my mother has been on forteo for 2 mths now. she has dizziness. stopped the drug for 2 wks- it still

Hi Lisa:  Kudos for taking care of your mother-good job!!  Dizziness is one of the side effects of Forteo.  I took Forteo for 2 years and did very well on it, however I didn't have the dizziness.  For people who want to continue with Forteo in light of the dizziness, need to consider how dangerous the dizziness can be and if it will cause her to fall. 

For those with dizziness, my Dr recommends taking the shot just before bedtime so you hopefully sleep through this side effect.  Has she tried this?  In the package insert it says that the shot *can* be taken anytime of the day, so taking it at bedtime is ok-check the insert on this so you know exactly what it says.

If the dizziness persists after she wakes, then I would talk to her Dr about it, since you don't want her to fall, or pass out.  Some people only experience the dizziness the first few weeks or months from the start of the drug, and it generally subsides, but we can't say that will be everyones reaction. 

You may also want to talk to her Dr about intermittent dosing where you don't inject the drug everyday.  There are many articles on Forteo intermittent therapy for those having trouble with it, but want to continue.  Some opt for several injections a week, and some try using it for several months on and then off, but this can *only* be decided by the Dr and your mom.

Good luck and let us know what you find out, I would really like to know.

Hi Lisa:  I forgot to mention something...  If your mom is still dizzy after stopping forteo, then she *probably* needs to rethink the treatment.  Like I mentioned, taking the shot at night helps others with this problem, but since her dizziness is ongoing, then trying the night time regime may not work.

This is just a personal observation with no medical evidence that I know of to confirm, but some people get dizzier, on an empty stomach.  Is she eating before the injection?  I was just trying to think of other options that might help, but this is something only her Dr can decide.  Did she follow the package inserts advice on how to handle dizziness?  The insert says to inject while sitting on a bed or couch, so if it happens you can *immediately* lay down, until it subsides.

I hope you both figure out a solution to this, and the intermittent dosing may help, but it may not, it's hard to tell.  Most importantly dizzyness is *nothing* to ignore.  So I hope you find out what the solution may be.  I would also have the Dr check for other things that may cause dizziness, just to rule out some other medical problem.

Good Luck...