How many of you are getting Zometa or other bone building drug?

Racy, I've been getting it for a year, every 3 months. I got it immediately after seeing my MO for the first time. I think I will be getting it for another year.

I was diagnosed with bone mets from the get-go and have been getting pamidronate infusions starting at every 4 weeks since diagnosis and now every three weeks to coincide with my chemo days.  not 100% sure but sounded to me like this will be an ongoing possibly lifetime thing for me...upside is it really doesn't seem to have any bad side effects as I have heard some ladies comment about the Zometa...bone pain etc.

I take Zometa every 6 months and Zoladex monthly.  The only issue and it may be unrelated is the inability to lose weight.  I am also on Tamoxifen.  Personally,  I am tired of the meds-  I never feel well!

My MO also isn't in favor of zometa for early stage. The science seems promising, but there are many side effects too and it seemed to me he didn't think advantage outweighed risk for Stage 1. Inflammatory often gets it.

http://www.pharmacypracticenews.com/ViewArticle.aspx?d=Hem/Onc+Pharmacy&d_id=439&i=January+2012&i_id=807&a_id=20015

Michy...Your age has a lot to do with it.  Above is a great link to the controversy in a nut shell.

If you are doing the Ovarian Suppression and are close to age 50, it appears from the Gnant study that you would benefit.  Likewise, if you were 5 years post menopausal, whatever your age, you would benefit as well.  If you are closer to 40 or younger, and are doing Ovarian Suppression, Dr. Gnant's study indicates you would NOT benefit.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/MeetingCoverage/SABCS/30136

Lucky....The article above explains things clearly.  Good luck.

Take your time with Zometa. It's not going anywhere and as my onc says, "90% of stage 1 never have another issue." We have to remember the great odds on our side. As we make decisions, we have to live life with no regrets. When I asked about Zometa, my onc said he wouldn't recommend it, but wouldn't stand in my way either. So oncs leave it up to us as being able to decide what we can live with. I can live without Zometa. I will continue to monitor the research and have knowledge of my own bone density.

Hello!  I am new to this thread, but I found it as I searched for information on Zometa.  I was stage 1, had a BMX in October, and after meeting with about 4 oncologists, finally started my treatment last week.  My cancer was highly estrogen receptive, so of course I'm on tamoxifen, but I am also going the Zoladex/Zometa route.  I am 40, by the way, and pre-menopausal.  I saw an oncologist at the breast cancer center at The James Cancer Institute at Ohio State, and she recommended the addition of the Zoladex and Zometa.  It may be aggressive for stage 1 (my words, not the MO's), but at my age I wanted to at least give it a try.  If I don't tolerate them well, I can always drop them.  That MO said it would benefit me more than chemo.  As more than one MO have told me, I'm in a "gray area" right now with respect to treatment.  Things are changing as new studies are coming out, and they aren't all in agreement with what to do with us.  Yikes!  Doesn't make me feel good, and it certainly put a lot of pressure on me to make the decision about treatment, but I am grateful that the cancer was caught early.  I can update you after my first infusion next week if you want to know more .

Hello there.

My name is Sandra. I'm a newbie.  I just turned 68. My husband and I celebrated our 50th anniversary August, 2012. We have 3 daughters, 3 grandchildren and 1 great grandchild.

I was diagnosed with Invasive ductal (tubular cancer) as well as Ductal caracinoma in situ (non-invasive cancer) March 2012. I chose a mastsectomy over lumpectomy and am very happy with this decision. My cancer is stage 1 and did not need chemo or radiation. My surgeon said the decision I made helped give me 90% or over 90% survival. Had a Dexa Scan and was diagnosed with osteopenia. I began my 1st of 4 infusions with Zometa (twice a year) which will be 6 months apart.  But reading my last blood work and looking into everything more carefully, I believe I have Stage 2 kidney damage. Recent bloodwork says GFR >60 ml/min/1.73m2. I guess I'm not understanding exactly what that is, just that nothing was ever mentioned to me except I will be having blood work again in 3 mos. which is in regard to my kidneys.  Can't believe that went over my head.  Oh, yes I can!!! just trying not to get too stressed out. Anyway, I am so pleased that I found this chat.  It helps to share.

Thank you reidergirl.  It certainly is nice being able to share with others who are caring and understanding.  Next is getting an answer for why am I seeing little red dots on my stomach all of a sudden.  I'm sure they were already there but I don't think this many.  

It's a beautiful day in Lafayette, IN today but since expecting icy conditions tomorrow, must get my great-grandbaby back to Indy. 

Hugs right back at ya.

how do you get an oncologist to give zometa? mine from an nci center says that its not standard for early stage but i would like to have it. i feel like a sitting duck with just the AI and mastectomy. I hear other ladies are pursuing all these wonderful new treatments and my Oncologist doesn't want to hear about any of it. what are the drawbacks? why if it could give a better chance at no recurrence and has no terrible side effects arent all women getting it?

Afraid,  Your MO has to get permission from your ins to give you zometa and w/o a clear need it won't be approved.  I'm early stage and am getting it only because my family history includes wide spread severe osteoporosis and I've been osteopenic for years.  It's not being used for prevention of bone mets, but to stave off the damage AIs are doing.  

I had a very had time deciding on this.  It's the only thing my MO and I disagreed upon.  Why?  Because it has the serious rare side effect of bone necrosis of the jaw bone and broken femur, as well as others.  Basically, once you start this drug, you should not have any invasive dental work.  It's unknown how long after taking it you are clear for this kind of work.  I would only take this if you really need to.  I'm still not convinced I should have started taking it.

Afraid - my insurance initially was not going to pay for the Zometa. My MO wrote a letter to them, and they approved it. Unfortunately I think it depends on the insurance company. The study that he cited is a recent on, and that may not be enough data for some ins companies to go on. Zometa for someone in my situation (early stage) has not always been the "standard of care". In fact, only one MO that I met with recommended it, along with Zoladex. The reason I decided to do it is because that MO was at a university cancer center, specifically in a breast cancer treatment center. She told me it could possibly give me another 3% lower risk of recurrence (from 10% down to 7%), and that benefit would be more "real" than any chemo benefit for me. She also told me if I didn't tolerate it well, that I could always discontinue it. Those things ultimately led me to my decision. I've only had one Zoladex shot and one Zometa infusion so far (2 weeks ago), but no side effects thus far.