Let's take a minute to talk about your medication.

This is risedronate. It helps make your bones stronger. It helps treat and prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause and in men. Risedronate has other uses, too, like treating Paget's disease of bone.

You should take risedronate exactly how your doctor tells you. You must swallow the tablet whole. 

It is very important to take your dose right when you wake up, on an empty stomach and with a full glass of water. After you take your dose, you must wait at least 30 minutes 
 - before you lie down
 - before you take other medicines
 - and before you eat or drink anything except plain water. 

You should read the Instructions for Use for full information.

Most people tolerate this medicine well. Common side effects include heartburn, pain in the stomach area, and minor pain in the muscles, bones or joints. These effects are normal if they are mild and should go away. If these or other side effects become reasons you want to stop taking this medicine, please talk to your doctor or pharmacist. 

As with any medicine, rare but serious side effects could occur. With risedronate, these include jaw bone problems, bone fractures in the thigh, problems in the esophagus and severe pain in the bones, joints or muscles. You should read the Medication Guide to know which symptoms to watch for and when to report changes. To help keep this medicine safe for you, your doctor will order blood tests to watch for low calcium levels.

Risedronate can interact with other medicines. You should always check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking other medicines, especially aspirin, pain relievers and antacids.

For best results with risedronate, ask your doctor if you should take calcium or vitamin D supplements.