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Osteoporosis treatment: Medications can help

Which medications are commonly used for osteoporosis treatment? How do most osteoporosis medications work? How do you know if you're taking the right bisphosphonate? When might other osteoporosis medications be used? Can bisphosphonates hurt your bones? How long should you take a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis treatment? What happens if you break a bone while taking an osteoporosis medication? Content Which osteoporosis medications are usually tried first? What are common side effects of bisphosphonate pills? Do intravenous bisphosphonates have advantages over the pill form? Can osteoporosis medications hurt your bones? Should I take a drug holiday from bisphosphonates? Are hormones used to treat osteoporosis? How do osteoporosis medications work? Which drugs help speed up the bone-building process? Can medication alone successfully treat osteoporosis?

Which osteoporosis medications are usually tried first?

Bisphosphonates are usually the first choice for osteoporosis treatment. These include:

  • Alendronate (Fosamax), a weekly pill
  • Risedronate (Actonel), a weekly or monthly pill
  • Ibandronate (Boniva), a monthly pill or quarterly intravenous (IV) infusion
  • Zoledronic acid (Reclast), an annual IV infusion

Another common osteoporosis medication is denosumab (Prolia, Xgeva). Unrelated to bisphosphonates, denosumab might be used in people who can't take a bisphosphonate, such as some people with reduced kidney function.

Denosumab is delivered by shallow injections, just under the skin, every six months. If you take denosumab, you might have to do so indefinitely unless your doctor transitions you to another medication. Recent research indicates that there could be a high risk of spinal fractures after stopping the drug, so it's important that you take it consistently.

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