I started this thread asking for positive experiences with Forteo (as I was very nervous about starting it) a couple of weeks ago prior to starting Forteo, so I wanted to circle back with my experiences. After having 12 shots now, I'm pleased to report I've had virtually NO side effects. I had very very mild nausea and short-term diarrhea the first couple of days that was quickly and easily managed with one Pepto bismol tablet and a ginger gummy! I've had no bone or muscle pains whatsoever. No headaches. No dizzy spells. No increase in belly fat that some have reported. When I started transdermal HRT in 2018, I had an increase in belly fat; however, after using the Forteo shot, it actually seems to have gone down a little. Knock on wood.
Since I live alone with my dog, I don't like to take any kind of new med at night in case of side effects. I'd rather take it in the morning so that if I have any effects, it's broad daylight, everything is open, and I'm not driving around at 10pm trying to find an Urgent Care facility and worrying about my dog. So, I decided to go to my doctor's office for the first shot so they could show me the right way to do it. I videotaped it. Yes, I did. I didn't want to forget anything later when home and alone and nervous again. In the end, the shot is really so very simple, I didn't really need the video but it was a security blanket. Since my first shot in the doc's office was at 2:30 pm, I was able to see how I reacted to it. Over the next couple of days, when I saw I was ok, I gradually shifted my shot to the evening around 8pm. It relaxes me and I find I'm sleeping through the night again and feeling rested in the mornings.
I know everyone is different; we have different medical histories, are on different meds, etc., but with all the scary stuff out there, I wanted to share my positive experience. I was SO afraid of starting any osteo med but now I'm so grateful to have it. I'm also grateful to all of you who took a moment to tell me your positive experiences which gave me the courage to go forward. Thank you! Now I'm hoping it will quickly build bone so I don't have to worry about that any more!
Thank you! Yes, I’m staying on the low dose transdermal HRT (14 mcg) plus 1 Prometrium 3x a week throughout my Forteo treatment. At the end of two years, my doctor said that keeping me on it might mean I can take a lesser dose of whatever osteo drug will help me maintain my bone growth.
By yes/no decision, do you mean the decision to take Forteo or not? I knew I had to take something because I have a 22% risk of a major osteoporotic fracture within the next two years. Forteo was the drug which would help build bone faster. Nevertheless, I was so fearful it took me a while to decide to take it. Oddly enough, it was a consult with an orthopedist that convinced me when he said “I’m not going to tell you to take one of the drugs for osteoporosis or not - I can only say that by the time a patient gets to me, and they’ve had a major fracture and they’ve never taken anything, I can’t help them with surgery because there’s nothing to attach to. The bones are too porous.” At that point I knew I had to do something.
Thank you very much for your reply. With your 10 yr frax risk, it's very wise to start forteo.
I'm sorry I wasn't clear about my question. I was curious with the reason behind your continuing transdermal HRT along with forteo. Did your endo give a specific reason for continuing HRT while on forteo?
If you dont mind me asking, how far were you from post menapausal when you started transdermal HRT? Did you use it mainly for the purpose of bone preservation? If so, do you happen to have CTX checked before and after transdermal HRT? What kind of CTx changes do you have if you had the results? I'm considering HRT as an option after my completion of forteo, but from what I read, it's best to be used within 10 years postmenopausal and I just passed that. Also the dose for bone preservation seems a lot higher than the dose you are using.
Apologies for the delay in responding. I wanted to provide a comprehensive response. Currently, I am under the care of the head of OB/GYN at Georgetown University Hospital for my overall health. Following their recommendation of Forteo, they also mentioned that I could continue with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which aids in preserving bone density. However, it's worth noting that while HRT helps maintain bone, it may not promote bone growth as rapidly as necessary for my current needs. Additionally, due to variations in the machines used for my recent scans, it's debatable whether I am experiencing bone loss or gain.
My regular gynecologist was initially hesitant to prescribe it back in 2018, citing my age of 68 as a factor. Despite presenting her with studies on transdermal Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) conducted on women a decade past menopause, she remained cautious but eventually acquiesced, prescribing the lowest feasible dosage. While HRT undoubtedly assists with various aspects such as hair, skin, and overall energy, and building and preserving bone, she declined to increase the dosage. I believe that had she done so, the extent of my bone loss might have been mitigated. Unfortunately, conducting a comprehensive review of all transdermal HRT studies is beyond my means at the moment. Nonetheless, here are a few noteworthy studies:
The Estrogen and Thromboembolism Risk study, a multicenter case–control study of thromboembolism among postmenopausal women aged 45–70 years, demonstrated an odds ratio for venous thromboembolism in users of oral and transdermal estrogen to be 4.2 (95% CI, 1.5–11.6) and 0.9 (95% CI,0.4–2.1), respectively, when compared with nonusers 10. Transdermal estrogen had no increased risk compared with nonusers. Similar results were reported elsewhere 30 31 32 33 34 35 and of particular importance, in women who were stratified for weight 36 and the presence of prothrombotic mutations
Convincing a doctor based solely on a handful of transdermal HRT studies is challenging, especially when the medical community doesn't seem to prioritize conducting its own thorough review. Consequently, the response from most doctors tends to be negative or some variation thereof. However, the doctor at Georgetown did acknowledge that remaining on the lowest dose was likely acceptable. Additionally, they suggested that after my two-year course of Forteo, it might reduce the necessity for a subsequent drug to prevent further bone loss. It's worth mentioning that I am adamantly opposed to taking bisphosphonates under any circumstances.
As previously mentioned, I began low-dose transdermal HRT around the age of 68 and I’m now 74. And yes, the primary reason for initiating this therapy was to mitigate bone loss. Until you brought it up, I hadn't been aware of CTX. Your observation regarding the necessity for a higher dose for bone preservation is valid. The physician at Georgetown advised against increasing the dosage for the time being while I'm on Forteo. However, she expressed a potential willingness to reconsider this decision in two years. Hopefully, by then, there will be increased efforts within the medical community to conduct comprehensive literature reviews and additional studies on the utilization of HRT for postmenopausal women.
I'm so happy this is going well for you. Your plans sound sensible and even going to the MD's office for the first injection makes sense to me. We need to feel confident so whatever it takes. I hope you will check back to keep us posted on how it's going. Continued best wishes to you (and your pup).
I’m so happy for you that the Forteo treatment is going smoothly! I too was anxious about the injection (even though I am a retired nurse) but it is no big deal for sure. Wishing you good results
Thank you! It's estradiol (14 mcg) and prometrium (100 mg 3x a week). The estradiol is a transdermal patch called Menostar. Best wishes to you on your journey!
I started this thread asking for positive experiences with Forteo (as I was very nervous about starting it) a couple of weeks ago prior to starting Forteo, so I wanted to circle back with my experiences. After having 12 shots now, I'm pleased to report I've had virtually NO side effects. I had very very mild nausea and short-term diarrhea the first couple of days that was quickly and easily managed with one Pepto bismol tablet and a ginger gummy! I've had no bone or muscle pains whatsoever. No headaches. No dizzy spells. No increase in belly fat that some have reported. When I started transdermal HRT in 2018, I had an increase in belly fat; however, after using the Forteo shot, it actually seems to have gone down a little. Knock on wood.
Since I live alone with my dog, I don't like to take any kind of new med at night in case of side effects. I'd rather take it in the morning so that if I have any effects, it's broad daylight, everything is open, and I'm not driving around at 10pm trying to find an Urgent Care facility and worrying about my dog. So, I decided to go to my doctor's office for the first shot so they could show me the right way to do it. I videotaped it. Yes, I did. I didn't want to forget anything later when home and alone and nervous again. In the end, the shot is really so very simple, I didn't really need the video but it was a security blanket. Since my first shot in the doc's office was at 2:30 pm, I was able to see how I reacted to it. Over the next couple of days, when I saw I was ok, I gradually shifted my shot to the evening around 8pm. It relaxes me and I find I'm sleeping through the night again and feeling rested in the mornings.
I know everyone is different; we have different medical histories, are on different meds, etc., but with all the scary stuff out there, I wanted to share my positive experience. I was SO afraid of starting any osteo med but now I'm so grateful to have it. I'm also grateful to all of you who took a moment to tell me your positive experiences which gave me the courage to go forward. Thank you! Now I'm hoping it will quickly build bone so I don't have to worry about that any more!
Thank you so much for posting your experience. I will start Forteo soon and like you am apprehensive. So many steps to remember and all those possible side effects.
You description was very helpful in getting me in the right frame of mind to start. Thanks again.
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I’ve had mild increase in tummy fat, aLao, after starting transdermal hrt, as well as , fluid retention in ankles. But, I will keep taking the HRT.
Are you using Estradiol or Estriol or a combination of both? If both, do you know the concentration of each?
Glad to hear you haven’t had side effects from Fortro!
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1 ReactionWould you mind sharing who your dr. is?
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1 ReactionApologies for the delay in responding. I wanted to provide a comprehensive response. Currently, I am under the care of the head of OB/GYN at Georgetown University Hospital for my overall health. Following their recommendation of Forteo, they also mentioned that I could continue with Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT), which aids in preserving bone density. However, it's worth noting that while HRT helps maintain bone, it may not promote bone growth as rapidly as necessary for my current needs. Additionally, due to variations in the machines used for my recent scans, it's debatable whether I am experiencing bone loss or gain.
My regular gynecologist was initially hesitant to prescribe it back in 2018, citing my age of 68 as a factor. Despite presenting her with studies on transdermal Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) conducted on women a decade past menopause, she remained cautious but eventually acquiesced, prescribing the lowest feasible dosage. While HRT undoubtedly assists with various aspects such as hair, skin, and overall energy, and building and preserving bone, she declined to increase the dosage. I believe that had she done so, the extent of my bone loss might have been mitigated. Unfortunately, conducting a comprehensive review of all transdermal HRT studies is beyond my means at the moment. Nonetheless, here are a few noteworthy studies:
ACP Journal: https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/abs/10.7326/0003-4819-117-1-1
American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2020):
https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/committee-opinion/articles/2013/04/postmenopausal-estrogen-therapy-route-of-administration-and-risk-of-venous-thromboembolism which concludes:
The Estrogen and Thromboembolism Risk study, a multicenter case–control study of thromboembolism among postmenopausal women aged 45–70 years, demonstrated an odds ratio for venous thromboembolism in users of oral and transdermal estrogen to be 4.2 (95% CI, 1.5–11.6) and 0.9 (95% CI,0.4–2.1), respectively, when compared with nonusers 10. Transdermal estrogen had no increased risk compared with nonusers. Similar results were reported elsewhere 30 31 32 33 34 35 and of particular importance, in women who were stratified for weight 36 and the presence of prothrombotic mutations
BodyLogic/NAMS/University of Southern California references:
https://www.bodylogicmd.com/blog/should-you-use-hormone-replacement-therapy-after-65-why-attitudes-are-changing/#:~:text=For%20many%20women%2C%20the%20benefits,or%20duration%20of%20hormone%20therapy
“Hormone therapy does not need to be routinely discontinued in women aged older than 60 or 65 years and can be considered for continuation beyond age 65 years for persistent [vasomotor], [quality of life] issues, or prevention of osteoporosis after appropriate evaluation and counseling of benefits and risks.”
Convincing a doctor based solely on a handful of transdermal HRT studies is challenging, especially when the medical community doesn't seem to prioritize conducting its own thorough review. Consequently, the response from most doctors tends to be negative or some variation thereof. However, the doctor at Georgetown did acknowledge that remaining on the lowest dose was likely acceptable. Additionally, they suggested that after my two-year course of Forteo, it might reduce the necessity for a subsequent drug to prevent further bone loss. It's worth mentioning that I am adamantly opposed to taking bisphosphonates under any circumstances.
As previously mentioned, I began low-dose transdermal HRT around the age of 68 and I’m now 74. And yes, the primary reason for initiating this therapy was to mitigate bone loss. Until you brought it up, I hadn't been aware of CTX. Your observation regarding the necessity for a higher dose for bone preservation is valid. The physician at Georgetown advised against increasing the dosage for the time being while I'm on Forteo. However, she expressed a potential willingness to reconsider this decision in two years. Hopefully, by then, there will be increased efforts within the medical community to conduct comprehensive literature reviews and additional studies on the utilization of HRT for postmenopausal women.
Sorry this was so long!
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3 ReactionsThank you so much for your kind words! I absolutely will. All the best to you as well!
Wishing you good results as well! Thank you!
Thank you! It's estradiol (14 mcg) and prometrium (100 mg 3x a week). The estradiol is a transdermal patch called Menostar. Best wishes to you on your journey!
Andrea Singer, MD.
https://www.medstarhealth.org/doctors/andrea-j-singer-md
She is straightforward, compassionate and thorough - and she answered all of my questions. Good luck to you on your journey!
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2 ReactionsThank you!!
You are so welcome!
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1 ReactionThank you so much for posting your experience. I will start Forteo soon and like you am apprehensive. So many steps to remember and all those possible side effects.
You description was very helpful in getting me in the right frame of mind to start. Thanks again.
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