Then take your thyroid medication and wait another 30 to 60 minutes before eating breakfast. Always talk with your doctor before you stop taking any medications. Gradually reducing your dosage helps your body adjust to the change.
Fosamax was found to be just as safe for older adults as it was for younger adults. However, in some cases, older adults may be more sensitive to the medication and may have a higher risk of side effects. Before taking Fosamax, talk with your doctor about your health history. Fosamax may not be right for you if you have certain medical conditions or other factors affecting your health.
These include:. However, chronic long-lasting excessive alcohol use may have a negative effect on your bones, and Fosamax is used to treat certain bone conditions. According to the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases , alcohol use may increase your risk of developing osteoporosis.
And if you have osteoporosis, drinking alcohol may worsen the condition. This is because alcohol can affect how your body uses calcium and vitamin D , which are nutrients your body uses to build and maintain strong bones.
Alcohol can also cause changes in hormone levels in men and women. In men, alcohol may decrease testosterone. And in women, alcohol may decrease estrogen.
These hormonal changes also increase your risk of osteoporosis. In addition, keep in mind that you should always wait at least 30 minutes after taking Fosamax before having drinks, foods, or other medications.
This includes consuming alcohol. Fosamax can interact with several other medications. It can also interact with certain supplements as well as certain foods. Different interactions can cause different effects. For instance, some interactions can interfere with how well a drug works. Other interactions can increase side effects or make them more severe. Fosamax should be taken at least 30 minutes before any other medications, foods, or drinks.
Below are some of the medications that can interact with Fosamax. Before taking Fosamax, talk with your doctor and pharmacist. Tell them about all prescription, over-the-counter, and other drugs you take.
Also tell them about any vitamins, herbs, and supplements you use. Sharing this information can help you avoid potential interactions.
If you have questions about drug interactions that may affect you, ask your doctor or pharmacist. This is because antacids decrease the amount of Fosamax that your body can absorb. For example, in clinical trials , people taking aspirin with more than 10 milligrams mg of Fosamax per day had an increased risk of digestive side effects.
These side effects included irritation of the stomach and intestines, heartburn, and nausea. However, this increased risk was not seen in people who took 10 mg or less of Fosamax per day. Before taking Fosamax, talk with your doctor about any other medications that you take. If you take aspirin, your doctor may recommend a medication other than Fosamax to treat your condition. The digestive tract refers to the parts of the body involved in eating and digesting foods and liquids.
This irritation may increase your risk of digestive side effects from Fosamax and NSAIDs, such as nausea or belly pain. This was in comparison with people taking a placebo, which is a treatment with no active drug. But your doctor may monitor you more often during treatment just in case you have increased side effects. Using certain supplements with Fosamax could make Fosamax less able to treat your condition.
Below, we describe a type of supplement that may interact with Fosamax in this way. But keep in mind that you should take any supplements at least 30 minutes after taking Fosamax. And only take a calcium and vitamin D supplement if your doctor recommends it. You should take Fosamax at least 30 minutes before consuming any food, drinks, or other medications. Taking Fosamax with these other substances can prevent your body from properly absorbing Fosamax. Taking Fosamax with a beverage other than plain water can decrease how much Fosamax your body absorbs.
Fosamax works by stopping the activity of osteoclasts cells that break down your bone tissue. By preventing these cells from working, Fosamax increases your bone density and strength. This lowers your risk of fractures. Fosamax begins working after you take your first dose.
However, you may not notice it working, or it may take time to notice the effects of the medication. This is because Fosamax works to decrease your bone breakdown over time.
Eventually, Fosamax can make your bones stronger and improve your bone density. Bone density is a measurement of how strong your bones are. Fosamax works to improve bone strength by decreasing bone breakdown in your body. This is important to do to ensure that your body absorbs Fosamax.
Note: Fosamax Plus D, a combination of Fosamax and vitamin D3, may be prescribed to treat osteoporosis instead of Fosamax in some cases. If you have questions about whether Fosamax or Fosamax Plus D is better for treating your condition, talk with your doctor. As with all medications, the cost of Fosamax can vary. To find current prices for Fosamax tablets in your area, check out GoodRx. The cost you find on GoodRx.
Before approving coverage for Fosamax, your insurance company may require you to get prior authorization. This means that your doctor and insurance company will need to communicate about your prescription before the insurance company will cover the drug. The insurance company will review the prior authorization request and decide if the drug will be covered.
If you need financial support to pay for Fosamax, or if you need help understanding your insurance coverage, help is available.
Medication Assistance Tool provides lists of programs that may help to lower the cost of Fosamax. And generics tend to cost less than brand-name drugs. To find out how the cost of Fosamax compares to alendronate, visit GoodRx.
They may recommend that you use one of the forms rather than the other. However, animal studies showed that Fosamax can increase the risk of death for a pregnant female and her fetus.
Studies showed that Fosamax lowered body weight in fetuses and increased the risk of miscarriage. They may recommend a different medication for you. You can also call the American Association of Poison Control Centers at or use their online tool. But if your symptoms are severe, call or your local emergency number, or go to the nearest emergency room right away. When you get Fosamax from the pharmacy, the pharmacist will add an expiration date to the label on the bottle or box.
This date is typically 1 year from the date they dispensed the medication. The expiration date helps guarantee that the medication is effective during this time. If you have unused medication that has gone past the expiration date, talk to your pharmacist about whether you might still be able to use it. How long a medication remains good can depend on many factors, including how and where you store the medication. They should be kept in a tightly sealed container away from light.
Avoid storing this medication in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. This helps prevent others, including children and pets, from taking the drug by accident. It also helps keep the drug from harming the environment. This article provides several useful tips on medication disposal. You can also ask your pharmacist for information on how to dispose of your medication.
Of note, Fosamax has not been studied beyond 4 years of use. It is not known if the drug is safe and effective after 4 years of treatment. Therefore, it is best to reevaluate Fosamax treatment regularly.
After 3 to 5 years of treatment, reevaluate people at low risk for fracture, and consider discontinuing treatment. However, even after stopping treatment, people should still be monitored. Fosamax is available as a tablet. The brand-name medication is only available as the mg tablet that can be taken once weekly. However, alendronate, the generic form of Fosamax, is available as a tablet that comes in 5 mg, 10 mg, 35 mg, 40 mg, and 70 mg.
Fosamax tablets should be taken as a whole tablet in the morning on an empty stomach. The drug should be taken at least 30 minutes before any other food, drink, or medications to avoid decreased absorption of the Fosamax. After taking, people should remain upright in either a sitting or standing position for at least 30 minutes to avoid the risk of esophageal ulceration. They should also eat before lying down.
Tablets should be taken with at least 6 to 8 ounces oz of water. The oral solution should be taken with at least 2 oz of water. Fosamax is a bisphosphonate medication.
It works by binding under osteoclasts, which then bind to bone surface. However, osteoclasts lack the border that causes resorption. In this way, Fosamax inhibits osteoclasts from working, so bone breakdown is blocked. Because Fosamax blocks osteoclasts, rate of bone formation occurs faster than bone breakdown. This increases bone mineral density as well. In women, alendronate taken in the morning, 2 hours before breakfast, has a bioavailability of 0.
In men, the bioavailability of alendronate taken in the morning, 2 hours before breakfast, is 0. The oral tablet and solution have equal bioavailability. Therefore, alendronate should be taken 30 minutes before other food, drink, or medications.
The volume of distribution at steady state is at least 28 liters. The terminal half-life of Fosamax is greater than 10 years, which is due to alendronate releasing from the skeleton.
People at risk for aspiration should not take the oral solution of Fosamax. The oral solution is only available as the generic form of Fosamax, called alendronate. It should be kept in a tightly sealed container, away from light. It should not be stored in areas where it could get damp or wet, such as bathrooms. Disclaimer: Medical News Today has made every effort to make certain that all information is factually correct, comprehensive, and up to date.
However, this article should not be used as a substitute for the knowledge and expertise of a licensed healthcare professional. You should always consult your doctor or other healthcare professional before taking any medication.
The drug information contained herein is subject to change and is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. The absence of warnings or other information for a given drug does not indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective, or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses. Bone density decreases with time, and some people have a risk of developing weak or brittle bones.
Learn how to increase or maintain bone density here. It is suspected — though not proven — that long-term use of this medication may lead to bones becoming more brittle and prone to breaking. Researchers at the FDA have studied long-term use of bisphosphonates and have determined that these drugs are successful at slowing the loss of bone mass. However, further investigation is necessary to determine the optimal period of time that patients should take Fosamax or other bisphosphonates.
Studies show that some women who are at a low risk for fractures may be able to stop taking Fosamax after three to five years and still benefit.
This is because the medication accumulates in the body and continues to be effective after treatment has ceased. For older patients with a history of fractures and those with low bone mineral density, it may be more advantageous to continue bisphosphonate therapy.
The FDA medication guide for Fosamax includes warnings about severe jawbone complications and unusual thighbone fractures. However, most experts do agree that bisphosphonates, when used appropriately, have benefits that outweigh potential risks. You may opt-out of e-mail communications at any time by clicking on the Unsubscribe link in the e-mail. Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.
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This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Request Appointment. Osteoporosis: How long must I take bisphosphonates? Products and services. How long must I take bisphosphonates for osteoporosis? Are they a lifelong commitment? Answer From Ann Kearns, M. Thank you for Subscribing Our Housecall e-newsletter will keep you up-to-date on the latest health information.
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