Cinacalcet for Secondary Hyperparathyroidism User Reviews

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 18, 2012

Cinacalcet "I'm a senior with a low fixed income. I am ever so grateful to the Sensipar assistance program. I have very high calcium levels, and this medicine has cut it in half. I used to get very disoriented, confused, overwhelmed, but now with this medicine, I feel close to normal. I have had a great experience with this medicine and have experienced no side effects."

• Hal...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 21, 2014

Cinacalcet "Sensipar has worked well for me. Five-plus-year dialysis patient. Unfortunately, being forced from private insurance to Medicare Part D with a supplementary Part D private supplemental plan. The cost of Sensipar and its cumulative dollar cost, along with all my other medications, places me into the Part D donut hole almost immediately. The manufacturer’s patient support plan (which was wonderful when I had private insurance) stops when I transfer to Medicare Part D. There appears to be nothing for Medicare Part D patients from manufacturers. I don't understand why, but these are just the facts. The bottom line is that while Sensipar works effectively, it is classified as Tier 3 and is priced prohibitively."

• Ann...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 26, 2012

Cinacalcet "I have severe bone pain in my legs and frequent bowel movements up to fifteen times per day. Parathyroid scan showed nothing abnormal. After taking Sensipar only three days, I saw marked improvement. After 28-day trial, pain in the legs is 80% improved (I am a multiply operated spine patient, so did not expect 100%). Bowel movements are more normal and once per day, as they should be. This shows that with just one month of treatment, I do have parathyroid disease that was not picked up on scans. Now I can pursue treatment through surgery."

• Anonymous
• September 14, 2009

Cinacalcet "I experienced severe leg cramps almost immediately upon taking this medication and whatever else it may have been doing for me. I could not tolerate the cramps, which even interfered with my ability to sleep, walk, drive, or climb stairs."

• TFR...
• June 8, 2011

"I've been on cinacalcet for five years, two while on dialysis (I was on dialysis for five and a half years) and three post-kidney transplant. While it does reduce my blood calcium levels, my biggest complaint is tiredness, especially right after I take it, which is with food at dinner. I was once at 90 mg a day, now down to 60 mg, and hoping to reduce to 30 mg because of the terrible tiredness. By the way, post-transplant I've been able to eat high levels of calcium and phosphorus (dairy, nuts, sardines, etc.) and that has enabled me to be able to lower the amount of cinacalcet I take by signaling to the parathyroid that I have adequate amounts of calcium in my blood."

• 327...
• September 10, 2009

Cinacalcet "Seems to lower CA, but the side effects are somewhat hard to deal with. Leg cramps and twitching seem to be the worst of it. But there is only surgery as the other option."

• Mar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 29, 2018

Cinacalcet "Pain in legs, knees, and shoulders. Also, too expensive. I ceased use of this drug."

• Spi...
• July 22, 2010

Cinacalcet "I took this drug and had no side effects. On the other hand, it didn't reduce my blood calcium levels."

• Rob...
• September 3, 2015

Cinacalcet "Abnormal dreams and bothersome while taking Sensipar. I have difficulty sleeping. Bad dreams stop and return to normal if I skip the dose."