Fosamax vs. Prolia

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

Fosamax (alendronate sodium) and Prolia (denosumab) are used to treat and prevent osteoporosis.

Fosamax is also used to treat Paget's disease.

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

Common side effects of Fosamax include:

• gas,
• constipation,
• heartburn,
• diarrhea,
• bloating,
• nausea,
• vomiting,
• stomach pain,
• joint pain or swelling,
• swelling in your hands or feet,
• dizziness,
• headache,
• eye pain,
• back pain, or
• weakness.

Serious side effects of Fosamax include:

• severe pain (joints, bone, muscle, jaw, back or heartburn),
• chest pain,
• difficulty swallowing,
• bloody stools,
• eye pain,
• skin blisters, and
• swelling of the face, tongue, or throat.

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.

Fosamax (alendronate sodium) is a bisphosphonate that is a specific inhibitor of osteoclast-mediated bone resorption used to both treat and prevent osteoporosis, and to treat Paget's disease.

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

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

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

Fosamax is available in a tablet or oral liquid form. Each bottle of the oral solution contains 91.35 mg of alendronate monosodium salt trihydrate, which is the molar equivalent to 70 mg of the drug. The recommended initial dosage is one 70 mg molar equivalent tablet or oral liquid bottle once weekly or one 10 mg molar equivalent tablet per day. Fosamax must be taken at least one-half hour before the first food, beverage, or medication of the day with plain water only to avoid any reduction in gastrointestinal adsorption.

Prolia should be administered by a doctor. The recommended dose of Prolia is 60 mg administered as a single subcutaneous (under the skin) injection once every 6 months.