Patient Information
BONIVA® [bon-EE-va] (ibandronate sodium)
TABLETS
Rx only
Read this patient information carefully before you
start taking DONIVA. Read this patient information
each time you get a refill for DONIVA. There may be
new information. This information is not everything
you need to know about DONIVA. It does not take
the place of talking with your health care provider
about your condition or your treatment. Talk about
DONIVA with your health care provider before you
start taking it, and at your regular check-ups.
What is the most important information
I should know about DONIVA?
BONIVA may cause serious problems in the stomach
and the esophagus (the tube that connects your
mouth and stomach) such as trouble swallowing,
heartburn, and ulcers (see “What are the possible
side effects of BONIVA?”).
You must take BONIVA exactly as prescribed for
BONIVA to work for you and to lower the chance
of serious side effects (see "How should I take
BONIVA?").
What is BONIVA?
BONIVA is a prescription medicine used to treat or
prevent osteoporosis in women after menopause
(see “What is osteoporosis?”).
BONIVA may reverse bone loss by stopping more
loss o' bone and increasing bone mass in most
women who take it. even though they wont be able
to see or feel a difference BONIVA may help lower
the chances of breaking bones (fractures).
For BONIVA to treat or prevent osteoporosis, you have
to take it as prescribed. BONIVA will not work if you
stop taking it
Who should not take BONIVA?
Do not take DONIVA if you:
• have low blood calcium (hypocalcemia)
•cannot sit or stand up for at least 1 hour
(60
minutes)
• have kidneys that work very poorly
•are allergic to ibandronate sodium or any of the other
ingredients of DONIVA (see the end of this Patient
Information for a list of all the ingredients in BONIVA)
Tell your health care provider before using BONIVA:
•if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. It
is no! known if BONIVA can harm your unborn baby
• if you are breast-feeding. It is not known if BONIVA
passes into your milk and if it can harm your baby
• it you have swallowing problems or other problems with
your esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth
and stomach)
• if you have kidney problems
• if you are planning a dental procedure such as tooth
extraction
Tell your health care provider (including your
dentist) about all the medicines you take including
prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins,
and supplements. Some medicines, especially certain
vitamins, supplements, and antacids can stop BONIVA
from getting to your bones. This can happen if you take
other medicines too close to the time that you take
BONIVA (see “How should I take BONIVA?”).
How should I take BONIVA?
• l ake BONIVA exactly as instructed by your health
care provider.
•Take BONIVA first thing in the morning at least
1
hour
(60
minutes) belore you eat. dunk anything other than
plain water, or take any other oral medicine.
•Take BONIVA with 6 to 8 ounces (about
1
full cup)
of plain v/ater. Do not take it with any other drink
besides plain water. Do not take it with other drinks,
such as mineral water, sparkling water, coffee, tea,
dairy drinks (such as milk), or juice.
• Swallow BONIVA whole. Do not chew or suck the
tablet or keep it in your mouth to melt or dissolve.
•Altertaking BONIVA you must wait at least
1
hour
(60
minutes) belore:
- Lying down. You may sit, stand, or do normal
actr/ities like read the newspaper or take a walk.
- hating or dnnkmg anything except for plain water.
- Taking other oral medicines including vitamins,
calcium, or antacids. Take your vitamins, calcium,
and antacids at a difterent time of the day from the
time when you take BONIVA.
•If you take too much BONIVA. drink a full glass of milk
and call your local poison control center or emergency
room right away. Do not make yourself vomit. Do not
lie down.
• Keep taking BONIVA tor as long as your health
care provider tells you. BONIVA will not work if you
stop taking it.
•Yourhealth care provider may tell you to exercise
and take calcium and vitamin supplements to help
your osteoporosis.
• Your health care provider may do a test to measure
the thickness (density) of your bones or do other
tests to check your progress.
What is my BONIVA schedule?
Schedule tor taking BONIVA
150
mg once monthly:
•Take one BONIVA
150
-mg tablet once a month.
•Choose one date of the month (your BONIVA day)
that you will remember and that best fits your
schedule to take your BONIVA
150
-mg tablet.
•Take one BONIVA
150
-mg tablet in the morning of your
chosen day (see “How should I take BONIVA?”).
What to do if I miss a monthly dose:
• If your next scheduled BONIVA day is more than
7
days away, take one BONIVA
150
mg tablet in the
morning following tho day that you romombor (eoo
"How should I take BONIVA?“) Then return tn
Inking one BONIVA
150
-mg tablet every month in
Ihe morning of your chosen day. according to your
original schedule.
• Do not take two
150
-mg tablets within the same week.
If your next scheduled BONIVA day is only 1 to
7
days
away, wait until your next scheduled BONIVA day to
lake your tablet. Then return to taking one BONIVA
150
-mg tablet even/ month in the morning of your
chosen day, according to your original schedule.
•If you are not sure v/hat to do if you miss
a dose, contact your health care provider who
will be able to advise you.
Schedule for taking BONIVA
2.5
mg once daily:
•Take one BONIVA
2
.
5
-mg tablet once a day first thing in
Ihe morning at least
1
hour (GO minutes) before you eat.
drink anything other than plain v/ater, or take any other
oral medicine (see "How should I take BONIVA?”).
What to do if I miss a daily dose:
• If you forget to take your BONIVA
2
.
5
-mg tablet in the
morning, do not take it later in the day. Just return to
your normal schedule and take 1 tablet the next
morning. Do not take two tablets on the same day.
•If you are not sure v/hat to do if you miss
a dose, contact your health care provider who
will be able to advise you.
What should I avoid while taking BONIVA?
• Do not take other medicines, or eat or drink anything
but plain water before you take BONIVA and for at
least 1 hour
(60
minutes) after you tako it.
• Do not lie down for at least
1
hour
(60
minutes)
alter you lake BONIVA.
What are the possible side effects of BONIVA?
Stop taking BONIVA and call your health care
provider right away if you have:
•pain or trouble with swallowing
• chest pain
• very bad heartburn or heartburn that does not
get better
DONIVA MAY CAUSE:
• pain or trouble swallowing (dysphagia)
• heartburn (esophagitis)
• ulcers in your stomach or esophagus (the tube that
connects your mouth and stomach)
Common side effects with BONIVA are:
• diarrhea
• pain in extremities (arms or legs)
•dyspepsia (upset stomach)
Less common side effects with BONIVA are short-
lasting. mild flu-like symptoms (usually improve alter
the first dose). These are not all the possible side
effects of BONIVA. For more information ask your
health care provider or pharmacist.
Rarely, patients have reported severe bone, joint, and/or
muscle pain starting within one (Lay to several months
alter beginning to take, by mouth, bisphosphonatc drugs
tc treat osteoporosis (thin hones). This group of drugs
includes BONIVA Most patients experienced relief after
stopping the drug Contact your health care provider if
you develop these symploms after starting BONIVA.
Rarely, patients taking bisphosphonatos have reported
serious jaw problems associated with delayed healing
and infection, often following dental procedures such
as tooth extraction If you experience jaw problems,
please contact your health care provider and dentist
What is osteoporosis?
Osteoporosis is a disease that causes bones to become
thinner.
Thin
bones can break easily Most people think
ol their bones as being solid like a rock. Actually, bone is
Iking tissue, just like other parts of the body, such as
your heart, bram. or skin. Bone just happens to be a
harder type of tissue. Bone is always changing. Your
body keeps your bones strong and healthy by replacing
okj bone with new bone.
Osteoporosis causes the body to remove more bone
than it replaces. This means that bones get v/eaker.
Weak bones are more likely to break. Osteoporosis
is a bone disease that is quite common in women
after menopause. At first, osteoporosis has no symp-
toms, but people with osteoporosis may develop loss of
height and are more likely to break (fracture) their
bones, especially the back (spine), wnst, and hip bones.
Osteoporosis can bo provonted. and with proper
therapy it can be treated.
Who is at risk for osteoporosis?
Talk to your health care provider about your chances
for getting osteoporosis
Many things put people at risk for osteoporosis.
The following people have a higher chance of
getting osteoporosis:
Women who:
• are going through or who are past menopause
(“the change’ )
•are white (Caucasian) or Asian
People who:
•are thin
• have a family member with osteoporosis
•do not get enough calcium or vitamin D
•do not exercise
• smoke
• drink alcohol often
•take bone thinning medicines
(like prednisone) for a long time
General information about BONIVA
Medicines are sometimes presenbed for conditions that
are not mentioned in patient information. Do not use
BONIVA tor a condition tor which it was not prescribed.
Do not give BONIVA to other people, even if they have
the same symptoms you have. It may harm them.
Store BONIVA at
77
'JF (
2 5
C) or at room temperature
between
59
rF and 86°F (
15
°C and
30
°C).
Keep BONIVA and all medicines out of the reach of
children
This summarizes the most important information about
BONIVA. If you would like more information, talk with
your health care provider. You can ask your health care
provider or pharmacist for information about BONIVA
that is written for health professionals.
For more information about BONIVA. call
1
-
888
-MY-BONIVA or visit www.myboniva.com.
What are the ingredients of BONIVA?
BONIVA (active ingredient): ibandronate sodium
BONIVA (inactive ingredients): lactose monohydrate,
povidone, microcrystalline cellulose, crospovidone,
purified stearic acid, colloidal silicon dioxide, and
purified water. The tablet film coating contains
hypromellose, titanium dioxide, talc, polyethylene
glycol
6000
and purified water.
BONIVA is a regislered trademark of Roche
Therapeutics Inc.
Distributed by:
Roche
Roche Laboratories Inc
340
Kingsland Street
Nul ley, New Jersey
07110-1199
www.rocheusa.com
Co-promoted by
G laxo S m ith K line
GlaxoSmithKline
Research Triangle Park. NC
27709
www.gsk.com
27899375
Revised: March
2007
Cupyriylil
© 2007
by Roche Laboratories Inc.
All rights reservod.
