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Actonel (Risedronate) - Reviews, Ratings, Comments by Patients

 
 



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Below are Actonel (Risedronate) reviews, ratings, comments submitted by patients and caregivers. Based on a total of 8 ratings/reviews, Actonel has an overall score of 5.88. The effectiveness score is 5.25 and the side effect score is 6.75. The scores are on ten point scale: 10 - best, 1 - worst. This information is not vetted and should not be cosidered as clinical evidence.
 

Actonel review by 62 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Osteopenia
Dosage & duration:   35mg taken once a week for the period of Three Years
Other conditions:   fibromyalgia, high cholesterol
Other drugs taken:   Effexor
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   Actonel helped my bone density increase the first two years.
Side effects:   I started having intense burning in my esophogus (from my throat to the top of my stomach)
Comments:   Actonel helped my bone density increase the first two years. The third year I did not increase bone density - just stayed the same as the year before.

 

Actonel review by 55 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   post-menopausal osteopenia
Dosage & duration:   35mg taken once a week for the period of Have been taking for 4 years now
Other conditions:   None
Other drugs taken:   None
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   My annual bone density scan improved significantly after my first year on Actonel. Although I still have osteopenia, my physician says Actonel is helping to maintain this improvement and it is keep me from progressing to osteoporosis.
Side effects:   I have not had any side effects, not even the heartburn that is the most common one.
Comments:   I take one 35 mg tab of Actonel first thing every Wednesday morning on an empty stomach with a full glass of water, sometimes 2 glasses. I wait at least 30 minutes before I eat or drink anything. While I am supposed to wait at least 30 minutes before lying down again, I confess that on a couple of Wednesday mornings when I was especially tired, I did lay back down. Even then, however, I did not experience any heartburn.

 

Actonel review by 63 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   Loss of bone mass
Dosage & duration:   70 mg taken once a week for the period of I am still taking it. Three years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The loss of bone mass retarded. It is difficult to measure the efficacy of the drug apart from a bone scan. I do not nor have ever broken a bone. Considering my weakness in my wrists this drug may be credited with bone integrity.
Side effects:   Dry mouth, slight constipation, but rarely any other. I did not do well with Fosomax, so was given Actonel, and then a once a month Actonel.. My Health Care program persuaded me to take the generic once a week, because it was cheaper. I find no difference in the once a week or once a month side effects.
Comments:   Actonel or its generic is taken to stop bone loss- which is especially prevalent in thin white older women. It is a pill taken once a week on an empty stomach upon rising in the morning. After the pill is taken with an 8 oz glass of water, the patient must remain upright for 30 minutes. It is a bit of a nuisance not to be able to lie down after taking the pill, and to have wait for 30 minutes before the coffee that is brewing and smells so tantalizing is wafting through the house can be drunk!

 

Actonel review by 65 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Extremely Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   prevent osteoporose
Dosage & duration:   25mg taken once a week for the period of 18 months
Other conditions:   rhumatoid arthritis
Other drugs taken:   metothrexate, steroids (5mg / day)
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   none: loss of bone density
Side effects:   pain in all bones similar to arthritic pain. Repetitive retinal tears. formation of an epimacular membrane. (after stopping Actonel,the bone pains disappeared within 2 months. No further retinal tears and there is still no need to operate on the epimacular membrane after 2 years)
Comments:   Actonel : 1 pill per week 30 minutes at least before any food / drink intake. Need to stay upright at least 30 minutes.

 

Actonel review by 69 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Considerably Effective
Side effects:   No Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   osteoporosis
Dosage & duration:   70 mg taken 1 tablet per week for the period of ongoing
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   The treatment is to slow down or reverse to some degree of osteoporosis. no side affects from taking medicine. have not had a bone scan to evaluate any change in my bone loss.
Side effects:   there have been no side affects. do not feel any change in moods, etc.
Comments:   taking 1 pill per week for the rest of my life.

 

Actonel review by 57 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Ineffective
Side effects:   Severe Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   osteoporosis
Dosage & duration:   once a week (dosage frequency: 1 month) for the period of same
Other conditions:   Barrette's esophagus
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   none since could not continue treatment & diagnosis was made from routine, post-menopausal bone-density test (I was not having symptoms).
Side effects:   severe indigestion/heart burn & increasing hoarseness
Comments:   Once a week on same day, take one tablet first thing in a.m. before eating with full glass water and do not lie down or eat anything for 30 mins.

 

Actonel review by 62 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Moderately Effective
Side effects:   Moderate Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   improve bone density
Dosage & duration:   35 mg taken once per week for the period of 2 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   There was some leveling out of bone loss.
Side effects:   I started having problems with my right jaw clicking, something similar to TMJ. It went away completely when I stopped taking Actonel. Not sure if it was related, but it seemed odd that it stopped when I quit the drug.
Comments:   Mild osteopenia

 

Actonel review by 65 year old female patient

  Rating
Overall rating:  
Effectiveness:   Marginally Effective
Side effects:   Mild Side Effects
  
Treatment Info
Condition / reason:   osteoporosis
Dosage & duration:   150mg taken once a month for the period of 8 years
Other conditions:   none
Other drugs taken:   none
  
Reported Results
Benefits:   My bone density's results have always been stable and I was told to continue with the drug.
Side effects:   leg cramps during the night.
Comments:   Eight years ago I started with Fosamax for 3-4 years and then took Actonel. In March, I decided not to take Actonel any longer. I had been on it for too long and was fearful of esophageal cancer and bone breakage. Now my doctor wants me to take the Prolia injections, which I am not going to do. I am not going to continue with any drugs. My bone density recently done was in the minuses. I do work with a personal trainer and execise daily. I am searching for alternative ways to deal with this problem.
 


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