1. < Osteoporosis & Bone Health

Forteo or Evenity - which to take?

Posted by bellagila @bellagila, Apr 29, 2023

I was diagnosed with severe osteoporosis last year and am still unsure about whether to take Forteo or Evenity. I fractured my pelvis from a fall several years ago. I consulted with 3 bone experts - two suggested Forteo and one suggested Evenity. I would greatly appreciate your thoughts and experiences with both success and side effects from these medications. Thank you so much!

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windyshores | @windyshores | Sep 7, 2023
In reply to @gb76 "@windyshores - You asked for comments from those having experience with Forteo ("Ortho surgeon wanting me..." + (show)
@gb76

@windyshores - You asked for comments from those having experience with Forteo ("Ortho surgeon wanting me on Forteo so very interested also in anyone else's experience with it."), and I provided my mother's experience.

You may be "surprised" that my mother "did so well", but the information I provided is unequivocally accurate. I lived with my mother for the last 11 years of her life, and so am intimately familiar with all aspects and details of her medical care. I am grateful that she had such good results from Forteo, with no adverse side effects. I am also glad that she did not have to continue taking additional bone meds, all of which, as I am sure you are aware, have issues. So Mom was lucky, and for that, I am thankful. She did not simply decide she did not want to take any more drugs (she was a very compliant patient). She discontinued bone meds with the blessing of, and at the advice of, her Vanderbilt doctors. BTW, I used the term "stepdown" as that is the term both her doctors and my doctor use when describing drugs used to transition from Forteo to other bone med(s). It was not meant as explication of how those drugs work.

It is good for others to know what is possible.
Good luck with your care.

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@gb76 I think you have me mixed up with someone else! I am just about done with Tymlos and doing fine. I will do a few low doses of Reclast to lock in my gains.

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chickyb | @chickyb | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @windyshores "Strontium makes your DEXA look better than it really is. Strontium replaces calcium in the bones..." + (show)
@windyshores

Strontium makes your DEXA look better than it really is. Strontium replaces calcium in the bones and is denser, so on the DEXA bones look better. So if your DEXA was worse with strontium, it would be even worse without.

If you have silent fractures, you are fortunate. But you may be headed for fractures that are painful and disabling, like me. For me, self injections were well worth it to avoid more. It really is like brushing your teeth in terms of routines.

I started Tymlos at a low dose and ramped it up as fast as I could, For most of the 2 years I took 3/4 or 7/8 dose but for the last months I am on full dose. I had excellent gains. I hope you will consider meds!

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Thank you for the information, I was aware of the strontium falsely showing increased bone density however some believe it’s not enough to skew the result. Anyway, I wanted to try a more holistic approach first. That being said, depending on cost I will probably begin Forteo- just worried about having to inject daily. Thank you again

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1 reply
susanfalcon52 | @susanfalcon52 | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @chickyb "Wondering if anyone has done the two year daily Forteo? I found I have had 2..." + (show)
@chickyb

Wondering if anyone has done the two year daily Forteo? I found I have had 2 silent lumbar compression fractures when an MRI was ordered for an unrelated problem. I have been using Algaecal plus with strontium but last dexa was worse. I’m concerned about daily self injections 7 days a week x 2 years as well as possible side effects. Any advice greatly appreciated

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I did Forteo for five months. No side effects. You get used to giving yourself the injections. Before I did it, I wouldn’t have imagined that I could. But, we do what we have to do. It’s a good feeling to achieve that.
I had to stop Forteo because of the cost. If not for that, I would have done it for 2 years.
Also, my doctor who was treating me, fell, broke her neck, and died! I was without any treatment for two years which hurt me. That is on me. I wish I had been more motivated continue with another doctor. On Evenity now.

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2 replies
milkweed | @milkweed | Sep 8, 2023

I have had 6 dress fx in 3 years, all from the knee down and 5 on my left leg. The initial injury was a result of getting caught in a sand bog on my bicycle. After the st fx switched to my R leg I got the message… this was not happening bc of the bicycle incident. I did some research (all NIH articles) and advocated for Forteo. My endo put me on Prolia. After consulting with The Bone Clinic in Albuquerque NM and upon his recommendation my endo conceded. It took 10 weeks and I am back on my feet ! I’m a big fan! No side effects except it is expensive.

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gravity3 | @gravity3 | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @chickyb "Wondering if anyone has done the two year daily Forteo? I found I have had 2..." + (show)
@chickyb

Wondering if anyone has done the two year daily Forteo? I found I have had 2 silent lumbar compression fractures when an MRI was ordered for an unrelated problem. I have been using Algaecal plus with strontium but last dexa was worse. I’m concerned about daily self injections 7 days a week x 2 years as well as possible side effects. Any advice greatly appreciated

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I took forteo for 2 years. No side effects. Easy to do the shots too. Had some gains.

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2 replies
gravity3 | @gravity3 | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @gravity3 "I took forteo for 2 years. No side effects. Easy to do the shots too. Had..." + (show)
@gravity3

I took forteo for 2 years. No side effects. Easy to do the shots too. Had some gains.

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That was 6 or 7 years ago though. I don't know what the thinking would be now..... forteo or evenity first. It was followed by alendronate and now after a "vacation" I had my first shots of evenity. I don't have any soreness or swelling it has only been 3 hours. The nurse who administered the shots said she had not had any patients who had described trouble with side effects. Time will tell. Age may effect decision making....I am 75 so in the grand scheme of things and according to the actuarial tables I may have only 10 years left in this body.😉

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gravity3 | @gravity3 | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @susanfalcon52 "I did Forteo for five months. No side effects. You get used to giving yourself the..." + (show)
@susanfalcon52

I did Forteo for five months. No side effects. You get used to giving yourself the injections. Before I did it, I wouldn’t have imagined that I could. But, we do what we have to do. It’s a good feeling to achieve that.
I had to stop Forteo because of the cost. If not for that, I would have done it for 2 years.
Also, my doctor who was treating me, fell, broke her neck, and died! I was without any treatment for two years which hurt me. That is on me. I wish I had been more motivated continue with another doctor. On Evenity now.

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Looks like there is a low cost offering on the forteo website

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windyshores | @windyshores | Sep 8, 2023

I did Tymlos (substitute Forteo since it is similar!) before Evenity because I read and did a master class that said that I could do Evenity after Tymlos but not the other way around. However, my doc won't do Evenity now that I am finishing Tymlos: he says there is not yet enough data. It appears, though, that many on this forum do have docs who will do Evenity after Forteo or Tymlos.

I got a second opinion hoping the second doc would agree to do Evenity but no go.

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chickyb | @chickyb | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @gravity3 "I took forteo for 2 years. No side effects. Easy to do the shots too. Had..." + (show)
@gravity3

I took forteo for 2 years. No side effects. Easy to do the shots too. Had some gains.

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Thanks, awaiting my copay - hoping it’s affordable

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chickyb | @chickyb | Sep 8, 2023
In reply to @susanfalcon52 "I did Forteo for five months. No side effects. You get used to giving yourself the..." + (show)
@susanfalcon52

I did Forteo for five months. No side effects. You get used to giving yourself the injections. Before I did it, I wouldn’t have imagined that I could. But, we do what we have to do. It’s a good feeling to achieve that.
I had to stop Forteo because of the cost. If not for that, I would have done it for 2 years.
Also, my doctor who was treating me, fell, broke her neck, and died! I was without any treatment for two years which hurt me. That is on me. I wish I had been more motivated continue with another doctor. On Evenity now.

Jump to this post

Thank you, waiting to find out my monthly cost. The Evenity is also an option, I have a prolapsed valve so I would rather not

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