Teriparatide and Cramps: What Users Say

• Dut...
• January 5, 2020

Teriparatide for Osteoporosis "I'm having high blood pressure issues. (Never had a problem with BP.) Muscle and bone pain. Leg cramps and muscle spasms in weird places (i.e., back, arms, sides). Loss of balance. Great deal of problem walking."

• Reb...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 24, 2019

Teriparatide for Osteoporosis "Took Forteo for 1 year to boost bone density into osteopenia. Lilly co-pay card covered cost for 3 months, then needed to pay $3,500 a month for 3 months until my deductible was met. Injections were fairly easy; side effects of leg cramps, nausea, some palpitations but didn't feel they were severe enough to outweigh the expected benefits. Recent DEXA showed a DECREASE of bone density by around 5% in each hip, eliminating 5 years of progress I'd made with other approaches. On top of that, my TSH (thyroid) is now elevated so don't know if that's connected or not. Not happy with this drug or my doc."

• Tho...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 6, 2022

Teriparatide for Osteoporosis "I began taking Forteo on August 25, 2022. After four doses, I began to experience painful side effects, including severe leg cramps while both awake and asleep, pain in my knees and ankles, headaches, and a stiff neck. I messaged my doctor, and she suggested injecting the Forteo every other day for a few days. So, I skipped August 30th and September 1st, but I did inject the Forteo on Wednesday, August 31st, and on Friday, September 2nd. Then, on the afternoon of Saturday, September 3rd, approximately 16 hours after my last injection, during a casual walk, I experienced a sudden pain in my right leg and knee so severe that I was unable to walk without a cane or walker. Since then, despite not having taken any additional Forteo, the extreme pain has persisted. I sincerely hope that it will start to abate soon. After taking only seven doses over the last thirteen days, and none for the last four days, I am still experiencing pain so severe that I have difficulty walking. No more for me."

• Bin...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• February 15, 2018

Teriparatide for Osteoporosis "Second time on this website updating you all on my Forteo experience. Going on my second year now, still have stomach weight gain. My doctor says it has nothing to do with Forteo. I exercise every day, diet consists of water, a handful of Cheerios in the morning, no lunch, and 1/2 salad in the afternoon, that's it! I'm a male, 58 years old. My doctor is wrong all day long. My stomach weight gain won't stop, they won't acknowledge your side effect unless it's on Lilly's "list", period. Got depression, cramps, weight gain, etc., but the prescribing doctor can’t or just won't acknowledge anything. Forteo does its job though."

• Bin...
• May 23, 2018

Teriparatide for Osteoporosis "Been on Forteo for 13 months, been through leg cramps, severe stomach growth, have depression sometimes, but the drug does work. Broke 13 vertebrae last year and bones are getting stronger. Now I have hot flashes, bad acid reflux, and severe GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) I can't concur with specialists' help. Is Forteo worth the side effects? It depends on your willpower, determination, and looking forward to having a better quality of life after injections are over."

• Ano...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• June 10, 2025

For Osteoporosis "I have been injecting teriparatide for the last 4/5 months on a daily basis as I am not suited to other medication options, the treatment is for two years, my experience is my body is not responding well to the side effects, it leaves me feeling nauseous, lethargic, and with tummy cramps, however I did stop injecting for 4 weeks, which was probably not the best idea! As the side effects restart, although they have never really subsided fully, then 3 months into the treatment they changed the injection pen, which was not good as I had just got comfortable with the first pen. I have no idea if it is doing what it is supposed to as I have not had any checks! I would be interested to find out how others are coping with the medication."

• Sil...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 29, 2017

Teriparatide for Osteoporosis "No pain with actual injection or at the injection site. Heart palpitations, severe leg cramps, bone and joint pain (not severe)."