what is teriparatide peptide used for FAQ

You inject teriparatide under your skin. The medicine comes in a prefilled pen device that you use to inject into your thigh or below your belly button. The prefilled device gives 28 daily injections.

The average cost of a Forteo pen device is about $1,000 before insurance. One pen device provides 28 doses. How much you pay for a medicine depends on several things:

Forteo should be used only in men or postmenopausal women who have osteoporosis and have a high risk of fractures. Forteo is not prescribed to women who have not yet gone through menopause and could become pregnant or breastfeed.

If you have serious osteoporosis, your doctor may prescribe both Forteo shots and another type of osteoporosis medication, such as denosumab (Jubbonti, Prolia) or zoledronic acid (Reclast). You can take Forteo by itself if you’re not able to take zoledronic acid or other osteoporosis medications that are bisphosphonates, such as alendronate (Binosto, Fosamax), ibandronate (Boniva), and risedronate (Actonel, Atelvia). You can also take Forteo with calcium and vitamin D supplements, if your doctor prescribes them.

Because scientists haven't yet established its long-term safety, this drug is FDA-approved only for 24 months of use.

Forteo's side effects may include:

Forteo has been shown to reduce the risk of fractures in men and postmenopausal women. Studies also show it reduces the risk of fractures in people who have osteoporosis after taking steroids. And a recent study shows that Forteo shots cut the risk of hip fractures in half in those with osteoporosis.

Teriparatide (Forteo) is an osteoporosis medicine approved by the FDA that rebuilds bone. (Bonsity is another FDA-approved version of teriparatide.) Teriparatide doesn't cure osteoporosis. It promotes the growth of new bone and makes existing bone stronger and more dense. And it reduces spine fractures in women with known osteoporosis. Research shows teriparatide may also reduce hip fractures. Other types of osteoporosis medications improve bone density by slowing down bone resorption, or breakdown of bone. Teriparatide is a man-made version of the human parathyroid hormone, which helps to regulate calciummetabolism in your body. The parathyroid glands produce this hormone, which helps to control levels of calcium, phosphorous, and vitamin D in your blood. By acting like natural parathyroid hormone, Forteo shots affect minerals and vitamins that help build bone.