General Instructions for Patient Taking Oral Bisphosphonate for Osteoporosis

Instructions:

(1) The drug must be taken on an empty stomach after an overnight fast.

(2) The patient must swallow the medication while standing or sitting upright.

(3) The tablets must not be chewed or allowed to dissolve in the mouth.

(4) The pill(s) must be taken with 8 oz (236 mL) of plain water.

(5) The person must stay erect for a period of time after swallowing the tablets (see below). The person must not lie down during this period.

(6) The person must not eat or drink anything other than water while staying erect.

(7) Any medication or solution containing cations (calcium, iron, others) should be taken later in the day since the cations may interfere with bisphosphonate absorption.