Calcium nasal spray?

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cycle-path
cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
edited June 2014 in Bone Health and Bone Loss

One of my neighbors told me today that her doctor has her using a daily nasal spray that has calcium in it. She has osteopenia and was on Fosamax for several years but is now on a Fosamax vacation.

Anyone ever heard of this? 

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited January 2012

    Interesting. No, never heard of it, not even from the fancy bone endocrinologist or his brochure of osteoporosis options. If my google search sources are correct, it was approved by the FDA in 1991 so it seems like there should be data on it's efficacy, though I'm surprised it isn't more well known if it works. One source said that it doesn't work as well when taken with a bisphophonates.

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  • hbcheryl
    hbcheryl Member Posts: 5,113
    edited January 2012

    Yes I am on it, it's called Calcatonin and you spray one nasal passage then the other the next day, I've been on it for about 4 months and am going for my bone scan next month to see if it is helping.  (okay my biggest convern was remembering the switch up day to day but I spray my nose then put the bottle on the opposite side of the sink so the next day I know it's that side that gets sprayed).  When I first started it I had nose sores but my PCP checked my nose and said it was clear and clean (his words) but my nose always feels "tight" so every day I use a q-tip and coat my nose with Vaseline and that takes care of it.

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  • CurlyGirly
    CurlyGirly Member Posts: 547
    edited January 2012

    I've been on it for a year and eight months. It costs me about $70 a month and my bone density continues to drop. I went on it because I don't want to take a bisphosphonate. My oncologist does not agree with my decision. My next bone scan is in May. My Aromasin treatment also ends in May, so I'm hoping things might improve when I stop it. If it continues to drop I may have to go on a bisphosphonate after all.

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited January 2012

    It's not calcium but a hormone that regulates bone breakdown & formation. I think they usually try the biphosphates first & if those aren't tolerated they try this. That was the case for my mom & others I know.

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  • CurlyGirly
    CurlyGirly Member Posts: 547
    edited January 2012

    coraleliz -

    Did Calcitonin work for them?  My onc feels that I'm wasting my money on it.

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited January 2012
    Curly-It didn't work for my mom. She continued to have bone loss. My sister ended up taking a drug called Forteo because the biphosphates didn't work for her.
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  • cycle-path
    cycle-path Member Posts: 1,502
    edited January 2012

    Interesting, thanks for all the responses! I can't take oral Calcium so I thought this might be a solution for me.

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  • purple32
    purple32 Member Posts: 3,188
    edited June 2012

    I took calcitonin at least 6 yrs ago- didnt seem to help, which is too bad because the biosphosphates  can wreak havoc with your bones ( I was on Actonel for while) and actually make them worse over time.

    Whats a girl to do ?!!!

    Allso- I now wonder about the calcitonin aka miacalcin in terms of those of us who are ER PR + because it is a hornone of 'some' kind.

     Its all so darn complicated when you have bone issues !

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