Patient/caregiver was educated on the side-effects of using Calcitonin as follows:
General allergic reactions
- Calcitonin use can result in general allergic reactions, such as, skin rashes, hives, and itching.
- Some patients can present with symptoms of severe allergic and anaphylactic response with calcitonin, such as, difficulty breathing, swelling of face, lips, throat, and tongue, with consequent difficulty breathing. Seek emergency medical help for such findings, especially with difficulty breathing, for any appropriate measures to be considered.
Respiratory side-effects
- Continued used of only one nostril for calcitonin spray can result in increased dryness, compromised sense of smell, nasal irritation, and discomfort of the nostril, with formation of crusts and increased risk for nasal bleeding. Keep track of the nostril used for each dose, so that, you can use the other nostril for the next dose. Alternating the nostrils for daily dose of calcitonin spray can help reduce the chance for this risk.
Musculoskeletal side-effects
- Optimum serum calcium levels are very important for normal muscle contraction and activity. By lowering serum calcium levels, calcitonin carries the risk of inducing/aggravating muscle spasms, generalized body pains, diffuse muscle weakness, and exhaustion, thereby, increasing risk for fall and accidents. Confusion and dizziness with calcitonin use, can add to and enhance the fall risk significantly
- In severe cases, hypocalcemia caused by calcitonin intake carries the risk of lowering the threshold for seizures, thereby, resulting in seizure activity, especially in individuals with history of the same.
