Fosamax or the other med (Alendr....)

[RStevrock]

I'd like to hear from more of you about taking the Fosamax once a week. This
is something that my doctor has been encouraging. She asked me to try it, but
gave me the wrong samples. Since I am ready for a new prescription, I have
heard talk about another med like Fosamax. It is like Alendro something. I
know that that word is also the clinical name for Fosamax, but this other one
is a competitor of Fosamax. Have any of you researched the other medicine and
found differences that would make it better than Fosamax? I have no problems
with Fosamax so that would not be a consideration. I also have stopped taking
hormone pills and don't want to start again.
Sammy

[Art S]

"RStevrock" <rstevrock@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030803151817.06745.00001059@mb-m06.aol.com...
> I'd like to hear from more of you about taking the Fosamax once a week. This
> is something that my doctor has been encouraging. She asked me to try it, but
> gave me the wrong samples. Since I am ready for a new prescription, I have
> heard talk about another med like Fosamax. It is like Alendro something. I
> know that that word is also the clinical name for Fosamax, but this other one
> is a competitor of Fosamax. Have any of you researched the other medicine and
> found differences that would make it better than Fosamax? I have no problems
> with Fosamax so that would not be a consideration. I also have stopped taking
> hormone pills and don't want to start again.
> Sammy

Alendronate? That's the generic name for Fosamax, but I really doubt that
there is a generic coming out for it already. According to Merck
(http://www.merck.com/newsroom/press_releases/corporate/2002_1104.html),
the daily form is protected until August 2007, and the once-weekly form is
protected until 2018.

Art

[RStevrock]

>Alendronate? That's the generic name for Fosamax, but I really doubt that
>there is a generic coming out for it already. According to Merck
>(http://

I wasn't thinking about generic, but was correcting myself. It was Actonel
that I was thinking about. But I doubt if I need to switch from Fosamax. I
think I need to look at other things and leave the medicine alone.
Sammy

[John]

I've been on fosamax since just before it's retail release and indeed
went on the once weekly pill as soon as it became available. My next
scheduled DXA scan is in September so i can comment better on how well
it works them

John M

RStevrock wrote:
> I'd like to hear from more of you about taking the Fosamax once a week. This
> is something that my doctor has been encouraging. She asked me to try it, but
> gave me the wrong samples. Since I am ready for a new prescription, I have
> heard talk about another med like Fosamax. It is like Alendro something. I
> know that that word is also the clinical name for Fosamax, but this other one
> is a competitor of Fosamax. Have any of you researched the other medicine and
> found differences that would make it better than Fosamax? I have no problems
> with Fosamax so that would not be a consideration. I also have stopped taking
> hormone pills and don't want to start again.
> Sammy

[RStevrock]

The other med is Actonel.
Since I am not having trouble with Fosamax, I don't intend to switch unless my
doctor says to do so.
Someone said that once a week Fosamax means that you would only be
irritating your esophagus once a week instead of daily. That is a good point.
Sammy