I've just been diagnosed with osteoporosis bad enough to take medications for it. I have tried to avoid taking any drugs my entire life. It seems like they come with their own problems. The doctor assures me that this one (Fosamax) is safe. What's the benefit of taking it?

Fosamax belongs to a class or group of drugs known as bisphosphonates. Bisphosphonates work by reducing how much bone is destroyed or resorbed by tiny bone cells called osteoclasts. They also work by keeping bone building cells called osteoblasts alive longer.

Bisphosponates have an added benefit. If you should ever fracture a bone, Fosamax will inhibit or stop too much inflammation from occurring. Under these conditions, healing is faster. And if you should ever need a joint replacement, Fosamax has been shown to help keep the implant firmly in place by reducing the bone loss from around the implant.

Fosamax improves bone quality and is effective in preventing fractures. Most people find this the most important benefit of this drug. Hip, wrist, and vertebral fractures are the most common sites of breaks in osteoporosis. Hip fractures are a common cause of disability and decline in the older adult population. This single drug can help prevent such events from happening.

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