Boniva vs. Prolia

• Are Boniva and Prolia the Same Thing?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Boniva?
• What Are Possible Side Effects of Prolia?
• What Is Boniva?
• What Is Prolia?
• What Drugs Interact with Boniva?
• What Drugs Interact with Prolia?
• How Should Boniva Be Taken?
• How Should Prolia Be Taken?

Prolia (denosumab) and Boniva (ibandronate) are used to prevent and treat bone loss (osteoporosis) in women who are at high risk for bone fracture after menopause.

Prolia and Boniva belong to different drug classes. Prolia is a monoclonal antibody and Boniva is a bisphosphonate.

Common side effects of Boniva include:

• back pain,
• headache,
• redness or swelling of your eyes,
• diarrhea,
• flu-like symptoms,
• nausea or stomach upset,
• pain in your arms or legs,
• redness or swelling where Boniva was injected,
• weakness,
• allergic reaction,
• indigestion,
• vomiting,
• joint pain,
• dizziness,
• spinning sensation (vertigo),
• upper respiratory infection,
• pneumonia, or
• urinary tract infection.

Common side effects of Prolia include:

• low calcium levels (especially if you have kidney problems),
• weakness,
• constipation,
• back pain,
• muscle pain,
• pain in your arms and legs,
• anemia,
• diarrhea, or
• skin problems (eczema, blisters, dry skin, peeling, redness, itching, small bumps).

You may also be more likely to get a serious infection, such as a skin, ear, stomach/gut, or bladder infection while taking Prolia. Tell your doctor if you develop signs of infection, such as:

• fever/chills, night sweats,
• red/swollen/tender/warm skin (with or without pus),
• severe stomach or abdominal pain,
• ear pain or drainage, trouble hearing,
• frequent/painful/burning urination, or
• pink/bloody urine.
• severe itching, burning, rask, blistering, peeling, or dryness of the skin,
• cough,
• shortness of breath,
• pinpoint purple or red spots under your skin,
• flu symptoms, or
• weight loss.

Boniva (ibandronate) is a bisphosphonate drug that alters the cycle of bone formation and breakdown in the body used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause. Boniva slows bone loss while increasing bone mass, which may prevent bone fractures.

Prolia (denosumab) is a monoclonal antibody used to treat bone loss (osteoporosis) in women who are at high risk for bone fracture after menopause.

Boniva may interact with aspirin or other NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs).

Boniva may also interact with products containing calcium, aluminum, magnesium, or iron (such as antacids, supplements or vitamins).

Prolia may interact with steroids or cancer medicine, cyclosporine, sirolimus, tacrolimus, basiliximab, muromonab-CD3, mycophenolate mofetil, azathioprine, leflunomide, or etanercept.

Dosage of Boniva depends on the condition being treated.

The dose of Boniva is one 150 mg tablet taken once monthly on the same date each month.