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Wednesday, July 16, 2008 Cathy Desautels asks

Q: What if I take Boniva at night by mistake?

 I took my boniva pill tonight by mistake right as I was going to bed.

Will anything happen?  If the worst is that it doesn't get absorbed properly , then I am okay with that. 

 

 

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7/24/08 3:15pm

Hi Cathy,

 

Thank you for your question! Boniva belongs to the class of medications known as bisphosphonates. As I'm sure you know, there are a lot of rules and regulations about how to take Boniva (and the other bisphosphonates). Some of those limitations (taking with a full glass of water at least 60 minutes before breakfast) are because the absorption is significantly reduced by food (up to 90% less is absorbed when taken with food).  However, there is also a rule to remain upright (sitting or standing) for 60 minutes after taking. This is because the bisphosphonates as a class have the potential to severely irritate the esophagus, causing acid reflux-like symptoms and even possibly corroding the esophagus. Taking Boniva right before you go to bed will increase your risk of having this irritation.

 

I would recommend that the next time you forget to take your Boniva in the morning, you should wait until the next morning to take it rather than taking it at night. You can read more about Boniva here. I hope this answers your question!

 

Best of luck,

Casey

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