serious side effects: Fortekor

[Stuart]

No, no...I wasnt upset just shocked, like I said I did do a wee bit of research, and Fortekor in the long run does more
good than bad, I think Hamish's Diagnosis was in the later stages of CRF and His Creatine count was miles too high

 crea          923.00  umo1/1        norm 44 - 159     Hi481% 

thanks for Caring

[swampmaxmum]

I'm relieved that nobody was upset. I was especially worried about you, Stuart, from what you'd said, and hoped I'd not made insensitive remarks.  I don't actually know how bad my friend's cat's CRF was - I just also got a huge shock though when she told me and also given that Swampcat had these horrible side effects despite having only mild CRF = with him, it was the drug.  I wish he could tolerate it as it sounds like it really helps such a lot if the side effects are ok. Vet went into a graphic description of what he has to cope with as his kidneys increasingly fail.
Only treatment at present is his diet - RC chicken blended pouches mostly. Quite a test to see how much their nosh works.

[Ela]

I'm not upset by it.

Nor me, I think it good to discuss any concerns.

[Mark]

I'm not upset by it. I have always had reservations but in Clappy's case, it has given a new lease of life. I'm no specialist but I think they should increase dosage gradually to assess reaction. After all it's a new drug - but probably the reason my boy is still here and preening himself right now 

[Stuart]

I wasn't upset by your question Swampmaxmum just shocked about the side effect's of fortekor because that's what
happened to Hamish, But as Milly's Mum said thay are also the symptoms of a Cat who has reached the end of their journey

[Gillian Harvey]

I spoke to my vet about it today, especially as in our case, Swampy has mild CRF and became very ill (with these same side effects) within a few days of starting it. The side effect symptoms disappeared pretty much straight away when we stopped it. That was some months ago, about the same time Clapton was being put on it.

Because my friend's burmese wasn't well but wasn't apparently that bad, according to both her and the vet, yet went downhill so dramatically fast as soon as he started to take it, I became very scared and upset and concerned that perhaps burmese cats - or that type - had some predisposition to problems with fortekor.  I know that many of you here have had nothing but happy experiences with it, but afaik none of you have burmese cats? They can sometimes have 'odd' immune system reactions.
I wasn't trying to upset anyone with my question and I really hope that I haven't done so.  I'm so glad that Clapton and other feline forum friends are doing so well on it.

I don't think anyone is upset by your question, I'm certainly not. I did point out that I'm not noticing any difference in Jasper really one way or the other, but that he was a bit lethargic - so wouldnt say he's doing particularly well on it and I don't consider it a 'wonder drug'.  I did also say that my vet knew of some adverse reactions in Persian cats too.

But the main point is, as you say, it can cause a rise in creatinine (this is stated on the info sheet that comes with the drug) initially, and that should be taken into account when deciding whether to give it to a cat with already high creatinine levels.

[swampmaxmum]

I spoke to my vet about it today, especially as in our case, Swampy has mild CRF and became very ill (with these same side effects) within a few days of starting it. The side effect symptoms disappeared pretty much straight away when we stopped it. That was some months ago, about the same time Clapton was being put on it.

Because my friend's burmese wasn't well but wasn't apparently that bad, according to both her and the vet, yet went downhill so dramatically fast as soon as he started to take it, I became very scared and upset and concerned that perhaps burmese cats - or that type - had some predisposition to problems with fortekor.  I know that many of you here have had nothing but happy experiences with it, but afaik none of you have burmese cats? They can sometimes have 'odd' immune system reactions.
I wasn't trying to upset anyone with my question and I really hope that I haven't done so.  Any drug can cause a reaction obviously - Swampy also had a weird and almost fatal reaction to Torbugesic, which most cats are given with no problem at all. Interesting that a half dose of Fortekor may work.
Anyhow my vet concluded that it is a wonder drug on those cats that can tolerate it, which he says is most cats. 
I did some searching - it's not used in America on cats, only dogs. In France it's sometimes used but they prefer other drugs or sub Qs.  At the very least, I think Novartis should add these observed side effects to their leaflet. They just say lethargy and 'increased appetite'. I know there are people on the yahoo CRF user group who rant on about Fortekor (going to the other extreme). It def sounds like it's worth using, but with an informed eye out for the bad side effects.  Novartis also say to start using it in advanced disease, which others have said no to, as it can cause a creatinine spike. Basically we need more info it seems?!
thanks for the replies. I'm so glad that Clapton and other feline forum friends are doing so well on it.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I have never had to use the drug, but I think it would be hard to say whether it was that in your friends cats case SM, due to it being a possible tumour. All drugs have side effects, and it is a case of seeing if the benefits outweigh the effects - in some cases, as others have mentioned, it could simply be that it was started too late, sadly cats can lose 75% of their kidney function before they start to show symptoms, which is why I have yearly bloods done on my oldies, that way you can monitor trends and hopefully catch things early on.

[Stuart]

Hamish was only getting Half a day also, I have done a bit of reaserch on Fortekor and while there are suggestion's
of bad side effect's, it is also deemed excellent in what it does, and although there have only been a few replies to
this post, I Now think that it was just Hamish's time to go

[Gillian Harvey]

Jasper has been on fortekor for about 5 months, he has CRF due to PKD (cysts on the kidneys), but I can't say I've noticed any difference in him one way or the other, perhaps a little bit lethargic, but no effect on his appetite, he eats well. Suzie was started on fortekor at end stage CRF (also due to PKD) when her creatinine was already very high and I felt that because the fortekor can cause creatinine to rise when it is initially started, that it may well have tipped her over the edge - but as Angie said, the kidneys may have already been too compromised.

My vet has since told me that she has heard of adverse reactions to fortekor in Persians (which Suzie was, and Jasper is), so she only prescribed Jasper 1/2 tablet once a day, rather than a whole tab.

[Angiew]

Fortecor works by reducing the flow of blood so that the kidneys have longer to work on getting out the nasties. At the start of the treatment, this decreases the effectiveness of the kidneys so symptoms may get worse.
Perhaps its more a case that the fortecor has been started too late - it does seem to be better if its used in the early stages.
Fang (rip) was put on fortecor a week before we pts. it may just be they are too conpromised and sicker than we think.

[Mark]

Now Clapton is stabilised on Fortekor, I couldn't praise it highly enough. Early on, he missed days here and there and that is what messed his system up - made him very sickly, lethargic etc. I think there should be a warning to make sure tablets are given every day without fail.

 A few times over the last month, Clapton has missed a day and the following day he is sick again but if he takes them every day, you wouldn't know he was ill. I know the warning they give is that they nust not be given with NSAIDS - is there a possibility the vets gave him those as well?

I agree with Millysmum re "possible side effects"

[Ela]

 

lethargy, weakness, constant sleeping, refusing to eat so weight loss, no purring or interest in anything, diarrhoea.

I have 2 cats here on Fortekor and they have none of  the above symptoms. Also we have and have had many foster cats on it and I have never known any with the symptoms either.

[Stuart]

when Hamish was Diagnosed with CRF, he was also put on Fortekor and there was Nothing mentioned about side effect's
to me iether, I am now reading your post and wonder if Hamish had the same adverse reaction??  when he Got home, He just
went downhill from there, like you Say " lethargy, weakness, constant sleeping, refusing to eat / Drink, no purring "
Hamish went to the Vet's " Still My Hamish " and after treatment He just seemed so Miserable and not Himself, Like I said I thought
it was Because of the CRF !! and now I'm not so sure??? would be interested what other people have to say on this topic ??
Although I know Marks "Clapton" is on Fortekor and have never heard Mark say anything like this ??
I mean from day of diagnosis Mon 27th aug to being sent to the Bridge wed 5th Sept it was only 10 day's!! I am Shocked !!!

[Millys Mum]

Those are also the symptoms of a dying cat, if it were a kidney tumour he wouldnt have had long left and was ill before the drug was started. Impossible to say what did it.

You see it with human meds, they list all the problems and even go as far as death. It covers their back.

[lisa77]

how horrible. poor kitty 

[swampmaxmum]

I know this topic has been raised before, but I'm so upset by what's just happened that I wanted to ask again if anyone else had had or knew of intolerable side effects from Fortekor please? My friend has just lost her beloved burmese. She had to have him pts a week ago. He was only 14.  He'd been unwell since April and a recent scan showed one kidney very enlarged, so possibly a tumour. Before that, he'd vomited blood (not for months now though) but was not too bad in himself. However 2 weeks ago he became unwell and was hospitalised, although sent home after a few days and seemed better. The vet then put him on Fortekor, without explaining any of the side effects that can occur and he got the lot - lethargy, weakness, constant sleeping, refusing to eat so weight loss, no purring or interest in anything, diarrhoea.  (Those were the same that I got with one week's normal dose with Swampy). My friend couldn't bear to see him suffer so much and not unnaturally thought he was dying. I didn't say anything to my friend obviously, but I feel that her beloved burmese may still have had some time to live if he'd not been on Fortekor. Her vet said it was so unlikely to be the drug, which makes me v angry too.
I know for many of you it has been a wonder drug, but I'm interested to know if maybe certain cats you know have also had this intolerance to the drug? (esp burmese? other pedigree cats?).