Who Is a NATPARA Patient?
Shire Patient Ambassadors share their personal journeys
Hypoparathyroidism is a complex disorder, and not every patient is an appropriate candidate for treatment with NATPARA. These profiles from Shire Patient Ambassadors, real NATPARA patients, may help you identify whether you have a patient in your practice who could be appropriate for NATPARA. Always remember that individual experiences and results will vary.
Cece
Cece is in her 50s, a parent, and charity outreach coordinator. She resides in Connecticut.
“I still need to manage my hypoparathyroidism, and I’m thankful to have NATPARA to help me with that. I have been able to decrease my calcium and vitamin D over time.”
Medical History
- Cece had a thyroidectomy due to thyroid cancer
- She was diagnosed with chronic hypoparathyroidism 6 months after surgery
- She underwent 2 years of titration of calcium and active vitamin D
- Before starting NATPARA, Cece was taking 3000 mg of oral calcium and 0.5 to 1 mcg of active vitamin D per day
Treatment Course With NATPARA
- Over the course of several months, Cece titrated to 75 mcg of NATPARA, as an adjunct to calcium and vitamin D
- During titration she kept a detailed journal of how she felt and watched for signs of hypercalcemia or hypocalcemia
- She has gradually reduced to 1500 mg of oral calcium per day along with 0.25 mcg of active vitamin D
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium has been maintained (8.6 mg/dL)
Melissa
Melissa is in her 50s, a parent, and a microbiologist. She resides in Florida.
“I reached out to the insurance company, and to OnePath, Shire's product support service, for information about co-pay assistance. Everyone I talked to was great and very supportive.”
Medical History
- Melissa had a thyroidectomy to remove a multinodular goiter
- She was diagnosed with chronic hypoparathyroidism 1 year after surgery
- Prior to NATPARA, Melissa was taking 3600 mg of oral calcium and 2 mcg of active vitamin D daily
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium before NATPARA was 7.0 to 8.0 mg/dL
Treatment Course With NATPARA
- Melissa and her endocrinologist researched treatment options and ultimately, she was prescribed NATPARA
- She was titrated to 75 mcg of NATPARA over the course of several months
- During titration, she had symptoms of low calcium, including brain fog, numbness, and tingling in her hands and feet
- Her dose of oral calcium was gradually reduced to 1000 mg per day and no active vitamin D.
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium was measured at 8.7 mg/dL
Kelly
Kelly is in her 50s and has 3 children. She is a health insurance agent and resides in Nebraska.
“When NATPARA arrived at my doorstep, I was excited to get started.”
Medical History
- Kelly had neck surgeries due to papillary thyroid cancer
- Kelly was diagnosed with chronic hypoparathyroidism in June 2014
- Prior to NATPARA, Kelly was taking 3600 to 4800 mg of calcium and 0.75 mcg of active vitamin D
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium before NATPARA was on average 9.5 mg/dL
Treatment Course With NATPARA
- Kelly’s endocrinologist suggested she take NATPARA
- She was titrated to 75 mcg of NATPARA over the course of several months
- During titration she experienced nausea and headaches
- Her dose of oral calcium was gradually reduced to between 600 and 1200 mg per day with no active vitamin D
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium was measured at ≈9.0 mg/dL
Daralin
Daralin is a 51-year-old former nurse. She resides in Hawaii.
“Hypoparathyroidism has seriously impacted my life. I have to give up some of my favorite activities and I have to really monitor my treatment if I want to stay as healthy as I can; even with NATPARA, I still have to keep a close eye on my calcium levels.”
Medical History
- Daralin had a total thyroidectomy due to suspected cancer
- She was diagnosed with chronic hypoparathyroidism 7 months after surgery
- Post-thyroidectomy, she took 4000 to 6000 mg of calcium and 0.75 mcg of vitamin D per day
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium was 6.9 mg/dL
Treatment Course With NATPARA
- Daralin takes 50 mcg of NATPARA per day, as an adjunct to calcium and vitamin D
- During titration she experienced tingling and nausea
- She was gradually reduced to ≤500 mg of oral calcium per day and no active vitamin D
- Her albumin-corrected total serum calcium has been maintained (8.6 mg/dL)
Reference: 1. NATPARA [package insert]. Shire-NPS Pharmaceuticals, Inc.