Alendronate Side Effects

Common side effects of alendronate are listed below. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects if they are severe or persist after a few days.

• Gastrointestinal side effects, like stomach pain, nausea, gas, fullness or bloating, diarrhea, constipation, and changes in taste
• Headache
• Dizziness
• Muscle pain, spasms, cramps, or twitching
• Joint pain or swelling

Rarely, alendronate can cause more serious side effects. Call your doctor right away or seek emergency medical attention if you develop:

• Trouble swallowing
• Pain with swallowing
• New or worsening heartburn
• Chest pain
• Blood in vomit or coffee grounds appearance of vomit
• Blood in stool or black, tarry stools
• Skin rash (which may be worse on sun exposure)
• Severe skin reactions with rash, hives, itching, blisters, or peeling skin
• Fever
• Swelling of face, eyes, lips, tongue, mouth, or throat
• Hoarseness
• Difficulty breathing
• Eye pain
• Swelling or pain in the gums
• Loose teeth
• Heaviness or numbness in the jaw
• Slow healing of jaw wounds
• An ache or dull pain in the groin, thighs, or hips

The above list may not include all the potential side effects of alendronate. Contact your healthcare provider if your side effects are unusual or severe or do not get better over time. You can also report unusual side effects to the Food and Drug Administration at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Alendronate Overdose: In case of an overdose of alendronate, call your doctor immediately. You can also call your local poison control center, provincial poison control center, or the national poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. Call 911 or emergency services if a person has collapsed, cannot breathe, has had a seizure, or cannot be awakened. Signs and symptoms of an alendronate overdose may include heartburn, trouble swallowing, stomach pain, nausea, blood in vomit, coffee grounds vomit, blood in stool, and black, tarry stools.

Source: FDA