Risedronate sodium

Risedronate sodium is a type of drug known as a bisphosphonate . You pronounce it at ris-ed-row-nate so-dee-um.

You might have risedronate sodium to:

• prevent bone loss for people having aromatase inhibitors  
• prevent problems with the bones such as breaks in the bones (fractures) if you have osteoporosis

How does risedronate sodium work?

Risedronate sodium attaches itself to bone cells and slows down the rate of bone change. 

How do you take risedronate sodium?

You take risedronate sodium as a tablet. You have it in the morning with a full glass of water. You will need to wait 30 minutes before you have your first food and drink and before you take any other medicines. 

You take the tablets sitting or standing. After taking the tablets you should not lie down for 30 minutes.

Speak to your pharmacist if you have problems swallowing the tablets.

Whether you have a full or an empty stomach can affect how much of a drug gets into your bloodstream.

You should take the right dose, no more or less.

Talk to your healthcare team before you stop taking a cancer drug or if you miss a dose.

How often do you have risedronate sodium?

You take risedronate sodium once every week. You should take it on the same day each week.

Tests

You have blood tests before starting and during your treatment. They check your levels of blood cells and other substances in the blood such as calcium and vitamin D.

Your doctor may ask you to see a dentist before and regularly while you're having risedronate sodium.

What are the side effects of risedronate sodium?

Side effects can vary from person to person. They also depend on what other treatment you are having. 

When to contact your team

Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist will go through the possible side effects. They will monitor you closely during treatment and check how you are at your appointments. Contact your advice line as soon as possible if:

• you have severe side effects 

• your side effects aren’t getting any better

• your side effects are getting worse

We haven't listed all the side effects here. Talk to your healthcare team if you have any new symptoms that you think might be a side effect of your treatment.

Remember it is very unlikely that you will have all of these side effects, but you might have some of them at the same time.

Common side effects

Common side effects happen in more than 10 in 100 people (more than 10%). At the time of this review, there have been no reports of common side effects for this treatment.

Occasional side effects

These side effects happen in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people (between 1 and 10%). You might have one or more of them. They include:

Headaches

Tell your healthcare team if you keep getting headaches. They can give you painkillers to help.

Diarrhoea or constipation

Tell your healthcare team if you have diarrhoea or constipation. They can give you medicine to help. 

Feeling sick

Feeling sick is usually mild. Anti sickness tablets can control it if you need them. Tell your doctor or nurse if you feel sick. 

Tummy (abdominal) pain

Tell your doctor or nurse if you have this. They can check for the cause of the pain and give you medicine to help. 

More rarely you might have inflammation of the stomach or bowel.

Indigestion or heartburn

Contact your doctor or pharmacist if you have indigestion or heartburn. They can prescribe medicines to help.

Rarely risedronate sodium can cause an ulcer in the food pipe or stomach.

Joint, muscle and bone pain

You might experience pain in your joints, muscles or bones. Speak to your doctor as they can prescribe medicine to help.

Rare side effects

These side effects happen in fewer than 1 in 100 people (less than 1%). You might have one or more of them. They include:

• sore throat 
• difficulty swallowing
• inflammation of the iris . This can cause blurred vision, eye pain, redness in your eye, changes in vision, and flashes of light

Damage to the bones

Damage to the bones, for example in the jaw or thigh, is a rare but serious side effect. Healthy bone becomes damaged and dies, this is called osteonecrosis. Contact your medical team if you have any of the following:

• ear pain
• discharge from your ear
• an ear infection
• pain in the mouth, teeth or jaw
• loosening of a tooth
• pain or weakness in your hip, thigh or groin

Coping with side effects

We have more information about side effects and tips on how to cope with them.

What else do you need to know?

Other medicines, foods and drink

Cancer drugs can interact with medicines, herbal products, and some food and drinks. We are unable to list all the possible interactions that may happen. An example is grapefruit or grapefruit juice which can increase the side effects of certain drugs.

Tell your healthcare team about any medicines you are taking. This includes vitamins, herbal supplements and over the counter remedies. Also let them know about any other medical conditions or allergies you may have.

Pregnancy and contraception

It is unknown whether treatment may or may not harm a baby developing in the womb. It is important not to become pregnant or get someone pregnant while you are having treatment. Let your team know straight away if you or your partner become pregnant while having treatment.

Talk to your doctor or nurse about effective contraception you can use during treatment. Ask how long you should use it before starting treatment and after treatment has finished.

Fertility

It is not known whether this treatment affects fertility in people. Talk to your doctor before starting treatment if you think you may want to have a baby in the future.

Breastfeeding

It is not known whether this drug comes through into the breast milk. Doctors usually advise that you don’t breastfeed during this treatment.

Treatment for other conditions

If you are having tests or treatment for anything else, always mention your cancer treatment. For example, if you are visiting your dentist.

Dental treatment

It is important to see your dentist before you start risedronate sodium, and regularly during your treatment. You should avoid any invasive dental treatment such as extractions while you are having treatment. You can have fillings and routine cleaning.

If you need dental treatment talk to your specialist about whether you should stop your bisphosphonates beforehand. But don't stop taking them without talking to your doctor first.

More information about this treatment

For further information about this treatment and possible side effects go to the electronic Medicines Compendium (eMC) website. You can find the patient information leaflet on this website.

You can report any side effect you have to the Medicines Health and Regulatory Authority (MHRA) as part of their Yellow Card Scheme.