Alendronate (oral route)
Available brands
Fosamax
About this medication
Alendronate is used to prevent and treat osteoporosis (thinning of the bone) in women after menopause. This medicine may also be used to increase bone mass in men who have osteoporosis, and in men and women to prevent and treat osteoporosis caused by long-term use of corticosteroids (cortisone-like medicine). It may also be used to treat Paget's disease of the bone. This medicine is available only with your doctor's prescription. This product is available in the following dosage forms:
Before using this medication
In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For this medicine, the following should be considered: Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully. Use of alendronate is not indicated in children. Appropriate studies performed to date have not demonstrated geriatric-specific problems that would limit the usefulness of alendronate in the elderly. However, elderly patients are more sensitive to the effects of this medicine than younger adults There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding. Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking this medicine, it is especially important that your healthcare professional know if you are taking any of the medicines listed below. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following medicines is usually not recommended, but may be required in some cases. If both medicines are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use one or both of the medicines. Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. The following interactions have been selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all-inclusive. Using this medicine with any of the following may cause an increased risk of certain side effects but may be unavoidable in some cases. If used together, your doctor may change the dose or how often you use this medicine, or give you special instructions about the use of food, alcohol, or tobacco. The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of this medicine. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:
How to use this medication
This medicine comes with a Medication Guide and a patient information insert. Read and follow the instructions carefully. Ask your doctor if you have any questions. Take the medicine on an empty stomach.It should be taken as soon as you get out of bed in the morning and at least 30 minutes before any food, beverage, or other medicines. Food and beverages (eg, mineral water, coffee, tea, or juice) will decrease the amount of alendronate absorbed by the body. Waiting longer than 30 minutes will allow more of the drug to be absorbed. Medicines such as antacids, calcium, or vitamin supplements will also decrease the absorption of alendronate. If you are using alendronateoral liquid, drink at least 2 ounces (a quarter of a cup) of water immediately after taking the medicine. This will allow the medicine to reach your intestines and be absorbed by the body more quickly. Swallow thetabletwhole with a full glass (6 to 8 ounces) of plain water. Do not suck or chew on the tablet because it may cause throat irritation. Theeffervescent tabletshould not be chewed, swallowed whole, or dissolved in the mouth to prevent the risk of mouth or throat irritation. If you are taking alendronateeffervescent tablet, dissolve it in 4 ounces of room temperature plain water only (not mineral water or flavored water). Wait at least 5 minutes after the effervescence stops and then stir the solution for 10 seconds and drink it. Do not lie down for at least 30 minutes after taking alendronate and before having your first food for the day. This will help alendronate reach your stomach faster. It will also help prevent irritation to your esophagus. It is important that you eat a well-balanced diet with adequate amounts of calcium and vitamin D (found in milk or other dairy products). However, do not take any foods, beverages, or calcium supplements within 30 minutes or longer after taking the alendronate. To do so may keep this medicine from working properly. Follow your dosing instructions given to you by your doctor closely. It may affect the way this medicine works if you do not. Do not stop using this medicine suddenly without asking your doctor. Tell your doctor if you do weight-bearing exercises, smoke or drink excessively. Your doctor will need to take these into consideration in deciding your dose. The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so. The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine. If you miss a dose of this medicine, skip the missed dose and go back to your regular dosing schedule. Do not double doses. For patients taking the medicineeach day: If you miss a dose or forget to use your medicine in the morning, skip the missed dose and take your medicine thenext morning. Do not take two tablets on the same day. Return to your regular schedule the next day. If you are on aweekly scheduleand miss a dose of this medicine, take it thenext morningafter you remember. Resume your usual schedule taking the medicine on your chosen day the next week. Keep out of the reach of children. Do not keep outdated medicine or medicine no longer needed. Ask your healthcare professional how you should dispose of any medicine you do not use. Store the medicine in a closed container at room temperature, away from heat, moisture, and direct light. Keep from freezing. Protect theeffervescent tabletfrom moisture and do not remove from the blister pack until you are ready to use it.
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