After Forteo - Osteoporosis Message Board

tomatojuice · 09-08-2006, 06:54 PM

Does anyone know what happens after two years of forteo? Do you have to take a biophosphate, or can you pursue the natural route to bone health?

DesertBloom · 09-08-2006, 08:14 PM

tomatojuice: I was told that at the end of my Forteo treat. they would probably put me back on Actonel. I question this logic since Actonel only improved my t-score by .02; after over a years use. But the thinking is that you need to remain on something to combat a low t-score.

There "maybe" the option of Salmon Parathyroid Hormone (Calcitonin) but I've never taken this and believe it comes in a nasal spray and IV form.

This is a tough question, so just make sure you research as much as you can to decide what you or your dr. might want to do. I haven't heard of anyone going on Calcitonin after Forteo, so maybe it's just research I missed. But I would ask if there is any reason why you couldn't switch from on type of PTH to another.

I wish you all the best, and hope you find your answers... Just hang in there, and Good Luck...

Pam

PikaB · 09-08-2006, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomatojuice

Does anyone know what happens after two years of forteo? Do you have to take a biophosphate, or can you pursue the natural route to bone health?

I think that studies thus far have indicated that after Forteo treatment is concluded, unless bisphosphonates are taken (which increases BMD further), bone loss will start again.

In my own case (I am on my 6th month of Forteo), I plan to try alternative methods to retain BMD after Forteo, but if the alternative methods do not work, and if BMD starts declining after I have been off Forteo for 6 months or a year, I will probably reluctantly begin bisphosphonates. Of course, with it's long half-life, Fosamax would be my very last choice.

DesertBloom · 09-08-2006, 08:39 PM

Tomatojuice: I forgot to mention, I'm a big believer in alternate health care solutions, so If you find something that works, by all means try it.

PikaB is right, if after you finish your current med, you need to continue using something to halt or at least slow down further bone loss.

PikaB: Thanks for reminding me of the possibilities of a t score going lower, which I only mentioned in a round about way by saying "to remain on something to combat a low t-score"

Cschneider375 · 09-08-2006, 08:57 PM

I was told last year that after 3 years of Forteo, you did not have to take anything. Was this misinformation?