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← Return to No response to forteo
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Advice from my endocronologist has been that testing needs to be after 2 years on Forteo. I've been on it for 18 months and due to other non-related issues, she ordered a DEXA after 18 months. I was happy with the Lumbar Spine which went from -2.7 to -1.9 out of osteoporosis and back to osteopenia!
However, the Left Hip was insignificant going from -2.6 to -2.5, and the Femoral Neck from -3.3 to -3.1.
She said these are typical of Forteo scores, and that the science doesn't know why the discrepancy exists and why the lumbar spine reacts so well in comparison. She wants me to stop the Forteo and begin Reclast.
As per the advice I've read on this blog, I asked for a longer infusion time, and perhaps even a lower dose. She said (Kaiser) won't do that unless I have a bad reaction, then the next time they will! (typical)
At this point I don't want to start Reclast, as there are so many negative responses that I've read about on this blog. I'm not certain what to do.
Age 75
Replies to "Advice from my endocronologist has been that testing needs to be after 2 years on Forteo...."
I understand your dilemma. I am very concerned about side effects from any
long-acting meds. That’s why I started with forteo. I will see my
endocrinologist this week and imagine she will have some suggestions for
me. Wish the path was clearer.
Jill
@kar50 I think one reason for the different effect between spine and hip is the different type of bone. The spine is trabecular and more spongy bone. The hip has more cortical bone type and is slower to change.
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@kar50 Check out some of the more recent research and advice about the benefits of sequencing. If you bring some of this type of thing to your doctor then you might be able to convince her to fight for the Evenity. At least one person on this site did self-pay for Evenity and was able to get a reduced price because of it not being through insurance. She put it something like this to her doctor: Evenity costs less than a kitchen remodel, and she would rather have her bones remodeled in the best way than her house.
Here is a research paper that only compares the order between 2 drugs:
Therapy with transitions from one bone-forming agent to another: a retrospective cohort study on teriparatide [Forteo] and romosozumab [Evenity] 2024
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11601723/
You can search YouTube to find this video from Dr. Doug Lucas "Osteoporosis Treatment: Best Order for Medications Explained"
And here is an interview done by OsteoBoston with a doctor/researcher who specializes in osteoporosis that covers many osteoporosis items, but also sequencing of drugs.
Strategies for Bone Medications with Dr. Benjamin Leder, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School