Miacalcin Injection : Uses, Side Effects, Interactions & More
Why is this medication prescribed?
Miacalcin (Calcitonin Salmon) injection is used to treat osteoporosis in postmenopausal women. Osteoporosis is a disease that makes bones weaker and more easily broken. Miacalcin injection is also used to treat Paget’s disease of the bone and to rapidly lower blood calcium levels when needed. 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?
Miacalcin (Calcitonin Salmon) comes as a solution to be injected under the skin (subcutaneously) or into the muscle (intramuscularly). It is usually used once a day or once every other day. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any parts you don’t understand. Use Miacalcin Injection exactly as directed. Do not use more or less or use it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
Your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist will show you how to give the medicine. Follow all instructions carefully. Dispose of all empty syringes and vials as directed by your healthcare provider.
Before preparing a dose, look at the vial. If the solution becomes discolored or contains particles, do not use it and call your pharmacist.
Miacalcin helps treat osteoporosis and Paget’s disease of bone, but does not cure them. Keep using Miacalcin even if you feel fine. Do not stop using Miacalcin without talking to your doctor.
Other uses for this medicine
Miacalcin injection is also sometimes used to treat osteogenesis imperfecta. Talk to your doctor about the possible risks of using this drug for your condition.
This medicine may be prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
What special precautions should I follow?
Before using Miacalcin injection,
- Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to Miacalcin or any other medications. Your doctor may do a skin test on you before starting Miacalcin 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 Miacalcin, call your doctor.
What special dietary instructions should I follow?
If you are using Miacalcin for osteoporosis, it is important that you get enough calcium and vitamin D. Your doctor may prescribe supplements if your dietary intake is not enough.
What should I do if I forget a dose?
Do not give a double dose to make up for the one you forgot. Use the following dosing schedule guidelines:
If your usual dose is two doses per day, use the missed dose if you remember it within 2 hours of your regularly scheduled dose. If not, skip the missed dose and then continue with the regular dosing schedule.
If your usual dose is one dose per day, use the missed dose if you remember it on the same day. If not, skip the missed dose and continue with the regular dosing schedule the next day.
If your usual dose is every other day, use the missed dose as soon as you remember, either on the regularly scheduled day or the next day. Then continue with a regular dosing schedule every other day thereafter.
If your usual dose is three times a week, give the missed dose the next day and continue every other day thereafter. Resume your regular dosing schedule at the beginning of the next week.
What side effects can this medication cause?
Miacalcin may cause side effects. Tell your doctor if any of these symptoms are severe or do not go away:
- upset stomach
- vomiting
- redness, swelling, or irritation at the site of injection
- flushing (feeling of warmth) of the face or hands
- increased urination at night
- itching of the ear lobes
- feverish feeling
- eye pain
- decreased appetite
- stomach pain
- swelling of the feet
- salty taste
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
Miacalcin can cause other side effects. Call your doctor if you have any unusual problems while taking 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?
Store the Miacalcin injection in its original container in the refrigerator. Do not freeze this medicine or shake the vials. Allow the solution to warm to room temperature before administration. Do not use Miacalcin Injection if it has been out of the refrigerator for more than 24 hours. Keep all supplies in a clean, dry place out of the reach of children.
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
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. See the FDA Safe Drug Disposal website (http://goo.gl/c4Rm4p) for more information if you do not have access to a take-back program.
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 has collapsed, had a seizure, has trouble breathing, or can’t be awakened, immediately call emergency services at 911.
Symptoms of overdose may include:
- upset stomach
- vomiting
What other information should I know?
Keep all appointments with your doctor and laboratory. Your doctor may order certain lab tests to check your body’s response to Miacalcin.
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 each 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
- Calcimar® Injection
- Miacalcin® Injection
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.