daisy5732
08-11-2006, 09:59 PM
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 4 years ago. I have been on Fosomax
for 4 years and Fosomax AND Evista the last year. My T score is worse every year. My Dr says the only thing left to try is the Forteo injection.
I am scared to death to give myself a shot!!
Anyone else on Forteo that can tell me how they
got the courage for that first injection?
Help!
for 4 years and Fosomax AND Evista the last year. My T score is worse every year. My Dr says the only thing left to try is the Forteo injection.
I am scared to death to give myself a shot!!
Anyone else on Forteo that can tell me how they
got the courage for that first injection?
Help!
Sponsor
spinewhine
08-11-2006, 10:40 PM
I was diagnosed with osteoporosis 4 years ago. I have been on Fosomax
for 4 years and Fosomax AND Evista the last year. My T score is worse every year. My Dr says the only thing left to try is the Forteo injection.
I am scared to death to give myself a shot!!
Anyone else on Forteo that can tell me how they
got the courage for that first injection?
Help!
You sound like so many of us here. I was shaking the first time I gave myself the shot, being a complete needlephobe my whole life. If you fold up a bit of skin like they show you in the video that comes with the Forteo starter kit, you find out very quickly that it's no big deal. The shot is subcutaneous. It's a small needle that doesn't go in very deep. I can't say it's entirely painless but it's certainly no big deal. I'm astounded that it was so easy to get used to.
I started using my thighs, but later got up the courage to try the shots in the abdomen, after reading posts from people here. I actually found that to be easier and less painful. I guess I have some more flab in that area. Never thought that flab would be good for anything, but there you have it.
Best of luck to you. Try not to panic over the shots. They are truly easy to get used to.
Good luck to you.
for 4 years and Fosomax AND Evista the last year. My T score is worse every year. My Dr says the only thing left to try is the Forteo injection.
I am scared to death to give myself a shot!!
Anyone else on Forteo that can tell me how they
got the courage for that first injection?
Help!
You sound like so many of us here. I was shaking the first time I gave myself the shot, being a complete needlephobe my whole life. If you fold up a bit of skin like they show you in the video that comes with the Forteo starter kit, you find out very quickly that it's no big deal. The shot is subcutaneous. It's a small needle that doesn't go in very deep. I can't say it's entirely painless but it's certainly no big deal. I'm astounded that it was so easy to get used to.
I started using my thighs, but later got up the courage to try the shots in the abdomen, after reading posts from people here. I actually found that to be easier and less painful. I guess I have some more flab in that area. Never thought that flab would be good for anything, but there you have it.
Best of luck to you. Try not to panic over the shots. They are truly easy to get used to.
Good luck to you.
taape
08-12-2006, 02:25 AM
I was really nervous doing the first shot which I did at the doctor's office. My biggest fear wasn't the needle but that I would get immediately dizzy but I ddn't. This medication has been the best thing for me and really works to increase bone density. You'll get used to the shots, it's very easy and painless.
CrohnieToo
08-12-2006, 12:25 PM
Hey, I'm the lady who couldn't see the needle for my children's childhood innoculation w/o dry heaving!! I was especially dubious about ANYONE, myself or anyone else, giving me a shot in the abdomen!!! Yeah, sure. So I insisted that when my doctor's nurse was to help me give my first shot myself that it be in the abdomen. I figured if I could do in the abdomen then I most certainly could do it in the thighs.
My hands were shaking, my tummy was queasy, I finally managed to stick the needle into a fold in my abdomen as shown - and knee jerk reaction immediately pulled it right back out!! Had to "stick" myself in another abdominal fold in order to actually inject the Forteo.
Ah! Success! Does wonders for the confidence and ego. I didn't fall apart, I didn't throw up, I didn't even drop the syringe. What's more it was a piece of cake! All that sweating and dreading ... for nothing as it turned out.
And in just 10 months on Forteo and vitamin D my T-scores improved to better then my 2005 DEXA and almost as good as my 1996 DEXA.
My hands were shaking, my tummy was queasy, I finally managed to stick the needle into a fold in my abdomen as shown - and knee jerk reaction immediately pulled it right back out!! Had to "stick" myself in another abdominal fold in order to actually inject the Forteo.
Ah! Success! Does wonders for the confidence and ego. I didn't fall apart, I didn't throw up, I didn't even drop the syringe. What's more it was a piece of cake! All that sweating and dreading ... for nothing as it turned out.
And in just 10 months on Forteo and vitamin D my T-scores improved to better then my 2005 DEXA and almost as good as my 1996 DEXA.
PikaB
08-12-2006, 01:31 PM
The technique that works very well for me, is not to pull the needle out (after the injection); simply release the fold of skin, and it will instantly slip off of the needle.
nanny5
08-12-2006, 09:17 PM
I have been reading posts for awhile. my forteo is in the fridge and I am still anxious to begin. I think I can get past the needle thing but I am still having a problem with the "black box" warning. How did you get past that? I really do need to do this. I have been on Fosamax and then switched to actonel and still keep getting worse. I dont want to end up with fractures or worse. need some encouragement.......
taape
08-13-2006, 03:28 AM
I stopped worrying about the black box warning a long time ago after someone here mentioned that the rats were getting up to 100x the amount of medication we are using. Now I'm at the end of my 2 years, and I definitely think the bisphosphonates are much more dangerous even though they don't have a black box warning. That medication can stay in your bones for up to 10 years. The Forteo is injected and 4 hours later it leaves your system. Of course it's repeated everyday but still. Plus it doesn't causes major stomach problems like the Fosamax, Actonel, etc. I can't tolerate those. I think raising your blood calcium level at the correct levels like the Forteo does is much safer than having medication staying in your bones for years on end. I hope this helps.
CrohnieToo
08-13-2006, 11:43 AM
The "growth plates" (for lack of a better term) in human bones close about I forget what age, before the age of 30 anyway. The "growth plates" in rat bones continue to grow their entire life. It is at the end of the bones, in the "growth plates" that the cancer occurred in the rats. In addition, the rats were "fed" the teraperitide from birth to death at, as taape said, drastically higher doses than a human would take. Forteo has been approved some 4 years or so now? No human has yet developed this bone cancer that developed in rats.
Fosamax and the bisphosphonats have been around for how long now? And how many people have developed this necrosis in the jaw? And how many have developed severe gastro problems?
We all just have to weigh our risks and how much risk and what kind of risk we are willing to take. Its a risk to get in our car and drive to work each day. We all take risks every day.
Fosamax and the bisphosphonats have been around for how long now? And how many people have developed this necrosis in the jaw? And how many have developed severe gastro problems?
We all just have to weigh our risks and how much risk and what kind of risk we are willing to take. Its a risk to get in our car and drive to work each day. We all take risks every day.
daisy5732
08-13-2006, 05:49 PM
I can't tell you how much it meant to me to read ya'lls experiences with Forteo.
You have helped relieve a lot of the apprehensions I had.
It helps a lot to know I'm not alone with this and I will get thru it.
I get my kit on Wednesday. Thank ya'll again.
You have helped relieve a lot of the apprehensions I had.
It helps a lot to know I'm not alone with this and I will get thru it.
I get my kit on Wednesday. Thank ya'll again.
Jone
08-14-2006, 10:37 AM
When I was much younger and went through very early menopause, my doctor prescribed hormone replacement therapy. I filled the prescription but did not take it because of all the scare about it causing cancer. Now, many years later, I have rather severe osteoporosis that probably would have been avoided if I had taken the hormones. There is still disagreement about the effects of hormone replacement and I let that fear keep me from taking medication that could have helped me have stronger bones. I am concerned that the "black box" warning will keep someone from taking medicine that may be the only chance they have to improve their bones. I do not deny that there is risk; we just have to weigh the risk against the certainty if we do nothing.