Zometa infusions

I'm getting ready to start Zometa infusions. Any ideas what to expect? Any hints or tips on dealing with this procedure? Thanks all.

[tango65]

Talk with your doctor about premedication with Tylenol or similars. You could have:

"Acute Phase Reaction

Within three days after Zometa administration, an acute phase reaction has been reported in patients, with symptoms including pyrexia, fatigue, bone pain and/or arthralgias, myalgias, chills, and influenza-like illness. These symptoms usually resolve within a few days. Pyrexia has been the most commonly associated symptom, occurring in 44% of patients."

rxlist.com/zometa-drug.htm#...

If you will be in Zometa, you should also discuss adding Celebrex to your treatment since it may offer a survival advantage.

[Fairwind]

Have you had a detailed dental check-up ?? Sometimes Zometa can damage your jaw-bone especially if you have any dental problems..

[ctarleton]

As with any IV, drink enough water before the appointment so that your veins will be nice and plump and easier to "stick". Although the packaging may say that Zometa (zolendronic acid) may be transfused in as little as 15 minutes, in my experience they usually stretch that out to about 45 minutes. Relax and enjoy it. Listen to some tunes if you wish, etc. I've had periodic Zometa for over 5 years and have had no adverse symptoms or side effects, myself. (A few years ago I did meet a man who felt some aches & discomforts after taking his very first Zometa. His doctor just switched him to comparable Xgeva (denosumab) injections.) While on either drug, keep up with your dental cleaning appointments, and notify your dentist of being on them prior to any procedure involving deeper bone trauma, so as to avoid a pretty rare side effect known as Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (ONJ).

Charles

[dbrooks_h in reply to ctarleton]

Will dental filling interfere with it

[ctarleton in reply to dbrooks_h]

I discussed routing "fillings" with my dentist, and others, and they all advised me, "No problem." The procedures they were wary of if on long-term Zometa or Xgeva involved deep tooth extraction, oral surgery, etc. ... involving potential injuries or trauma to actual jaw bone structure, itself. They've even gave me a go-ahead for a post and crown, with a root canal, too, so as to more quickly remove a potential source of a bone infection. If in doubt, ask your dentist and prescribing doctor. Flossing and regular dental cleanings are your friends, regardless. Healthy gums also lower risks for general inflammation and perhaps some coronary heart disease, so I've heard.

[dbrooks_h in reply to ctarleton]

Thanks

[Kaliber]

Search this site for my post about what can happen with Zometa and how to prepare to minimize the crippling side effects if you experience them.

Way too exhausted to try to go over all that again. You absolutely want to see that post.

Peace brother ✌️

[Kaliber in reply to Kaliber]

Feeling better now.

Before you go to get the infusion, load up on OTC BP friendly flu medicine ( little yellow pills ) and get some bottles of sports drink. ( I like grape to guzzle ). Take a bottle with you. Infusion will probably last 15 minutes in the back of your hand. Soon as you leave start guzzling the bottles of sports drinks to flush it out of you as soon as possible and protect your kidneys.

It’s your first infusion so you don’t yet know how it will effect you. A large number of people that get the treatment experience strong flu like symptoms and shocking bone pain. For me it’s over in 5 - 8 days. I get one the first of every month.

If you wake in the middle of the first or second night with bone rattling uncontrollable shakes and cold..., hop in a hot jacuzzi or home bathtub to warm up. Load up on your breakthrough pain meds and take one or two of your benzos like Xanax. This is for when the bone pain is too great around your thorax and you can’t inhale properly and start panicking from lack of breath. Some of those cans of sports oxygen from Amazon can be a big help, and a simple $20 finger oximeter from Amazon to reassure you that you aren’t suffocating to lessen the panic attack helps a lot too.

Hopefully you’ll have an easy time of it, let’s hope so. If not some / all of these tips will help. No matter how bad it gets , I know I seriously need these Zometa treatments for all my bone damage and I’ll endure it out of necessity. Collapsed vertebrae and paper thin bones are far worse. I want the Zometa no matter what ,

Best wishes and good luck brother. We got your back , together we are strong.

💪💪💪💪👍👍👍

P.s. ... if you do get the heavy pain , load up on breakthrough meds right “ before “ you get the next infusion. Getting out ahead of it seems to lessen it considerably better than waiting til after,

[Cynthgob]

Very bad reaction ! Eye turned very very red. One shot was all husband could tolerate.

[abmicro]

I thought Zometa was old school and xgeva is the new drug.

[Hidden in reply to abmicro]

I'm old school....now ever have it? That was the question.

[abmicro]

Yes I had it. The infusion was endless waiting to get it done. 2 to 3 hours.

[Break60]

I’ve had prolia and xgeva injections with no problems. I now get xgeva quarterly since bone density tests which I get annually have been normal.

[lincolnj8]

I had to get all dental work done and had to wait 30 days before my next Zometa infusion. Had a jaw problem recently. I had a bone growth on the inside of my mouth below my back teeth from the Zometa. The oral surgeon had to grind it down as it was rubbing my tongue. X-rays showed zero bone loss, just an aggravating bone ridge about one inch long. All is well now as I'm getting another Zometa infusion next week. A blood test is done before the Zometa infusion. Getting a tooth pulled showed up in the pre bloodwork before the Zometa infusion. Side affects? I'm always hot or cold, fatigued, sleepy but most of the time full of energy. These side effects could be caused from the daily Zytiga or the Prednizone. My Zometa procedure usually takes around 45 minutes or more, not including the pre blood test and waiting for those results. Have a good day

[kidclutch]

echoing what others have mentioned: get to the dentist before getting started with zometa or xgeva.

[dbrooks_h in reply to kidclutch]

Get to dentist and have what checked, filling, crowns, squids.

[kidclutch in reply to dbrooks_h]

make sure you don’t need any dental work and that everything else checks out fine! x-rays too. zometa / xgeva run the risk of jaw bone necrosis so an oncologist should ask for dental clearance before administering.

[RayF]

Yes, get dental work done.

After my first one, I had massive headaches for weeks. Not sure of it was the Zometa or not. They eventually went away.

Second time, next day was fine, third day got very dizzy, could hardly stand, went away by noon.

Third time, third day felt like I had the flu, bone pain, I couldn't leave the house. Next day ok, except that it seams to make the Lupron side effects worse. It eased with time.

My next Zomeya is Dec 2nd, Lupron two weeks later. I have cancelled any work for Dec 4.