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Early stage breast cancer put on bisphosphonate (Zometa)
Did your oncologist recommend Zometa infusions? What was the reason and what is your infusion schedule and dosage? Any bad side effects?
I’m half a year into starting AI and can’t decide whether or not to go on bisphosphonates per doctor’s recommendation that it has potential to decrease bone mets by 2.2% and mortality by 3.3%. And that those numbers are significant. How does one apply those numbers to real life?
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When I tried Fosamax daily dose I had some mild stomach irritation. I then started having diarrhea and one episode of eye conjunctivitis. I only took 9 doses of Fosamax before stopping because I started having diarrhea . . . which lasted for 7 months+. It was never determined that the diarrhea started with the Fosamax because it couldn’t have caused it to last so long. I think it was the conjunctivitis (a lesser advertised side effect of Fosamax) plus the stomach irritation that the endocrinologist was willing to try Reclast.
This all happened before I was diagnosed with BC, and I actually cancelled that first dose of Reclast because I needed to take care of the cancer.
I have not had side effects with Reclast, just a mild body ache, headache, in the first 48 hours. I will be getting another infusion in a couple of months. I would not hesitate to take Reclast - but I’m 69 years old, 19 years post menopausal, taking tamoxifen 5 mg. Tamoxifen at my age acts as an agonist in other body parts beside the breast receptors, which means my body acts as if it is getting estrogen in my bones, joints, heart, etc. I do not know if that protects me from joint pain others might experience from Reclast. And I don’t know if Reclast causes more side effects if taken along with an aromatase inhibitor.
Best wishes with the option you choose! At least with the oral Fosamax you can stop if side effects are bad. I wouldn’t think the side effects of a Reclast infusion would last very long either, but it sounds like some people do have problems.
Has anyone had a burning, heaviness in legs that wake them during the night? I'm not sure it's from my cancer aromatase inhibiter, Letrozole or from Fosamax (I had only take one pill) so I'm thinking from Letrozole?