Zometa

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  • weety
    weety Member Posts: 1,163
    edited January 2010

    Yeah, I've heard that about chemo and zometa,too.  I'm already done with chemo, so too late for that.  But do I push my onc into starting it now during rads or just wait till I'm done?

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    I would think that you would be able to start at anytime.  I'm no expert, but if you can take Zometa with chemo then you should be able to start while you are doing rads. 

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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited January 2010

    I had my 3rd infusion this week. My onc is giving 4mg every 3 months. For the first time I had some se of flulike illness...sore muscles all over, temp and aching joints. They weren't bad enough to kep me from work...just uncomfortable. Who knows...maybe i had a flu-loke illness...lol.

    I started Zometa almost 4 years from diagnosis and despite being er neg. I'll take any edge possible....the studies so far look promising enough for me to give it credence.

    Good luck today with ur infusion Kim40.

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    Thanks Maryannecb

    I'm just wondering though, why are you going every 3 months.  I thought it was given every 26 weeks?  Just curious.  Thanks

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    Kim - good luck today!! Are they coming to you?

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    Not today - I have to go to a private infusion clinic in Halifax.  My onc wants me  in a "hospital" surrounding for the first one, just in case I have an adverse reaction.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    Oh, I thought it was today. When are you going??

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    It is today, but they don't come to the house today.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    Oh, see, not enough coffee this morning! OK, well, hope it goes well.

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  • Rhonda1966
    Rhonda1966 Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    Hello stage 3 friends! I've been pushing for the zometa for 6 months and just got the word from my oncologist yesterday that I am a candidate for this infusion and will get started very soon. I am the first patient in this practice to get it as a "preventative" measure for bone metastisis and metastisis to other organs. He was quite skeptical at first, but I went to my last visit "armed" with information and he finally gave me the go ahead. I am very excited, but kinda nervous too. You know the scary feeling you have when you are about to start chemo. Hope it's not that bad. And Kerry, thanks for posting the number to Novartis. I went this route through the pharmaceutical company and they contacted my insurance company (who did not want to pay for it) and now it seems that it's going to be covered. We learn so much from each other on here! Just waiting on my appointment for my first infusion. Is it usually done every 6 months?

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    Congrats Rhonda!

    I just got home from my first infusion and all went well.

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  • Rhonda1966
    Rhonda1966 Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    Thanks Kim! Hope all goes well for you. How often are you getting your infusuions? This is all new to me, so I'm quite curious. Hope you feel well through the weekend.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    Kim - how ya feeling??

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  • Rhonda1966
    Rhonda1966 Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    Hey Kerry! I see in your signature line "zometa". When did you start on the infusions and how are you doing with them?

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    I had my first one in September, next one is march. i was a bit fluey after the first one, but I think the second one is easier. So far so good!

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  • Rhonda1966
    Rhonda1966 Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    Thanks Kerry, sounds like it will not be as bad as I'm thinking. I guess you'll be doing an infusion every 6 months for 3 years? Then what? One a year? I just want to tell you "thanks" because you are one of the reasons I pushed the issue with my oncologist. So a big thank you to you!

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    Kerry - I'm feeling fine so far!  (Knock on wood)  Hope to stay that way.  The nurse told me that I could get kind of fluey probably on Sunday so we'll wait and see.  So far so good at least!

    Rhonda - I will be getting Zometa every 26 weeks for 3 years.  After that, I have no idea but I'm sure something else will be on the table by then!

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    Rhonda - yep, every 6 months for three years. Not sure what happens then - a lot depends on the research, I think!

    Kim - glad to hear all is well. So, doesn't it feel great to finally have it in you. My husband jokes I am turnoing into Wolverine!! I found I felt a bit yucky the next morning, then fluey that night (just went to bed early, feeling sorry for myself!!)  Not 100% for the rest of the weekend, but not terrible either. Then that was it. Hoping my March one is better.

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    Wolverine huh!!!  LOL!!!  That is too funny.

    My husband jokes with me, as he can't keep track of everything that I'm doing.  Going here for Herceptin, going there for Zoladex, going somewhere else now for Zometa and then there's bloodwork.   The thing also is that I never did get a port in, and I can only use of the one arm,  so my husband says to me "You are tough as nails.  Your veins are getting so hard now that the needles are starting to break when they put them in!"

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  • maryannecb
    maryannecb Member Posts: 1,453
    edited January 2010

    I didnt ask the onc why every 3 months, perhaps its because i am already osteoporotic.

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  • kim40
    kim40 Member Posts: 904
    edited January 2010

    Well, I had my Zometa infusion and it really threw me for a loop!  I couldn't do a thing on Saturday, I was too achey and had the chills!  The nurse did tell me that I could expect it, but honestly, I didn't think that I would as I had a really good tolerance to Taxotere, Herceptin and Femara.  But I guess something had to knock me off my feet for a day and it was the Zometa.   All in all, it feels good to know that I am getting it, despite the problems that my surface down the road.  I am happy with myself knowing that I am doing all I can to beat this beast.

    Is there anything else we can take?? LOL!!

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  • Pure
    Pure Member Posts: 1,796
    edited January 2010

    Kim I forgot are you getting treated in Wilmington? Have you talked to your doc about Zometa?

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  • Rhonda1966
    Rhonda1966 Member Posts: 52
    edited January 2010

    Just got my appointment for the first zometa! It will be on Thursday, February 4. I figured I would have the weekend to recover and go back to work on Monday. I'm excited and glad, but a little nervous too!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2010

    OK, so we're done with all the paperwork. The nurse from Novartis will come on Tuesday to our home with the drug!

    Crossing my fingers.

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  • KerryMac
    KerryMac Member Posts: 3,529
    edited January 2010

    Great to hear! My nurse was very very nice, hooked the IV up to our bookcase, it was very relaxed. Oh, and someone from Norvatis will call afterwards to make sure all went well - I never got that after chemo!!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2010

    Well, that's a business model. :)

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2010

    bump for caall1234

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  • gogo_xago
    gogo_xago Member Posts: 131
    edited January 2010

    hi all,

    because I'm lost in all these posts can anybody explain me in which cases doctors prescribe Zometa? Is it for Pre-menopausal women? My mom is 64 yo. and her onc. didn't say anything about Zometa. He just prescribe Femara after the end of radiation.

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  • stephanie1
    stephanie1 Member Posts: 131
    edited January 2010

    http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/360/7/679

    this is a link to the NEJM - for premenopausal women.

    breast cancer.org has this to say

    http://www.breastcancer.org/news_research/ask_expert/12_2009/q3.jsp

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  • tjschaust
    tjschaust Member Posts: 2
    edited January 2010

    Hi - This is the first time I have responded to a question on this wonderful site.  I hope my input is useful. I started Zometa a year ago and I will be receiving my 3rd infusion this coming March. At the time of my first infusion I had been done with chemo and rads for almost 2 years. In my case the SE were horrible. The first infusion knocked me down for 3 days. High fever and horrible bone pain. The second was much better with only one day of SE's thanks to my onc ordering steroids and pain meds along with my infusion. My advice to anyone getting Zometa is to try and do the infusion on a Friday and plan for a few days of bed rest. Ask your onc for an rx of pain meds and make sure your infusion has steroids it. I feel the Zometa treatments far outweigh the SE's so I am willing to continue. I am half-way through my 3 year treatment!

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