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Forteo

Kathleen43812
2 Recommendations

Forteo

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Kathleen43812

* By Kathleen43812
* October 11, 2009 at 12:09 am

I am a 61-year-old with premature ovarian failure (age 28), and severe osteoporosis with 2 fractures in past year. I started Boniva IV (can't take oral stuff) and my doctor wants me to start Forteo. This sounds scary and with possible side effect of osteosarcoma. Can anyone give me good stories about this drug or help allay my fears while I make a decision whether or not to do the Forteo thing? (It sounds awful.)

Explore topics in this discussion:

Exercise Cancer Surgery Osteosarcoma Boniva Forteo Fractures Fosamax Osteopenia Actonel Pain Bone cancer Depression Osteoporosis Evista

24 replies

mrphydrn

I'm 62 & been taking forteo since Jan. of this yr. Although I have no statistics yet to tell you how my ostero is doing, I do feel great & have had no problems w/this med. I was concerned initially about injecting myself daily, but that's been 'a piece of cake'.

PartyPlanner

I begin Fortio on Monday. Can you tell me how the injection is given--in the muscle or just under the skin like a TB test.

Kathleen43812

I'm still waiting for the Eli Lilly rep to schedule a "training session" on doing the injection. I'm not crazy about the idea, but I will do what I need to do. Do you also do weight training? I'm not as good on that.

rtsmiles

Yes, I have been on Forteo for 8 months and I must say I definitely have seen an improvement in my bones. I haven't had a Dexa since before I began the meds but I can walk longer and stronger. My only concern at this point is the weight gain seemingly only in my belly area where I inject subQ. No one has written about this but I am gaining weight and always am hungry. When I asked my endocrinologist about this, he said it was the Cymbalta I was taking for pain and depression due to the fractures at that time. I have since taken myself off the Cymbalta but always seem to be hungry and feel as though I want to eat...go figure !! Anyone out there with this issue ?? Thank you

MG6748

I haven't gained weight in the 9 months I have been on Forteo but I can't lose any because I also have a tremendous appetite when I am eating a meal. It's not that I am always hungry but once I begin eating, I never feel full.

rtsmiles

EXactly !!

Kathleen43812

I haven't started the Forteo yet and my appetite is voracious! (: if I'm not hungry, I am sick.

Thanks for the encouragement. I was told that the drug rep would arrange my training with a "pen," but since I don't even have my prescription yet, I'm not sure why they would train me and give me a dose before my meds were even ordered. I guess they'll tell me. . . .

mrphydrn

i inject myself in my belly just before bed time.

mrphydrn

I do yoga once a week & it really makes a difference in how I feel, both physically & mentally.

EllenEpstein

Dear Kathleen: I took Forteo for 2 years. I was reluctant to take it just for the same reasons as you are. But I have been told that 1 person in 250,000,000 gets bone cancer and 1 person on Forteo in 300,000 has gotten bone cancer. (And who knows if the Forteo caused it or if the person had it before beginning the Forteo and didn't know she had it.) It is just possible that taking Forteo protects you against bone cancer. It is unknown. If your numbers are bad enough and if you have not responded to Fosamax (as I did not after taking it for 6 years and getting worse and worse during those 6 years in spite of the Fosamax) I went on the Forteo. It was a calculated risk. We all have stories about healthy issues where one thing is popular and the goes out of vogue and no one would think of doing that again. You have to have a doctor you trust and to weigh the calculated risks.

When I saw the training video about injecting myself, my stomach was turning. But then I realized that diabetics inject themselves every day without a problem. It truly was not an issue and it does not hurt at all. The needle is very small and is disposable. The biggest problem is that the medication has to be refrigerated if you travel and that is a bit of a pain. I was once gone for 2 weeks where refrigeration was impossible and I simply left the pen at home and added two weeks to the end of the cycle. The info line at the pharmaceutical could not tell me if this was OK or not but I just did it. Who knows but I did know that if the medication was not kept cold you had to throw it out and that did not seem like a reasonable alternative (nor did skipping the trip to stay home to take the medication. It did not seem to be a life saving event making it necessary to skip my trip.)

Hope this helps. By the way, my numbers got significantly better at the end of the two years. The protocol is to go back on Fosamax after you finished the two year cycle which my doctor insists I do. Now I've had another Dexascan after another 2 years (I finished in February of 2008) and I have slipped a bit again. It is very frustrating. I also take Evista and am an exercise fanatic with intense exercise 7 days a week.

Ellen

EllenEpstein

Please see what I have written to Kathleen a few moments ago.

Also, several people I know, none of whom ever had belly fat before, put on weight while they were on Forteo. I ended up losing about 40 pounds after I stopped the medication. That is a LONG story but going off the medication may have helped.

peacocklady

I took forteo for 2 years and had a remarkable improvement in my bones! I had no trouble with Forteo and the injections caused no problems for me. I did switch every once in a while from the stomach to the thigh. I pinched the fat in my stomach and injected it there. Like I said, it is a wonder drug.

lanaka43

I was on Forteo for two years with no side effects. The injection was very easy, similar to diabetics who have to inject themselves. My bone density test remained the same, no increase.

Kathleen43812

Thank you all - this is very helpful to be able to communicate with people who are familiar with Forteo. Nobody I know (other than the docs) has ever heard of it. I hope the drug rep calls me this week!

italiancowgirl

I read all the replies about taking Forteo. I was told by a Dr at Hosp. for Special Surgery, in New York that not only will Forteo help after a bone surgery, but that it will aid me in ridding myself of the osteoporosis that i already have if I inject for 2 years. Didn't tell me i had to go onto one of those designer bone drugs afterwards, it that what's done all the time? Hard to believe. Am I being a guinea pig for this drug? Side effect: Not really interested in the weight gain either. But if it will help my bones be stronger, I will read more on it and see. Told me it might upset my stomach if I have a sensitive one, how did he know I did? Did the Actonel route for 7-1/2 years did NOTHING, i went from osteopenia to osteoporosis, great drug, right! Any more info on Fosteo? Very interested in more testimonials. How long has this drug been on the market, does anyone know? Thanks for any feedback

Mrader

I have been on Forteo for 4 months now, and Like everyone else I was not thrilled to do injections myself. I agree that it really is a piece of cake. I also thought of all the diabetic people who have this for ever! That helped. I have a dexa scan schedule in December after being on this for six months, so we will see. I am having the opposite reaction, not as hungry, but also am not losing weight. Also have some reflux which I didn't have before. Good luck and as time goes bye we will let each other know how this all works out!

thriftylew

I have been taking Forteo for one month today. The rep never called me to schedule the meeting to show me how to inject, so I just went for it. I was such a baby about having to give myself a shot, that when I finally did it, I had to admit to my husband it did not hurt at all. I only inject in my stomach, though because my thigh seems firmer and I think it might hurt. I use ice to numb the area before I inject. I probably don't need to, but it gives me peace of mind. Occasionally, I will hit a tiny little vein and have a spot of blood, but no pain. I can feel the forteo in my joints especially my knees, feet and wrists. It's a painful cramping feeling, but not unbearable. I hope that is the effects of the drug working on my bones. I can't wait to see if it helps my numbers on my scan next year! Angie

millie123

Are you doing BOTH Boniva Iv AND Forteo?

Kathleen43812

I three of the quarterly Boniva IVs at the direction of my orthopedic surgeon and then my family MD told me that the Boniva would maintain bone density but not increase it and I had very little to maintain, so I am switching to Forteo. But the drug rep has not called me and I'm getting impatient. I'm ready to start. . . not looking forward to it, but I live in fear of falling because I'll likely break something if I do.

Chantal52PI

So you had no increase in bone density after beiing on Forteo for 2 yrs?! Glad you didn't have any side effects, but a shame Forteo didn't help your bones.

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