Spinoff on Buspar Thread: Actonel Anyone?

[lfaivre]

I'm just wondering if any of you take Actonel (for osteoporosis). What side effects (if any) do you have from it? I've been taking the once a month dose, but have terrible stomach cramps for 2-3 days afterwards. Since I'll be seeing my doctor soon, I wanted to discuss switching to the weekly dose to see if that helps. Has anyone else had any experience with this?

[cubmom2]

I do not take the drug, but I see the commercials with Sally Field. Does it come in generic ?

[lfaivre]

Sally Field is the spokesperson for Boniva which is another brand of the medication. According to my doctor, only Actonel actually reverses bone loss (all the others just prevent it from getting worse). So I have to pay twice as much for it (my insurance only covers Boniva), but we think it's worth it if it really does REVERSE the bone loss. Unfortunately, I won't know how well it's working for another year, since it's supposed to take at least 2 years to really be able to see anything on a bone scan.

[read52]

I have taken Boniva, actonel, and fosamax. I had reactions to all of them because they contain the same med. Actonel gave me a rash all over my body.
Then I took Evista which has another med in it. But I had a reaction to that too.
Now I am on a nasal spray (miacalin) and have not had a problem yet. I have been on it for a week.

[sandunga]

My mom takes Actonel weekly and she has mild stomach issues. Its good to hear that Actonel reverses the bone loss ( I did not know this and was going to tell my mom to request bonivia instead ).

[lfaivre]

Well, I'm home this afternoon and happened to see a Boniva commercial with Sally Field. She definitely said that Boniva reversed bone loss, so maybe I misunderstood my doctor. I do know that Sally broke her wrist after starting the commercials (which made me shy away from Boniva to begin with), but then again young people with NO osteoporosis can break their wrists.