Xgeva question

I've had no noticeable side effects at all. I just did mine last night. It's really been easy peasy for me.

My experience has been the same as Moth, and I just got my Xgeva shot yesterday too! I've been getting it for a couple of years now. The worst part is the burn of the injection, but it's quick and over before you can start to complain.

Tangandchris - That's why I got approved for Xgeva - I have tiny veins and didn't want to deal with failed infusions. Also, Zometa remains in your system for a long time. Xgeva, has a shorter half life. My personal preference is to go with stuff that is more reversible. However, sometimes there isn't a choice based on insurance and other factors.

I have had Xgeva injections for the whole time--- 4 years now. At first was monthly for the first year. Then every 3 months since. I hear that it is more expensive than Zometa, but my insurance has never balked. At first I felt flu like after the shot. But now I don't feel a thing. Easy peasy.

Early on I had a little of what felt like bone pain they day after my Xgeva shot and took generic Claritin the day of and day after as recommended by several others and I worked great. As time went on, I forgot a few times and had no issues, so I stopped the Claritin. I hate needles, so I don’t look but I do ask them to inject it a little slow and it’s only a pinch when I do feel it. I find the belly easier for me but honestly, this shot is nothing compared to anything else I’ve done for cancer, sometimes removing the bandaid is more painful than the shot.

I've been taking Xgeva for six years, but slowly spread out injections so they are now every six months to reduce the chance of bone issues

Had anyone had a tooth removed without problems while on this drug? I remember Gum Doctor and others who had huge issues with ONJ, but the statistics say there's only a 5% risk. I have to do something, but really don't want to invest $1k+ in a root canal for a tooth no one can see.

I would value any input from the group!

Iwrite- I forgot this Thread and just posted on the Bone Mets Thread about this.

I will post a link to the Bone Mets Thread for anyone to see my latest post and a link I put on there from a conference I watched. It talks about spreading Xgeva to every 6 months, and about taking a "treatment vacation" after being on it for 5 years.

https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/8/topics/...

Iwrite, I was on Xgeva for 18 months and one of my crowns in the front went bad. I had to be off it for six months before I could get work done. I had an implant done in the front plus a couple of fillings And then it should have been six months off after the work but I had my next dose at three months, then another at six.

And I've been off since then for more work.

No ONJ (yet? Knock wood).

I took Xgeva every month for about a year. Then an abscessed tooth happened and had to be taken care of pronto. I got ONJ and have been seeing my oral surgeon on a regular basis. Healing is a long process and not pleasant. My oral surgeon has treated this in other patients and he told me that Xgeva stays in your system for a long time. It's been 17 mos. that I have been dealing with it.

it was easy for me too. No noticeable side effects. The only concerns are long term - possible fractures after long term use and ONJ

Unfortunately,I did not have access to an oncologica dental specialist and my cancer center was no help, although they do have a close association with an NCI center.

However, the good news is, the two oral surgeons I consulted with were very knowledgeable about the bone strengtheners and ONJ, much more so than my regular dentist was.

If you can't find a specialist, let an oral surgeon do your work rather than a normal dentist. Or at least, get a consult with a surgeon

Good luck!🍀.