Zometa infusions to help prevent bone loss from cancer treatments

You are in the hunt. The drug itself does not cause bone loss. Estrogen depletion causes bone loss. Anastrazole deprives your cancer and therefore your body of Estrogen. In young women who would normally be premenopausal, it starts the process early and leaves the body without the normal protections to bones and heart, and other organs. There are ways to mitigate the bone loss. Zometa is certainly one of them. Walking is another, and of course calcium and Vitamin supplementation is another. Did your doctor recommend Zometa for you with your anastrazole? Did you decide to take the anastrazole?

I usually have my blood work a day or two before so I don't have to hang around the chemo room. I have also kept my port in (it's been 3 years) to ease the process. Will have port removed in June (final infusion of Zometa).

I am on Prolia and after my bone density scan in May, if the results are better, I was told that I will have to take another medication to “lock it in”. I think they may suggest something like Fosamax, but I feel like there should be something better by now. So many have downsides like stomach issues. Any updates for me to look into?

@mdr3: Thanks for the reminder! I will see oncologist 2 weeks before next scheduled Zometa infusion, and was planning to do the same thing - labs first, so I won’t start taking Claritin and/or Tylenol unless needed. Other than doctor ordered pain meds (lumpectomy, Zometa), I’ve not taken any OTC pain reliever since early February 2020. Simply don’t like them, and they have limited usefulness for me.

I’ve been on Letrozole for 2 months and start Ribociclib tomorrow. Prior to diagnosis I hadn’t swallowed a pill in 10+ years. I’m not 100% ok with Letrozole and Ribociclib but I’ll try them. In my opinion based on reading and a study I will not accept Zometa. Today I signed a document acknowledging my refusal. Another discussion on this platform indicated the commenters were losing teeth which is a listed side effect of Zometa. I’d rather rely on good diet, vitamins D and K2, walking, yoga and sunshine. Wishing everyone the best on their journeys.

Is there a test to determine the amount of estrogen the body is producing. If it is almost nothing, Is there a need for Anastrozole? In my case, I lost 1 ovary in 1975 & the other in 1995. Estrogen is produced in ways besides the ovaries, but how much? I am 77 and far past menopause. Thank you.

I don’t know if there is a test but it’s worth asking a doctor or lab. The removal of ovaries is recommended for a pre menopause breast cancer patient as an alternative to estrogen blockers and tamoxifen. You could ask your doctor to take a break from anastrozole for x months to see what happens.

Take it from me, I'm 100% with you on the tooth thing. It is an issue I am experiencing right now. Nevertheless, I was Stage IIIc so didn't have much choice but to throw everything we have at this (i.e. the possible tumor suppression properties of Zometa is worth a try for me).

In none of my research is there any indication that Zometa is tumor suppressant. Do you have a link to a study you can post?

This is pretty new from my oncologist who attended a symposium on the matter (11/21). I will go looking for this, as I have heard it before. Zometa is the only bone strengthening treatment mentioned, of the drugs in this class of bisphosphonates. It came up in a discussion with her on my tooth problem. Initially she just wanted me to quit Zometa, but I persisted so she looked into it.