Side Effects of Risedronate and Calcium: An Introduction
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with
risedronate and calcium (
Actonel® With
Calcium); however, not everyone who takes the medication will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider.
(This article covers many, but not all, of the possible side effects with risedronate and calcium. Your healthcare provider can discuss a more complete list of risedronate and calcium side effects with you.)
Common Side Effects of Risedronate and Calcium
Most of the information known about risedronate and calcium side effects comes from studies of risedronate (without the calcium). Risedronate has been studied thoroughly in clinical trials, in which a group of people taking the drug have side effects documented and compared to another group not taking the medicine. This way, it is possible to see what side effects occur, how often they appear, and how they compare to the group not taking the medicine.
Other common risedronate side effects (occurring in 2 to 9 percent of people) included:
- Nausea
- Dizziness
- Neck pain
- Weakness
- Muscle pain
- Prostate enlargement (in men), also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia or BPH
- Leg cramps.
Common side effects of calcium (and therefore probably of risedronate and calcium) include:
- Constipation
- Gas
- Nausea
- Abdominal pain (stomach pain)
- Bloating.
