Alendronate
Alendronate is a bisphosphonate tablet for osteoporosis and Paget's disease of bone, sold as Fosamax 35mg and 70mg once-weekly tablets.
What alendronate does in the bones
Alendronate belongs to the bisphosphonates, a group of medicines that slow the breakdown of bone. Bone is rebuilt all the time: cells called osteoclasts dissolve worn-out bone while other cells lay new bone down. Alendronate settles onto bone surfaces and damps down the osteoclasts, so mineral is lost more slowly than it is replaced — which is how bone density (thickness) goes up. It is used to treat osteoporosis, where bones have become thin and break easily, and Paget's disease of bone, where bone is soft, painful or deformed. In postmenopausal osteoporosis it also lowers the chance of vertebral and hip fractures. A change in bone density usually takes three months or more to show, and the medicine holds the condition steady rather than curing it.
The tablets sold here
Fosamax is the alendronate product sold on PockDose, as 35mg and 70mg tablets taken once a week. Those two strengths are the weekly tablets; alendronate also comes as lower-strength tablets taken once a day, but the once-weekly form is what is stocked here. You may also see the name alendronic acid on a pack — that is the same medicine, and the strength on the box describes the alendronic acid content. Fosamax sits with the other bone medicines in bone support.
Why the weekly tablet comes with rules
Very little of an alendronate tablet is absorbed, and if it rests against the oesophagus (the tube from the mouth to the stomach) it can burn and ulcerate — hence the routine. Take it first thing, just after you get out of bed, before anything else passes your lips, with a full glass of plain water. For the next 30 minutes nothing else goes in: no tea, coffee, juice, milk or sparkling water, no breakfast, and no other tablets, vitamins or antacids. Stay sitting or standing rather than lying down until the half hour is up and you have eaten. Swallow the tablet whole; crushing, splitting, chewing or sucking it invites the same throat trouble. Keeping to the same day each week makes it easy to remember.
Side effects and what to watch for
Indigestion, heartburn, stomach pain and a raw feeling behind the breastbone are the usual complaints, along with muscle aches, bone pain and stiffness. More seriously, the tablet can damage the oesophagus: pain or trouble swallowing, food sticking, or chest pain. Severe pain when swallowing or chest pain needs urgent treatment. Used over the long term, alendronate can also bring unusual pain in the thigh or groin, which may be a stress fracture, and jaw problems that show up as pain, swelling or a sore that heals slowly after dental work. It is not for someone whose oesophagus is narrowed, who cannot stay upright for half an hour, or who has low blood calcium. Aspirin, ibuprofen and naproxen, calcium supplements and antacid remedies all interfere with it, so leave a clear gap after the weekly tablet. Keep the tablets in their original blister pack.
Sources
- Alendronate: MedlinePlus Drug Information — MedlinePlus
- Alendronic Acid 70 mg tablets - Summary of Product Characteristics (SmPC) - (emc) | 5206 — electronic medicines compendium (emc)
Is Alendronate available to order in Hong Kong?
Yes, Alendronate can be ordered online from PockDose with delivery to Hong Kong. The range is generic Fosamax, also sold as Alendronate tablets, as 35mg and 70mg tablets. Tracked courier delivery to Hong Kong takes 5 to 9 business days and includes online tracking.
What is the price of Alendronate?
The alendronate product has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Do I need a prescription to order Alendronate?
PockDose does not ask you to upload a prescription when you order alendronate. See the ordering FAQ for details.
What is another name for alendronate?
Fosamax is a brand name of alendronate. Here, alendronate can be bought online as generic Fosamax. These are generics, not the original brand.
Is alendronate the same as Fosamax?
Yes — the active ingredient is the same. Fosamax is the brand name alendronate is best known by, and the 35mg and 70mg once-weekly tablets on PockDose carry that name. The plain Alendronate tablets in the same two strengths hold the same ingredient.
How long does alendronate take to work?
Bone density takes three months or more to change measurably, so there is no week-by-week effect to notice — the work happens quietly in the background. That is why the tablet is taken on schedule even when nothing feels different.
What should I do if I miss a weekly alendronate tablet?
Take it on the morning after you remember, then return to your usual day of the week for the next one. Two tablets in a single day is not how the weekly dose works.
Can I take calcium, vitamins or antacids with alendronate?
Not at the same time. Calcium supplements, multivitamins and antacid remedies such as calcium carbonate or milk of magnesia stop the tablet being absorbed properly, so leave at least half an hour between the alendronate dose and anything else.
Is alendronate the same as alendronic acid?
They are the same medicine under two names. Alendronic acid is what the number of milligrams on the pack is measured as, while the tablet itself is alendronate sodium, so a pack labelled alendronic acid and one labelled alendronate hold the same active ingredient.