sensipar

[jonn r]

so my friends i have a question ....like most days .....so i have been taking sensipar 30 mg a day for two weeks and i have to say its ripping my stomach apart....i dont want to get to much into it except i am always running to the bathroom....does anyone else have this problem and is there any other pills i can take


 
jonn
 

[Sluff]

John here is another thread that talks about sensipar. Hope this helps

http://ihatedialysis.com/forum/index.php?topic=891.msg8526#msg8526

Sluff

[Amanda From OZ]

Hey john,

Ive been taking sensipar for 8 months, and have had really bad nausea that has kept mt up for hours!! The only advice i can give you is try to eat more when you take it, so you line your stomach, and i usually take it then go straight to bed.

what time of day do you take it?

[jonn r]

i take it in the am around 10 am

[Amanda From OZ]

ohhh.. that is why... i thought you take the tablet... can you swap to tablets ?i know they are not as harsh as the injection on the stomach

[thegrammalady]

my sensipar bottle is lables "to be taken with food". try taking it with breakfast or lunch. i take twice as much as you do and don't have any problems, although i do realize everyone reacts differently.

[RichardMEL]

It's a phospate binder and designed to be taken with food.. if you're not taking it with food not only are you asking for trouble, but also it won't be doing its job properly if you're not ingesting food (with phospate) in it for it to bind to..

I hope you can solve the problem as it sounds quite distressing!

[Zach]

It's a phospate binder and designed to be taken with food.. if you're not taking it with food not only are you asking for trouble, but also it won't be doing its job properly if you're not ingesting food (with phospate) in it for it to bind to..

I hope you can solve the problem as it sounds quite distressing!

Actually, Sensipar is not a phosphate binder.  It's used to control PTH and also high blood calcium.

[brenda]

You guys are scaring me, I'm starting Sensipar right away here.

[jbeany]

My PTH was up the very first time they checked it, brenda (1250).  The doc didn't think it was that unusual.  I don't have any side effects from the 60 mg I'm on.

My doc said it was a form of synthetic vitamin D?  I'm not sure, but I think that's what he said. ..

[jonn r]

ohhh.. that is why... i thought you take the tablet... can you swap to tablets ?i know they are not as harsh as the injection on the stomach

oh know you read it wrong i ment to say morning ...but i will try to take it with dinner since that is my bigest meal....thanks for all the help guys....

[Amanda From OZ]

lol sorry about the confusion. Yes try taking it in the evening.

Hope it helps. Good luck.

Amanda

[scyankee]

I was told to take it with my dinner because that is the biggest meal of the day that I usually eat.
If I feel I still did not eat enough, I have a few crackers also and have had no problem with nausea.

[RichardMEL]

Zach, my angel nurse told me that yes, it is used when you have high calcium (me) and high PTH (getting there)... but she also told me that it is a phosphate binder, much like Caltrate, but without the calcium (hence its use when you have a high calcium level)...

I'm happy to be corrected but that was my understanding.. of course if it ISN'T a phosphate binder that would explain why they are keeping me on alutabs also.

I am seeing the doc later today so will grill him!

[meadowlandsnj]

You guys are scaring me, I'm starting Sensipar right away here.

Hey don't be scared!  I've been taking 90 mg for more than a month now and I have no side effects from it.  I take it wih a full meal (dinnertime).  I was told you have to take it with food it absorbs better that way.

Donna

[JerseyGirl]

I think Zach is correct as it is my understanding that it is not a phosphate binder as well.  I would try taking it at bedtime with a snack.

[meadowlandsnj]

I think Zach is correct as it is my understanding that it is not a phosphate binder as well.  I would try taking it at bedtime with a snack.

That's right it is not a binder but it acts on the Parathyroid gland in the body.  The PTH can excrete too much hormone and the taking of Sensipar controls it. 

Donna

[RichardMEL]

Sorry everyone I am a goof!

I woke up in the middle of the night and told myself that I was thinking of Renegel and not Sensipar! Damn all these medications.

My apologise and ignore everything I've written in this thread (except this!).

Yes, Zach is right!!

[brenda]

Been taking Sensipar 30 mg for 2 weeks now. I hope this gets better. I took everybody's advise and take it with my largest meal of the day. I am not nauseated so much but my stomach hurts and my headaches.

[goofynina]

OK, i dont get it,  i was told to take 2 sensipar's daily, well, i ran out and i have not taken it for a month, now my PTH is 117, WTF?  So should i be taking it or just forget about it? 

[Zach]

OK, i dont get it,  i was told to take 2 sensipar's daily, well, i ran out and i have not taken it for a month, now my PTH is 117, WTF?  So should i be taking it or just forget about it? 

PTH N-Intact goal is 150-300 pg/ml
http://www.kidney.org/professionals/kdoqi/guidelines_bone/Guide8B.htm


Your PTH, using the above testing method, may now be too low.  You need to discuss this with your Nephrologist.  A low PTH for people on dialysis can lead to Adynamic Bone Disease:

http://www.kidney.org/professionals/kdoqi/guidelines_bone/Guide13C.htm

[goofynina]

Tsk, aww man, just another thing i have to worry about, thanks Zach   lol, no literally thank you, now i can talk to my neph and tell her something as if i knew what i was talking about.  And i thought that was a good thing (low PTH) damn, was i wrong 

[Wattle]

Ok.. is Sensipar an active Vitamin D the same as Calcitriol?     I am on Calcitriol. I am trying to keep up, just a little confused.    

[Zach]

Ok.. is Sensipar an active Vitamin D the same as Calcitriol?

No.  It's something brand new.  It works in different ways.

Sensipar is an agent that increases the sensitivity of the parathyroid gland to calcium in the body. This causes a decrease in levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium, and phosphorous in the body.

Check out the video for more information:
http://www.sensipar.com/professional/treating_secondary_hpt/mechanism_action.jsp

U.S. Goals:
Calcium         8.4-9.5 mg/dL   =   2.10-2.37 mmol/L
Phosphorus    3.5-5.5 mg/dL   =   1.13-1.78 mmol/L

Ca x P < 55 mg/dL  = <4.44 mmol/L
iPTH < 300pg/mL   = <31.8 pmol/L

[Amanda From OZ]

i have been on sensipar for nearly a year, and it has worked brilliantly on lowerring my phosphate and my PTH. At one stage my PTH went way to low and my doctor said it was very dangerous and just as bad as being too high!! (like Zach said) so i am now taking 30mg of sensipar every 2nd day and my PTH is perfect. They recommend that a dialysis patient "ideal" pth is slightly higher the one of a healthy person. In Australia its suppose to be between 3- 9 my doctor said i should keep it at 15 - 30.