[RowdysMom]

My mom has taken Fossamax for osteoporosis, for several years with no side effects. She is 87 years old and her mom (my grandma) had 2 broken hips due to osteoporosis. My mom has taken a few pretty nasty falls in the past 10 years with NO broken bones, so YES! it does work. In fact, she just fell 2 weeks ago on the concrete (stepped off the curb and fell right down to the concrete road) and didn't break anything.

So, if you need medication for osteoporosis - find one that works and take it - along with exercise and calcium and most people need extra vitamin D - most of us have low vitamin D - if you doc hasn't tested your vitamin D levels, ask that they be done. I have had to take 4000 IU of D3 for the past 2 years to keep my levels up.

I take Evista because my doc says I don't need the big guns yet (fossamax, etc). I have an occasional night sweat, but that is all.

Broken bones, espeically a broken hip, as we age is a recipe for disaster. Only 50% of people recover from a broken hip and it is a MAJOR reason for nursing home placement due to lack of mobility following a hip fracture.

OK, off my soap box - but really, these meds are good!