Zometa infusions to help prevent bone loss from cancer treatments

I had my first Zometa infusion in August of this year. Really no instructions other than hydrate. I’ll ask my oncologist about Claritin & Tylenol. I was fine after infusion. Felt no different. No side effects. I will do infusions every 6 months.
Just a question: do you think that side effects occur due to the speed of the infusion. My infusion started w/ a liquid/saline (???) for about 20-30 minutes snd then they put the Zometa bag on. I have no basis of procedure as this was my first.

I'm not taking an AI. I have been on Tamoxifen for 6 months. I'm 41 and have been having pain in my hips and knees. I'm not sure if it's age related or possibly a side effect. I have a desk job so I try to get in 10,000 steps a day. I keep reading exercise is the key to help with joint pain. Have any of you had Zometa with Tamoxifen? Did it help with joint pain? Thanks!

Yes! I would get flu like sickness after and my oncologist had them slow the drip down to over 65 minutes instead of 30 and it made a world of difference. No SE at all after that.

That’s good to know & I’m sure others will find your information very helpful. Thanks for posting this & im glad it helped you with the Dick effects. Blessings

Upcoming Zometa infusion: I was told to take Claritin 1 week before + 1 week after infusion because it will help prevent or lessen potential bone pain. Also, thanks to this discussion group, I asked what time frame / infusion speed was ordered, and I was told my session is scheduled for 90 minutes. How much of that is prep, how much actual infusion, I don’t know, but it definitely sound like a slow and steady pace.

Thanks for sharing about the Claritin, isn’t that interesting. I bet you that there are others here who will benefit from that information.

@auntieoakley : Quick update: had first Zometa infusion yesterday morning. No problems, if you don’t count the usual frustrating rummaging for a vein. 3 attempts in different locations, so about par for the course. Otherwise no issues. No pain, and amazingly not even a bruise at the injection site (quite unusual, mostly I look like a horse kicked me after surgery IV lines). Now just hoping Zometa does it’s job.

Yippee! I have pretty much the same experience. But I never knew about the Claritin. Celebrate taking the best care of you that is possible.

My oncologist mentioned the bone density issue at the meeting when he recommended anastrozole. We went over the major side effects. I gather the issue is less that the drug causes this than that estrogen depletion does. But maybe the aromatase inhibitors exacerbate the bone loss?

A friend suffered a broken neck, one that was too risky for surgery, and he wore a carbon-fiber 'halo' for 2 years. I took him a calcium/D3/K2 supplement when he was in the hospital. The neurosurgeon read the label the following day and commented that the K2 was particularly important in bone healing and protects against calcium building up the arteries. My cardiologist also said that K2 seems to do that according to recent studies. My friend fully healed, though the neck vertebrae were in fragments when first injured. I don't know that the K2 helped but the surgeon was pleased with the rate of healing of a very bad injury.