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Osteoporosis treatment: Medications can help

Which medications are commonly used for osteoporosis treatment? How do most osteoporosis medications work? How do you know if you're taking the right bisphosphonate? When might other osteoporosis medications be used? Can bisphosphonates hurt your bones? How long should you take a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis treatment? What happens if you break a bone while taking an osteoporosis medication? Content Which osteoporosis medications are usually tried first? What are common side effects of bisphosphonate pills? Do intravenous bisphosphonates have advantages over the pill form? Can osteoporosis medications hurt your bones? Should I take a drug holiday from bisphosphonates? Are hormones used to treat osteoporosis? How do osteoporosis medications work? Which drugs help speed up the bone-building process? Can medication alone successfully treat osteoporosis?

How long should you take a bisphosphonate for osteoporosis treatment?

There's some uncertainty about how long to take bisphosphonates because of a lack of long-term studies. Bisphosphonates have been shown to be safe and effective for up to 10 years of treatment, depending on the medication.

However, even if you stop taking the medication, its positive effects can persist. That's because after taking a bisphosphonate for a period of time, the medicine remains in your bone.

Because of this lingering effect, most experts believe it's reasonable for people who are doing well during treatment — those who have not broken any bones and are maintaining bone density — to consider taking a holiday from their bisphosphonate after taking it for five years. But if you're at very high risk of fractures or you have very low hipbone density, taking a break from your osteoporosis medication may not be a good idea.

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