pain, espcially in my shoulders and upper thighs, heartburn. | I am extremely frustrated because I started on Fosamax before the bone pain side effect was added to the insert, so I made no connection between the drug and my pain. I stumbled on this website after typing in "heartburn" + "bone pain" on the Internet, and I was shocked at what I read. I knew heartburn could be a side effect, but it had gotten worse recently. After only 12 days off the medication, I am almost totally pain free, and the heartburn is completely gone. | F | 53 | 19 months | 4/5/2006 | 5 | to increase bone density | None! I have had no side effects from taking this medication. | I am not due for retesting for a year or two, so won't know how well it "worked" until then. I have confidence that it will work, however. | F | 64 | 2 years | 4/4/2006 | 1 | Diagnosed with osteoporosis | Have not yet started | Upon reading Dr. Mercola's findings on this drug, I will not take it. The ingredients in it are the same you can find in soap scum remover you use to clean your bathroom!! Imagine the damage to your system!! Please visit drmercola.com and see for yourself. | F | 53 | 0 days | 3/29/2006 | 1 | Osteopenia | Severe bone pain, headache, and severe jaw pain. I felt like my jaw was crumbling away. I still can't bite down. Very weak. Also felt like me right eye was about to pop out of my head. I didn't leave my recliner for two days after the second time I took Fosamax. | I will never take Fosamax again. I was very scared by the pain I had. The doctor has put me on a nasal spray, but haven't used it yet. | F | 42 | 2 weeks | 3/28/2006 | 1 | for osteoporosis | tingling of hands and feet,cramp type pains in feet and legs,pains in joints of fingers,stabbing pains behind eyes,pains in ribs and chest,difficulty swallowing on three occassions-very severe,terrible problems sleeping | I took this drug for one year and started to get joint pain in left hand.Woke up in night having difficulty swallowing-very frightening and next day had numb feeling in left leg -stopped taking fosamax.Suffered for months with tingling/burning in hands and feet,cramps in feet and legs and pains across ribs -felt desperate.Now take amitriptyline 10mg at night prescribed by Neurologist which helps.Side effects are less frequent but I still get them more than 2 years after stopping the drug.I WOULD NEVER TAKE IT AGAIN! | F | 39 | 365 days | 3/27/2006 | 1 | osteoporosis | Started taking Fosamax in 2002 and stopped in 2004 due to side effects. My doctor recommended that I try Actonel so in July 04 I started on Actonel and stopped taking it 2 months later because of stiffness in my hands, feet and legs especially upon waking in the morning. Had several blood test done to look for clues as to what might be causing this - all test came back normal. I have been off Actonel since October of 2004 and 1 year and 5 months later I can finally say that the stiffness and pain I was experiencing has finally subsided. I hope that I have not done any permanent damage to my health by taking these two drugs. | F | 59 | | 3/24/2006 | 1 | Diagnosed with Osteopenia (-1.9 T) | Started on Fosamax after first bone density test in October 2005 based on an average -1.9 T-score. In about 3-4 weeks, I began noticing leg pain. At first I attributed it to the fact that I was increasing my walking schedule and taking the stairs at work. However, at week 5 when it turned into intense bone pain in my shins I began to wonder if it was related to this drug. I also would wake up in the morning with stiff, swollen and sore fingers. I stopped taking the drug for a couple of weeks in December to see if my symptons were related. In a few days the pain in my legs subsided, and the stiffness in my hands got a little better. Went back on the drug the first of 2006 and had immediate negative response again. Met with my doctor (who had never heard of any of my complaints from any of her other patients)ran several blood tests to see if it was related to anything other than this drug, and was told to stop taking Fosomax because it sounded like I was having an adverse reaction | (all my blood tests came back normal). She took me off this for 30 days and then had me start taking Actonel. I've been on Actonel for 6 weeks now, and now I have pain in my hands, arms, neck and shoulder. In fact, my left shoulder has locked up so much I can no longer reach behind me. Getting dressed has become a challenge not to mention normal daily functions. Last night I was awake most of the night as my left arm felt like it was on fire! I had difficulty making my bed this morning-I'm done! I bought into the "osteopenia is a precursor to osteoporsis" story. I refuse to be a guinea pig for the drug industry. Now that I understand the difference between a T-score and Z-score, I prefer to take my chances the natural way - diet and exercise. | F | 51 | 10 weeks | 3/24/2006 | 1 | KYPHOSIS "Dowagers Hump" | TERRIBLE FATIGUE ! My osteoporosis was caused by not taking enough calcium and vit.D. I only drank enough milk for my breakfast cereal. So what the hell did my doc put me on this drug when all I had to do was increase calcium and "D." | Going to stop next Monday. Read the recent reports of: "Fosamax, Necrosis of the Jaw" on Google, Cleveland Clinic website and Johns Hopkins website. Also Googled: "Fosamax, Jaw Death." If you have teeth extracted while on Fosamax, you may get this disfiguring disease where your jaw will die.......... SCARY!! | M | 71 | 15 months | 3/23/2006 | 2 | osteopenia | Constipation, bloating, weight gain - - After only three weeks on the once a week 70 mg, I had gained 5 pounds, was bloated and constipated. I had not had these problems before starting to take Fosamax. I suspected it was the medication and - so - after reading comments at this site I have stopped taking it. I will continue my daily long walks, assume the 5 pounds will drop off as my diet has remained the same before and during the treatment with Fosamax, and will see how this situation develops. If necessary I will go on a tuna, lean beef, chicken, salad, vegetable etc. diet - high protein and leafy "roughage" - until I am back to normal- hoping activity and excerise will help my osteopenia - i.e. - I will go back to my normal non-medicated life. | F | 60 | 3 weeks | 3/22/2006 | 1 | 0steopenia | very tired, groggy,achey, knot on breast and near bottom I | I would like to know how fosamax is made and what it is made of. | F | 56 | | 3/22/2006 | 1 | ostopenia - minimal bone loss - hip | I suffered from heartburn regularly and never thought of Fosamax causing it until I stopped taking it. Within a couple of weeks, the heartburn disappeared, my left hip doesn't ache, I am losing some extra pounds that I have put on since being on the drug, less joint aches and much more energy. It was not worth taking the drug. My doctor said at my age, sufficient calcium and vitamin D should help. She did not say for me to stop the drug but after reading this web page a month ago and reading everyone's side effects, made the decision easy for me to make. | F | 54 | 3 years | 3/21/2006 | 2 | Osteopenic | I have had stiffness and soreness in neck, wrists, ankles and most recently the hips. I have also noticed bluriness when reading at night, but never thought of relating it to the Fosomax until I read others experiencing it on this website. After reading these comments, I think I will stop taking as well and see if I can control it through diet and exercise. | F | 44 | 6 months | 3/20/2006 | 1 | osteoporosis | I was dizzy and nauseous, extremely fatigued, couldn't sleep the first night, my bones ached, I had a massive headache for two days. I felt fluish. In general I felt terrible for 5 days. Fosamax is poison. And I only took one pill. Never again. | F | 63 | 1 days | 3/20/2006 | 1 | thinning in hip; family history | Pain and stiffness in hips and knees; pain radiating down right thigh; pain in finger joints and wrist; most severe and constant pain in right elbow area and surrounding muscles; sleep disturbances; increased flatulence and acid reflux; abdominal weight gain and bloating; bottom of feet hurt; difficulty standing and walking after first getting out of bed or out of chair; headaches; fatique; shortness of breath; feel old and creaky. | Started taking Fosamax in June 2004 as a preventative to further bone loss and since my mother is on Fosamax for treatment of osteoporosis. During the past year, I have been experiencing increasingly more as time goes on the side effects described in this posting. I never associated them with the Fosamax until recently when a friend brought this website to my attention. I was stunned as I read other people's comments and saw that every one of my recent symptoms were reported by others taking Fosamax. I had been blaming them on menopause, aging, osteoarthritis due to age, etc. I'm only 53, but feel much older and look much older when I try to walk after sitting for a while. I'm otherwise a healthy person and shouldn't be feeling this much pain and stiffness as a normal course. I took my last dose on 3/12/06 and will inform my doctor accordingly at my annual physical on the 22nd. I'll be interested to find out if the side effects go away. | F | 53 | 21 months | 3/20/2006 | 1 | I | F | | 3/19/2006 | 1 | osteoporosis | I feel like I have been run over by a truck and dragged behind it several miles. I have constant bone and joint pain; all over my body, but especially in legs and feet. The joints in my hands, fingers and toes are stiff first thing in the morning. My bones also seem sore just to touch or when I bump them against something during daily activities. I have only taken Fosamax about ten months so I have not had another scan to check bone density. I don't think I can continue taking this drug long enough to help. Hope another drug can help.....I have a doctor's appointment in April. | F | 50 | 10 months | 3/19/2006 | 1 | osteopenia | I am experiencing pain on left side of sternum at rib cage. Sometimes it feels like a large bruise. I have had an ekg and all types of blood tests to rule out muscle or cardiac problems. After skipping my dose this week I already feel better. I also developed a nagging cough,although no backdrip. Also, I thought I was having an irregular pulse after stress. I am not on any other medication, have low bp and cholesterol and only take my calcium citrate, vit d, centrum and b vits. and Synthroid. I think I am having somekind of reaction to fosamax. | I had switched to fosamax from actonel about a month ago. I will not resume fosamax. | F | 63 | 28 days | 3/14/2006 | 4 | Very poor bone density scan at 68 | Only suffered severe pain with 70mg dose (before I was diagnosed with a hiatus hernia and medicine to deal with this) - put back on daily 10mg - no indigestion. Have experienced some muscle and joint pain. | After initial bone scan showed poor bone density, prescribed fosamax; next scan 5 years later resulting in 14% increase in spinal bone density and 12% in hip density. I have experienced some joint pain and back spasm and loose bowel motions, but I have IBS anyway. I recently had a ligament problem at the base of the thumb on my left hand, and my right hand index finger has produced an arthritic knob on the second knuckle from the tip. The specialist report from the scan recommended continuing with the drug. I have a hiatus hernia and a history of acid reflux before taking medicine to block stomach acid (Losec 40mg daily). I have had no problem whatsoever with reflux or digestion with the 10mg dosage. I shall now experiment going off the drug for 3 months and monitor myself. If I feel better, I shall consult my doctor about something else to deal with potential osteoporosis. If it is of any interest I had a very late menopause (58 years old) and have never been tempted to take | F | 72 | 5 years | 3/13/2006 | 1 | osteopenia | The 4th time I took it I experienced significant chest pains and my blood pressure went up to 190/106. I never had experienced high blood pressure. I went to ER and they ended up doing a heart catherization. My heart was in great shape. I decided not to do further tests for possible gall bladder or esophagitis problems after a friend commented it might be the Fosamax. I quit taking it and have not had any more of these symptoms. | F | 51 | 4 weeks | 3/10/2006 | 1 | osteoporosis, 2breaks in 4 months | Horrible!Within one hour stomach pain, trouble breathing,pain with swallowing. I had constant thirst. By 3 hours I started to bloat and had gas and burping that almost was comical if it wasn't so painful and awful. By that night the heartburn was almost unbearable. I was vomiting and within 24 hours I had blisters on my lips, gums, and tongue which broke into ulcers in another 24 hours.I keep rinsing and gargleingwith baking soda and warm water, but I am not sure how much this has helped. I had such heartburn I could not stand it and nothing I tried would make it stop for 4 days. The 3rd day I got a migraine headach and I have had a headache for the last 10 days(but not a migraine). | I will NEVER take this again and though I hear it helps other people I took only one 70mg once a week pill and today is the 14th day of torture. I can't lie down, I can barely keep any food down and I can't stop this horrible barking cough. It feels like there is a lump under my vocal chords and I have not had any voice for 13 days. I sure hope this gets out of my system soon. When I called my doctor she just said stop taking it and I will see you in 3 weeks. I was absolutely fine the day I took it. | F | 57 | 1 days | 3/8/2006 |