[funbug]

Hi to everyone. My mother is now on Zometa & Faslodex as of Yesterday! She is a brest cancer patient since 1986. Radical mastectomy , reoccurance in 1991 in same side tissue and again on T9 vertabrae in 1996 and now have found it rearing it's ugly head on T6, T3, T9 again and also on the brain stem. Hasn;t been the best week!!!!!! Just wanted any feedback on how long side effects will last approx????

Thanks in advance

[pshz]

Your mother will be allright; these are good drugs. I am currently in Faslodex and have been in Zometa. I have bone mets since 2001.
Concerning Zometa or any other bisphosphonates, please read this
http://www.montereyherald.com/mld/mo...h/14968591.htm
and discuss strategies both with your mother's oncologist and dental surgeon, especially in case she is undergoing or to undergo any dental procedures. I can relate to this; nobody flagged red for me in 2001 (though I warned both my oncologue about dental surgery and my maxillofacial about my receiving bisphosphonates), now (age under 55) I have lost several teeth plus jaw bone and have permanent damage (and permanent pain) including a visible bleeding sore in my chin I cannot hide or cover.

The essential prudence demands not to undergo any dental surgeries during or after (nevermore after) treatment with bisphosphonates. They don't know yet for how long the product (or its effects) stays in your bones. Bisphosphonates can cause bone death in your jaws: they will not fight any tiny infections anymore whatsoever. But bisphosphonates, the time being, remain a reasonably good strategy at avoiding bone complications from metatastasic cancer, though. So the treatment must be considered, with the necessary preventions.

My particular experience with Faslodex includes loss of my periods, weight gain, general swelling (mild) and general joint pain (moderate), general fatigue, neuropathy of the hands (mainly). When receiving the Zometa infusion for the first time I experienced intense bone and joint pains and a little fever, all of which subseded after one day and never happened again.