Hi Treva:  How does your mom feel about taking Forteo, aside from the price and injection?  Is she willing to put up with those 2 things and continue with it or does she want to take something else?

I took Forteo for 2 years, and did really well on it, so it's easy for me to say it was worth it for me.  I had previous fractures, and have had no reoccurences of any new ones since I started and completed Forteo.  The cost is a hugh factor, since it's so expensive if your insurance doesn't cover it, but my insurance covered it for the majority of the 2 years, and when it didn't I as able to get a pen from my Dr.

If Forteo prevents your mom from having another fracture than I would say it's definitely worth it.  The cost and hazards of a fracture are much greater than the cost and inconvenience of Forteo, there's really no comparison.  Your mom will have to decide what she wants to do, but all I can tell you is Forteo worked great for me and hopefully will do the same for your mother. 

You might like to read this article from the Cleveland Clinic on Forteo and see if you come away with a different understanding of this treatment and how if differs greatly from the other meds.

Other meds to consider, if she really doesn't want to continue with Forteo are:

  1. Oral Bisphosphonates (Fosamax, Actonel, or Boniva)

  2. Intravenous bisphosphonates (Boniva, Reclast)

  3. Calcitonin (miacalcin nasal spray/injection)

  4. SERMS (Evista)

  5. Fosteum

  6. Hormone Replacement Therapy

Here are some links from our experts on the various drugs above.  I would read as much as you can on each, and really let your mom think about Forteo, and whether or not she can keep up the 2 years of treatment.  If she can she may very well increase her bone density greatly since Forteo is the only drug that actually builds new bone, the other meds only slow bone loss.  Of course there are no gaurantees with any treatment, so I would also consider having your mom's bone markers checked to see if the Forteo is working (building new bone).  This test is a simple blood or urine test.

PJ Hamel on Bisphosphonates  Dr. Gonter on Bisphosphonates  P Flores on Reclast IV

Good luck helping your mom to make her decision...