FORSTEO

Forsteo Information

Forsteo is an injection medicine based on the main ingredient Teriparatide – a bone formation agent – which helps increase the activity of osteoblasts (bone formation cells) while also stimulating the calcium absorption in the intestines and reabsorption in the kidneys back into the bloodstream. This allows the bones to remain strong, treating and preventing affections such as osteoporosis.

Forsteo Indications

Typically, Forsteo is employed to treat osteoporosis in patients that are suffering from this affection or to prevent it in individuals with a high risk of developing this medical condition due to various factors (such as women that have passed through menopause, or men or women that are following a long term treatment with corticosteroid medication, e.g. Prednisolone). Forsteo may be prescribed by health care professionals in order to treat other medical affections as well; if you are not sure why you have been recommended to start a therapy course with this medicine and would like to obtain more information, it is best to consult your prescriber.

Forsteo Warnings

Forsteo should never be prescribed or administered to patients that have one or more of the following medical conditions: hypersensitivity to this drug or to any of its ingredients, severe kidney impairment, hypercalcaemia, bone cancer or metabolic bone diseases (except osteoporosis) such as hyperparathyroidism or Paget’s disease. Individuals that have undergone bone related chemotherapy, children and adolescents should not start a treatment course with this drug. Also, this drug is not recommended for use during pregnancy or breast feeding.

Special care should be employed if Forsteo therapy is used in the case of premenopausal women or in the case of individuals that are suffering from or have a medical history of moderate kidney impairment or urinary tract stones (urolithiasis). Other medical conditions may affect your therapy course with this drug as well and as such it is best that the prescribing health care professional is fully aware of your general health condition and medical history before deciding upon the treatment course.

Forsteo Intake Guidelines

You should administer the recommended Forsteo doses exactly as prescribed by your personal health care professional. He or she will provide you with a full set of administration guidelines at the time when he or she presents you with the drug dosage. If you have difficulties understanding any of the guidelines, it is best to ask for further explanations from the prescribing health care professional or a pharmacist.

The total Forsteo treatment course should not last longer than 18 months, and this medication cycle should not be repeated by any patient. The safety of long term therapy with this drug has not yet been established, and severe complications are possible with prolonged treatment. Only take this medicine for as long as you have been recommended by the prescriber.

Forsteo Dosage

The exact Forsteo dosage as well as intake frequency and therapy duration will be determined by the prescribing health care professional after carefully assessing the patient’s condition and medical history. A number of other case specific factors may require special considerations in determining the exact dosage; as such, it is very likely that your Forsteo dosage will be different from another patients’. You should only use the medication dosage that has been prescribed to you by the examining health care professional.

Forsteo Overdose

This medicine should be taken exactly as prescribed, not exceeding the dosage that was indicated by the prescribing health care specialist. An overdose with Forsteo may result in severe consequences and in most cases requires emergency medical attention. As such, if you have any reason to believe that you are affected by an overdose with Forsteo, you should immediately contact the nearest clinic or hospital or call the regional or local poisons center.

Forsteo Missed Dose

You should take precautions in order to prevent accidentally missing any of your Forsteo doses. Doing so involves setting up a proper intake schedule; taking the medicine at around the same time every day can greatly reduce the risk of accidentally forgetting to take the medicine. Your personal health care provider can assist you in setting up a medication schedule that best suits your lifestyle and preferences.

If you happen to miss a dose of Forsteo, it is best that you take it as soon as you remember. However, if this happens too close to the time of another scheduled dose, it is best that you skip the missed dose completely and continue taking the medication as usual. It is strongly recommended that you do not double up a dose in order to make up for a missed one.

Forsteo Side Effects

There are several side effects associated with Forsteo therapy. The most severe include allergic reactions to Teriparatide or any of the inactive ingredients. If you experience the characteristic symptoms for such a disorder (breathing problems, swollen face, throat, tongue or lips, hives, rashes) you should immediately stop taking this drug and contact your personal physician.

Other Forsteo side effects include dizziness, nausea and vomiting, fatigue, headaches, chest pain, muscle or joint pain, shortness of breath, sweating, asthenia, palpitations, vertigo, anemia, polyuria, hypotension, heartburn, weight gain, sciatica or raised cholesterol levels. Other side effects may appear as well. It is best that you inform your personal health care provider of any unexpected effects that you may experience during your therapy with Forsteo.

Forsteo Drug Reactions

As with most drugs, Forsteo may interact with other medication causing unwanted effects to appear. As such, it is best that you inform the prescriber of any other medicines you are currently taking before starting a therapy course with this drug. The most commonly encountered drug reaction is with Digoxin, and patients undergoing a therapy course with this drug may not be able to also start taking Forsteo. Talk to your prescriber about the alternative therapy options if you are following a medication therapy with Digoxin.