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Forteo side effects high calcium decreasing dosage to every other day
Osteoporosis & Bone Health | Last Active: Nov 17, 2025 | Replies (31)Comment receiving replies
@amdf - I too am small (weigh 102 pounds), and I've been on teriparatide for 6 weeks+. I had terrible side effects for the first 2-3 weeks and I basically could not function (exhausted, gastric upset, lack of appetite, etc). At that point my doctor said I could take it every other day "for now", and after about a week I started feeling much better (yeah!). My doctor (an endocrinologist) said my calcium shouldn't exceed 500-1000 mg. total because if your calcium gets too high on this drug it's very hard to bring it down. I'm only taking supplements of 400 mg. I had my calcium and thyroid checked at the end of October and it was fine. So I've been eating a moderate amount of calcium containing foods. Of course everyone is different. I have severe osteoporosis at age 76 (t-score in femoral neck, -3.6 in June of this year), never broke a bone. I could never tolerate any of the bisphosphonates (except Reclast, which did not improve my BMD from 2023-2024 but kept it stable). Thank you to everyone for posting here. It has really been a great help to me.
Replies to "@amdf - I too am small (weigh 102 pounds), and I've been on teriparatide for 6..."
@barb3
I'm on forteo now for gums that would not heal after tooth extraction. Healed them within 2 months. It was 10 months with no healing in site. I read they are using it for this reason. I was on forteo when I broke my pelvis. They were non union
Forteo healed them. Said the gums wouldn't heal, my endocrinologist, because of the reclast still on bones after 2 years. Stays on your bones for years. Will never take it again
@barb3
Interesting and similar
So, on the calcium supplements I’m finding the outside of the standard medical arena the alternatives believe calcium pill supplements are not needed? So, I am not sure what to think on that. I’ve seen several Dictors. All saying to take various levels of them. Then the alternative clinics-which have doctors and nurse practitioners. Say not needed. Take vitamin D with K and rebuild other off areas in body.
Confusing. Traditional meds have not improved me, so,..
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@barb3 Thanks for your feedback. I plan to revisit this topic of calcium intake with my Endo . I feel so much better off the supplements but not sure I can sustain eating/drinking enough to reach 1200mg a day.