I was on Fosamax years ago for Osteopenia. Bone density exams showed improvement. After being on the drug for over five years studies came out suggesting that taking Fosamax for over five years was not a good idea. My GYN and I decided to take a break. A couple years after that I was struck with a nasty case of Sciatica. NOTHING helped. shots. pills. acupuncture. physical therapy. homeopathy (that demonstrates my desperation). For over a year and a half I was bedridden on powerful pain medication trying to keep up with raising my twins who are both neurologically and developmentally "disabled" (most of the work is navigating the system and fighting bureaucracies. These two people are amazingly bright, talented and have wonderful hearts. The problem is not they; it's... don't get me started). The fifth cortisone shot put me in the hospital--must have hit a nerve or done some other damage. No more cortisone shots for me! I found a different acupuncturist, excellent! She succeeded in eliminating the Sciatica. Somewhere during all this horrendous ordeal, another bone density exam showed deterioration resulting in osteoporosis, mostly the right femur neck. Went back on the Fosamax a bit before the acupuncturist vanquished the Sciatica. When the Sciatica was gone, I was ecstatic for a minute but realized I was still in horrible pain. Different pain. Lower back, hips, waist, spine... honestly I couldn't figure out what kind of pain it was. Bone? Muscle? Joint? All three? Unbearable. We were all stumped. Staggering around with a limp (more like Igor's drag step) screaming with pain when I changed positions in bed. Then there was a new page of information in the refill of my Fosamax. This one with print large enough to read without electron microscope. I doubt if the makers of Fosamax put that page in there voluntarily. It listed common side effects of Fosamax, and right there, #3 was muscle, joint and bone pain, no mention of severity. Further investigation revealed that the pain could indeed be severe. I dropped the Fosamax immediately and I am hoping, hoping that it's this vile drug that knocked me down, exhausted me and nearly wiped out my sense of humour (that would be the last thing to go). It's been a bit over a week now and I'm wondering how long it will take before some effect or lack of effect will make itself obvious. Does anyone know of similar circumstances and the results? Am I fooling myself to hope this might work? I can't live this way any more, but I'm scared to death of surgery. Any comments? Anyone? Please?