1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Alendronate 10mg versus Risedronate 150mg?

Posted by lightluz @lightluz, Feb 5 8:32pm

Dear Forum Members,

I hope you're all doing well. I’m reaching out to get your thoughts and experiences with two medications I’ve been considering for my osteoporosis treatment: Alendronate and Risedronate.

I’ve been taking Alendronate once a week for the past year, and while I’ve been consistent with it, my endocrinologist recently suggested switching to Risedronate, taken once a month. To be honest, I’m feeling a bit lost in this journey and would really appreciate any feedback you might have.

If any of you have used Alendronate or Risedronate, I would love to hear about your experiences, particularly any side effects you’ve encountered, and how you’ve found the transition between these two medications (if applicable). Did one work better for you? Were there any issues with side effects that I should be aware of as I make this decision?

Thank you so much for your insights, as they will help me feel more informed and confident in managing my treatment.

Looking forward to hearing from you all.

Best regards, Luz

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dbamos1945 | @dbamos1945 | Feb 5 10:48pm

There seems to be quite a controversy with Osteoporosis treatment meds. I would love to have direction on how long I should stay on the 1:mo Ristedronate 150mg before requesting another drug to encourage bone stability! Perhaps someone has been down this road and will share their experiences and recommendations????? Waiting….

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mmwagner46 | @mmwagner46 | Feb 6 8:30am

I just started Risedronate 150mg. 5 months ago. Why would you request a change to another drug? I don't seem to be having side effects. Are you?

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dbamos1945 | @dbamos1945 | Feb 6 9:22pm

mmwagner46/et al: my internist is reluctant to prescribe repeat bone density test to show if I am having good bone stability on 1/mo Ristdronate 150mg -he says wait another year (began 4yrs ago) to see most accurate response! I have had no side-effects on current med, but read that I shouldn’t take it more than 5 consecutive years. Anyone have info????

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1 reply
mmwagner46 | @mmwagner46 | Feb 7 7:39am
In reply to @dbamos1945 "mmwagner46/et al: my internist is reluctant to prescribe repeat bone density test to show if I..." + (show)
@dbamos1945

mmwagner46/et al: my internist is reluctant to prescribe repeat bone density test to show if I am having good bone stability on 1/mo Ristdronate 150mg -he says wait another year (began 4yrs ago) to see most accurate response! I have had no side-effects on current med, but read that I shouldn’t take it more than 5 consecutive years. Anyone have info????

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Have you noticed hair loss?

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1 reply
dbamos1945 | @dbamos1945 | Feb 7 7:49am
In reply to @mmwagner46 "Have you noticed hair loss?" + (show)
@mmwagner46

Have you noticed hair loss?

Jump to this post

mmwagner46: My hair has always been on the thin side of normal and have had increased hair loss for 20+ yrs.; No drastic increase lately.

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lightluz | @lightluz | Feb 7 10:30am

I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has had experiences with * Risedronate*, as I’m a bit confused and would appreciate your input.

I’ve been taking *Alendronate* for osteoporosis, but I’ve started experiencing hair loss. I mentioned it to my doctor, and she assured me that the hair loss is not related to the Alendronate. However, I’m still concerned and wondering if it might be linked to something else.

My doctor has now suggested switching to *Risedronate*, as it may be gentler on my esophagus (since I have acid reflux) and taking it once a month could be better for my digestive system. What I don’t quite understand is why we didn’t start with *Risedronate* from the beginning, instead of waiting a year to make this change.

Has anyone here used * Risedronate*? If so, I’d love to hear about any *side effects* you've experienced, particularly regarding digestive issues or anything related to hair loss, as that’s something I’m concerned about right now.

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1 reply
ripley | @ripley | Feb 7 12:30pm
In reply to @lightluz "I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has had experiences with * Risedronate*, as..." + (show)
@lightluz

I wanted to reach out to see if anyone has had experiences with * Risedronate*, as I’m a bit confused and would appreciate your input.

I’ve been taking *Alendronate* for osteoporosis, but I’ve started experiencing hair loss. I mentioned it to my doctor, and she assured me that the hair loss is not related to the Alendronate. However, I’m still concerned and wondering if it might be linked to something else.

My doctor has now suggested switching to *Risedronate*, as it may be gentler on my esophagus (since I have acid reflux) and taking it once a month could be better for my digestive system. What I don’t quite understand is why we didn’t start with *Risedronate* from the beginning, instead of waiting a year to make this change.

Has anyone here used * Risedronate*? If so, I’d love to hear about any *side effects* you've experienced, particularly regarding digestive issues or anything related to hair loss, as that’s something I’m concerned about right now.

Jump to this post

I haven't taken either drug, but did a google search for "Risedronate vs Fosamax" and several articles came up. One article by Drugs.com is interesting and lists side effects of each med. Here is a link to a study comparing the two drugs which has this conclusion: "Alendronate 70 mg OW yielded significantly greater BMD gains and larger decreases in bone turnover marker levels than risedronate 35 mg OW over 24 months, with no difference in UGI tolerability." https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18324951/

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