Compare Fosamax vs. Climara
Head-to-head comparisons of medication uses, side effects, ratings, and more.
Prevents bone loss.
Fosamax (alendronate) is a first-choice treatment for osteoporosis, but taking it can be a hassle.
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3.2/ 5 average rating with 169 reviewsforFosamax
Treats low estrogen, relieves menopause symptoms, and lowers your risk of osteoporosis.
Climara (estradiol patch) is a treatment for low estrogen that is used only once weekly, and it may have fewer side effects than oral estrogen pills.
Upsides
- First choice to treat osteoporosis
- Lowers your risk of fractures due to osteoporosis.
- Available generic.
- Available as daily, weekly, or twice weekly dosing.
- Comes as a regular tablet, an oral solution, or effervescent tablet.
- Climara (estradiol patch) replaces estrogen to your whole body and relieves many symptoms due to low estrogen, like hot flashes and vaginal dryness.
- The patch is good for people who don't want to or can't take daily pills.
- Climara (estradiol patch) is available as a generic product, which lowers the cost.
- By using a patch instead of a pill, there's a lower risk of side effects such as blood clots and stroke since lower amounts of estrogen are used in patches.
- Lowers your risk of fractures by keeping your bones healthy.
Downsides
- Can harm your esophagus if you don't remain upright for 30 minutes after taking it.
- Not recommended for people who can't sit or stand upright for at least 30 minutes.
- Can increase the risk of atypical fractures.
- Can cause bad heartburn or stomach problems.
- The patch can fall off, especially if you like to regularly swim, take baths or use saunas or steamrooms.
- Increases your risk of uterine and breast cancer.
- If you have your uterus, you have to use the Climara (estradiol patch) with another hormone called progestin to lower your risk of uterine cancer.
- Can worsen other health conditions, like high cholesterol, asthma, diabetes, fluid retention, underactive thyroid and migraines.
- If you're only having vaginal dryness or inflammation and not hot flashes, it's better to use creams that you can apply to the affected area instead of Climara (estradiol patch).
Used for
- Hot flashes and night sweats
- Vaginal dryness and inflammation
- Low estrogen
- Ovarian failure
- Prevention of postmenopausal osteoporosis
Dosage forms
- Pill
- Effervescent tablet
- Liquid
- Patch
Price
Lowest price
$233.80
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$31.25
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Reviews
169 reviews so far
43%
saidit'sworth it
30%
saiditworked well
19%
saidit'sa big hassle
Have you used Fosamax (alendronate)?
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Side effects
16possible side effects
- Breast pain28%
- Lung infection17%
- Stomach pain16%
- Headache13%
- Pain11%
- Swelling of arms and legs10%
- Back pain9%
- Depression8%
- Gas7%
- White or yellow vaginal discharge7%
- Sore throat7%
- Nausea6%
- Stuffy nose6%
- Joint pain5%
- Sinus infection5%
- Itchiness3%
Risks and risk factors
- Irritation and ulcers to the stomach and esophagus
- Taking anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen, and naproxen
- History of ulcers or stomach or esophageal conditions
- Difficulty swallowing
- Problems sitting or standing for at least 30 minutes
- Pain in the bones and muscles
- Problems in the jaw bone
- Oral or dental surgery
- Cancer
- Poor oral hygiene
- Prolonged use of Fosamax (alendronate)
- Leg bone fractures
- Low calcium in the blood
- Endometrial cancer
- Using estrogen for more than one year
- Breast cancer
- Personal or family history of breast cancer
- Using estrogen for more than one year
- Increased risk of blood clots and stroke
- Personal or family history of blood clots
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)
- Increased risk of heart disease
- Smoking
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- High blood sugar
- High cholesterol
- Age 50 or older
- Dementia
- Age 65 or older
- Pancreas swelling (pancreatitis)
- High levels of triglycerides