Fortical : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More

Why is this medication prescribed?

Fortical (Calcitonin Salmon) is used to treat osteoporosis in women who have been at least 5 years after menopause and are unable or unwilling to take estrogen products. Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones weaker and more easily broken. Calcitonin is a human hormone that is also found in salmon. It works by preventing bone breakdown and increasing the density (thickness) of the bones.

How should this medicine be used?

Fortical (Calcitonin Salmon) comes as a spray to use in the nose. It is usually used once a day, alternating the nostrils every day. To help you remember to use Fortical, do it at around the same time every day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any parts you do not understand. Use Fortical exactly as directed. Do not use more or less or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.

Fortical helps treat osteoporosis but does not cure it. Keep using Fortical even if you feel fine. Do not stop using Fortical without talking to your doctor.

Before using Fortical Nasal Spray for the first time, read the written instructions that come with it. Ask your doctor or pharmacist to show you how to use it. Practice using the nasal spray while you watch.

To join the pump and bottle, remove the rubber stopper from the bottle and then remove the protective plastic cap from the bottom of the spray unit. Place the spray pump on the bottle and twist to tighten. Then remove the plastic cover from the top of the spray unit.

Before the first time you use a new bottle, you need to prime (activate) the pump. To prime the pump, follow these steps:

  1. Let the bottle come to room temperature.
  2. Hold the bottle upright and press down the two white side arms of the pump at least 5 times, until a full spray occurs. The pump is now primed.

To use the nasal spray, follow these steps:

  1. Keep your head upright and place the mouthpiece in one nostril.
  2. Press down on the pump to release the Fortical.
  3. Use the opposite nostril every day.
  4. Each bottle has enough medicine for 30 doses.

Other uses for this medicine

This medication may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

What special precautions should I follow?

Before using Fortical,

  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Fortical or any other medications. Your doctor may do a skin test on you before starting Fortical to make sure you don’t have an allergic reaction.
  • Tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products you are taking.
  • Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using Fortical, call your doctor.

What special dietary instructions should I follow?

It is important that you get enough calcium and vitamin D while using Fortical. Your doctor may prescribe supplements if your dietary intake is not enough.

What should I do if I forget a dose?

Apply the missed dose as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue your regular dosing schedule. Do not use a double dose to make up for the one you forgot.

What side effects can this medication cause?

Fortical may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:

  • runny nose
  • nosebleed
  • sinus pain
  • nose symptoms such as crusts, dryness, redness, or swelling
  • back pain
  • joint pain
  • upset stomach
  • flushing (feeling of warmth)

Some side effects can be serious. The following symptoms are uncommon, but if you experience any of them, call your doctor immediately:

  • hives
  • skin rash
  • itching
  • difficulty breathing or swallowing
  • swelling of the tongue or throat

Fortical can cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while using this medicine.

If you experience a serious side effect, you or your doctor can submit a report online to the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program (http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch) or by phone (1-800-332-1088).

What should I know about storage and disposal of this medication?

Keep this medicine in the container it came in, tightly closed, and out of the reach of children. Store unopened Fortical nasal spray in the refrigerator; do not freeze. Store opened jars at room temperature in an upright position. Replace the plastic cover to keep the mouthpiece clean. Opened Fortical stored at room temperature should be discarded after 35 days.

Unnecessary medications must be disposed of in special ways to ensure they cannot be consumed by pets, children, and others. However, you should not flush this medicine down the toilet. Instead, the best way to dispose of your medications is through a drug take-back program. Talk to your pharmacist or contact your local garbage / recycling department to find out about take-back programs in your community. Check out the FDA drug safe disposal website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.

It is important to keep all medicines out of the sight and reach of children, since many containers (such as those containing weekly pills and those for eye drops, creams, patches and inhalers) are not resistant to children and small children can easily open them. To protect young children from poisoning, always close the safety caps and immediately place the medicine in a safe place, one that is upright and out of their sight and reach. http://www.upandaway.org

In case of emergency/overdose

In case of overdose, call the poison control helpline at 1-800-222-1222. Information is also available online at https://www.poisonhelp.org/help. If the victim collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or cannot wake up, immediately call 911 for emergency services.

What other information should I know?

Keep all appointments with your doctor and the laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body’s response to Fortical. You will also need occasional nose exams to make sure the Fortical nasal spray is not causing injury to your nose.

Don’t let anyone else use your medication. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about refilling your prescription.

It is important that you keep a written list of all prescription and over-the-counter (over-the-counter) medications you are taking, as well as any products such as vitamins, minerals, or other dietary supplements. You should take this list with you every time you visit a doctor or if you go into hospital. It is also important information to take with you in case of emergencies.

Brand Names

  • Fortical®
  • Miacalcin® Nasal Spray

Disclaimer: DrLinex has made every effort to ensure that all information is factually accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date. However, this article should not be used as a licensed health care professional’s choice of knowledge and expertise. You should always consult your doctor or other health care professional before taking any medication. The information given here is subject to change and it has not been used to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions or adverse effects. The lack of warning or other information for any drug does not indicate that the combination of medicine or medication is safe, effective or appropriate for all patients or all specific uses.

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