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Fortical Side Effects

Fortical (calcitonin) is a prescription medication used to treat bone loss due to osteoporosis. It's a man-made form of a hormone that occurs naturally in the thyroid gland. Despite its effectiveness, Fortical poses a risk of side effects in some patients.

  1. Significance

    • According to clinical studies published by the Food and Drug Administration on RxList.com, more than 3 percent of participants experienced the most common side effects of Fortical. Approximately 70 percent of those participants reported only minor cases of side effects.

    Common Side Effects

    • Common side effects of Fortical include back and joint pain, nasal sores, headaches, nosebleeds, nasal congestion and nasal dryness, itching, swelling or tenderness.

    Time Frame

    • Side effects of Fortical typically begin just after usage and gradually subside once your body becomes acclimated to the drug. Rarely, nasal side effects of Fortical become progressively worse.

    Risks

    • Some patients develop potentially life-threatening allergic reactions to Fortical, causing shortness of breath, wheezing, rapid heartbeat, skin rashes, swelling of the face and extremities and even shock. If you have any of these reactions, get emergency medical treatment.

    Considerations

    • Because there is not yet sufficient evidence that Fortical has no unwanted effects upon a fetus, doctors typically do not prescribe the drug for pregnant women. The drug also should not be used by nursing mothers.

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