Short answer: For the 35 mg weekly tablet, the Actonel label says take one tablet the morning after you remember, then keep your usual day. For the monthly tablets, take a missed tablet the next morning only if the next scheduled dose is more than 7 days away; otherwise wait. The Medication Guide says not to take it later in the day.
| Situation | What the label says |
|---|---|
| Schedule | 5 mg daily, 35 mg weekly, 75 mg on 2 days in a row each month, or 150 mg monthly (2.1) |
| Missed the 35 mg weekly tablet | Take 1 tablet the morning after you remember; back to your usual day (2.8) |
| Missed 75 mg tablet(s), next month more than 7 days away | Take the missed tablet(s) on the next morning(s); no more than two 75 mg tablets within 7 days (2.8) |
| Missed 150 mg tablet, next month more than 7 days away | Take it the next morning; no more than one 150 mg tablet within 7 days (2.8) |
| Next monthly dose within 7 days | Wait for the next scheduled dose (2.8) |
| Later the same day | Do not take it (Medication Guide) |
| Missed more than 2 doses in a month | Call your doctor (Medication Guide) |
Section 2.8 says that if a 35 mg once-a-week dose is missed, take 1 tablet on the morning after you remember, then return to 1 tablet once a week on your originally chosen day. Do not take 2 tablets on the same day.
Example: your Actonel day is Monday and you remember on Wednesday evening. Under the label you would take one tablet Thursday morning, then your next one on Monday as usual.
If the next month's doses are more than 7 days away, section 2.8 says: if both tablets were missed, take one 75 mg tablet the morning after the day you remember and the other on the next morning. If only one was missed, take it the morning after you remember. Then go back to your usual two days each month. Do not take more than two 75 mg tablets within 7 days.
If the next month's doses are within 7 days, the label says to wait until those scheduled doses and carry on as before.
Section 2.8 says that if the next month's dose is more than 7 days away, take the missed tablet the morning after the day you remember, then return to your usual monthly date. Do not take more than one 150 mg tablet within 7 days. If the next dose is within 7 days, wait until then.
The Medication Guide says: if you miss a dose, do not take it later in the day; take it the next morning and return to your normal schedule, and do not take 2 doses at the same time. Section 2.6 asks for the tablet to be swallowed with 6 to 8 ounces of plain water at least 30 minutes before the first food or drink of the day, without lying down for 30 minutes. A tablet taken later in the day does not fit those instructions.
The Medication Guide also says to call your doctor if you miss more than 2 doses in a month.
Risedronate is stored in bone. Section 12.3 gives a terminal half-life of 561 hours in women with low bone density, so a dose taken a day or two late does not undo treatment.
This page summarizes FDA labeling. It is not personalized medical advice; confirm what to do with your prescriber or pharmacist.