Forsteo

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I think you are referring to Forteo - at least that's how I know it to be spelled. Here's a little background.

How does it work?

This medicine contains the active ingredient teriparatide, which is a type of medicine called a bone formation agent. Teriparatide is a synthetic version of the human parathyroid hormone, produced by the parathyroid glands. This hormone is involved in the metabolism of calcium and phosphorous. Teriparatide mimics the effects of the natural human hormone and is used to increase bone formation.

Bone is not a static structure. There is a continual turnover over of bone in the body; bone is formed by cells called osteoblasts, and is broken down by cells called osteoclasts.

In women at the menopause, blood levels of the female hormone oestrogen start to decrease. This results in an increase in bone breakdown, which can lead to a loss of bone density. Bone loss is particularly rapid for the first ten years after the menopause and it may lead to the development of osteoporosis - a condition in which the bones become weak and brittle and break more easily.

Teriparatide is used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. It works by increasing the action of the bone formation cells, osteoblasts. This increases the formation of bone and therefore helps keep the bones strong. Teriparatide also increases the absorption of calcium from the intestine into the blood and the reabsorption of calcium from the kidneys into the blood. Calcium is deposited in the bone by the osteoblasts and this helps strengthen the bones.

Teriparatide has been shown to significantly reduce the risk of spinal factures, but not hip fractures, in postmenopausal women. It is given as a daily injection under the skin of the thigh or abdomen, using an injection pen similar to those used by people with diabetes for injecting insulin.

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Forteo can also cause some side effects, such as nausea, headache, joint/muscle aches, and diarrhea.

Has your doctor mentioned prescribing it for you?

Are you on any other medications? Are you known to have osteoporosis?

Generally, from various comments I've read both in person, and online, these medications seem to either work great for someone, or they make them miserable, no real in between. My mother-in-law tried one a few months ago, and she had to quit after just 2 doses due to adverse reactions.

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