Forteo & kidney stones

[GDCM]

I recently had kidney stone surgery, where each kidney was full of large kidney stones (too large to pass naturally, which was the reason for the surgery). In January I completed 2 years of Forteo injections, and wonder if the cause of all of those kidney stones were caused by the Forteo injections recently completed? (A scan taken in 2015 showed only 1 small kidney stone in one kidney)

[jaqre]

Hi GDCM - I am on Forteo and my doctor said I would have to come in to have my calcium checked regularly because it is known to have an increased risk of kidney stones. Forteo promotes growth of new bone so I believe it does affect serum calcium levels. If you need to go on again at some point, make sure your doctor is keeping an eye on your calcium levels. Hope this helps!

[GDCM in reply to jaqre]

That’s interesting… I had a DEXA scan done after my first year on Forteo, and it did show my bone density had increased. No other tests were done. My Urologist is analyzing the stones & will do a 24 hour urine study. I feel certain the Forteo contributed to my kidney stones, if not being the main cause.

[jaqre in reply to GDCM]

I agree that it probably contributed to it. That is why my doctor said I would have to be tested regularly while on Forteo to make sure I didn't have to much calcium in my urine/blood which can cause an increased risk of kidney stones.

[sean_jax]

please ask your specialist who takes care of your osteoporosis for 24 hour urine calcium/creatinine test. It looks like they miss this diagnosis. If it confirms the diagnosis of hypercalciuria then you pee all the calcium from your bones thru the urines. You might need diuretics to stop the calcium leak otherwise forteo would be useless here. Once they stop the calcium leak if any then forteo would be a help here.

[GDCM]

They did do the blood calcium test prior to taking Forteo, (I did injections for 2 years, was done in Jan this year) and it was all normal so we moved forward. Urology is having me do two 24 hour urine collection tests to see what is normally in my urine.

[bellybuddie]

You might be prone to kidney stone to start with since you had a bit back in 2015. Forteo is known to cause hypercalcemia, but only transiently. If you are indeed prone to form stones, you might want to be careful to the amount and forms of calcium that you take, my thinking.

Curious, what follow-up drug are you taking after forteo?

[GDCM]

I am on HRT for other medical reasons, not related to osteoporosis, which the doctor says is helpful. I am not able to take any of the Fosamax type of drugs so am being monitored. I recently did a DEXA scan and all things are stable as of now. I will have ongoing follow-ups at Mayo Clinic. (At some point, I may need to do the Forteo injections again…now allowed by the FDA. And my kidney doctors will follow me closely if I do.)

[bellybuddie in reply to GDCM]

Is there an age limit (or time frame in regards to menapause) for using HRT? Is there any risk or downside to consider when using HRT? Thank you!

[GDCM in reply to bellybuddie]

The decision on taking HRT for women after menopause is not the same for every woman. I think the risk is less for women that have taken HRT from the very start of menopause, and continue it as they age. I woke up after a total hysterectomy (age 50) wearing an HRT patch, and have continued wearing an HRT patch ever since (now age 69). However I no longer use HRT for estrogen loss alone, and use it because of my Osteoporosis because I’m not able to take any Fosamax drugs. I also take it to help prevent symptoms of a rare GYN autoimmune issue -“DIV”. (I have autoimmune disease). You should talk to your doctor to discuss your own use of HRT.

[bellybuddie in reply to GDCM]

GDCM, thank you so much! I'm deciding to use a bisphosphonate or HRT after my completion of forteo. I've never used HRT before and am postmenopausal for a little over 10 years, so I'm hesitant. It is nice to hear you've had a great outcome with forteo and HRT to maintain the gains!