Risedronate Sodium Coupons & Prices

Use a free Rx.com risedronate sodium coupon to compare cash prices at more than 60,000 pharmacies before you fill. Risedronate sodium is the generic form of Actonel, a bisphosphonate used for osteoporosis and Paget's disease of bone. Even though a generic is available, what you pay out of pocket can differ a lot from one pharmacy to the next, which is exactly why it pays to check. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price near you and bring the coupon to the counter.

What is risedronate sodium and how does it work?

Risedronate sodium is a nitrogen-containing bisphosphonate, a class of medicines that slows bone resorption, the process in which the body breaks down old bone. Slowing that breakdown helps bone hold on to its mineral density. It was first approved in the U.S. in 1998 and is sold under the brand names Actonel and Atelvia (the delayed-release form). A separate product called Actonel with Calcium, which copackaged risedronate tablets together with calcium carbonate tablets, was formerly sold in the U.S. but is no longer marketed, so it is not something you can fill today.

The immediate-release tablets are FDA-approved to treat and prevent osteoporosis in postmenopausal women (reducing vertebral fractures and a composite endpoint of nonvertebral osteoporosis-related fractures), to increase bone mass in men with osteoporosis, to treat and prevent glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis in men and women, and to treat Paget's disease of bone. They come as 5 mg daily, 35 mg weekly, 75 mg (taken two consecutive days each month), and 150 mg monthly; the Paget's disease regimen is 30 mg daily for two months. Atelvia, the delayed-release 35 mg weekly tablet, is approved only for treating postmenopausal osteoporosis and is taken right after breakfast instead of on an empty stomach.

What risedronate sodium costs without insurance

There is an FDA-approved generic risedronate sodium, so you do not have to buy the brand to get the same medicine. But "generic" does not mean every pharmacy charges the same thing. Cash prices for the identical strength and quantity can vary widely between a chain, a grocery pharmacy, and an independent down the street, and the pharmacy nearest you is not always the cheapest. There is no manufacturer savings card for generic risedronate sodium. AbbVie, which markets Actonel, runs its own patient savings site for its brand products; terms, eligibility, and availability vary and change over time, so check with them directly rather than assuming a brand offer applies to you.

Because the price spread is the real variable, comparing is the whole game. Rx.com checks cash prices across more than 60,000 U.S. pharmacies. Enter your ZIP above to see today's price for your strength and day supply, then show the coupon at the pharmacy. Coupons are for cash-paying customers and cannot be combined with insurance, so it is worth comparing the coupon price against your copay and picking whichever is lower.

Risedronate compared with other bisphosphonates

Risedronate sodium is one of several oral bisphosphonates used for osteoporosis. The closest relatives you will see on a pharmacy shelf are alendronate sodium (brand Fosamax) and ibandronate sodium (brand Boniva). They belong to the same class and all slow bone breakdown, but they differ in approved uses, dosing schedules, and how they are taken. Approved indications are specific to each product and each dosage form, so they are not interchangeable on your own.

Brand and generic versions of the same drug contain the same active ingredient. If you are comparing options, the practical questions are which product your prescriber recommends for your situation, which dosing schedule you will actually stick to, and what each one costs at your pharmacy today. Your prescriber and pharmacist are the right people to help you weigh that; only they can change your prescription.

Safety information to know before you fill

Risedronate sodium has no boxed warning, but the label lists several important cautions. The immediate-release tablet can irritate the esophagus and cause inflammation, ulcers, or bleeding, which is why the dosing directions matter so much: take it after you get up, on an empty stomach, with 6 to 8 ounces of plain water, and stay fully upright with no food, drink, or other medicines for at least 30 minutes. It is not for people who cannot stand or sit upright for 30 minutes, or who have esophageal problems that delay emptying such as a stricture or achalasia. It is also contraindicated in anyone with a known hypersensitivity to it, and it is not recommended if creatinine clearance is below 30 mL/min. Low blood calcium must be corrected before starting, and calcium and vitamin D are supplemented as needed.

Other label warnings include osteonecrosis of the jaw (risk is higher with invasive dental work, cancer, chemotherapy, corticosteroids, and poor oral hygiene, so a dental exam before starting is advised for people at risk); atypical low-energy fractures of the thigh bone, so tell your doctor about any new dull or aching hip, groin, or thigh pain; and severe, sometimes disabling bone, joint, or muscle pain that can begin days to years after starting. Risedronate stays in bone for years, which matters if pregnancy is possible; it should be stopped when pregnancy is recognized. This page is general information, not medical advice. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your own situation and report side effects to them.