There are many things to think about when choosing the right osteoporosis medicine for you. You and your healthcare provider may want to look at:

Your sex. Calcitonin (Fortical^® and Miacalcin^®), denosumab (Prolia^TM), estrogen and hormone therapies, and estrogen agonists/antagonists (Evista^®) are only approved for women. Some bisphosphonates (Actonel^®, Fosamax^® and Reclast^®) and teriparatide (Forteo^®) are approved for both men and women. 

Your age. Some medicines may be more appropriate for younger postmenopausal women while others are more appropriate for older women.

If you have not reached menopause. In general, osteoporosis medicines are not recommended for premenopausal women. Certain osteoporosis medicines are approved for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis in premenopausal women as a result of the long-term use of steroid medicines. In very rare cases, healthcare providers may recommend that some premenopausal women consider taking an osteoporosis medicine if they’ve had a broken bone caused by low bone density or have experienced bone loss from a rare medical condition.

How severe your osteoporosis is. Osteoporosis medicines work in different ways. A person with more severe bone loss or a broken bone may take a different medicine than a person with less bone loss. 

Other health problems you may have. Your healthcare provider will consider other health problems you have when recommending a medicine. If you have had breast cancer or blood clots, for example, you should not take estrogen. Also, if your bones have been exposed to radiation treatment, you should not take teriparatide (Forteo^®).

Personal preference. Do you prefer a pill, liquid or IV medicine or one that is given as a nasal spray or an injection? Does it work better for you to take your medicine every day, once a week, once a month, several times a year or even once a year? Do you have negative feelings about a particular drug? Any of these factors could influence your treatment decision. It’s also important to keep in mind that no two people are the same. How well a medicine works, or what side effects it will have, can vary from one person to the next.