Zometa and arthritic pain?

[Gerri]

Have any of you that are receiving Zometa had new joint pain or a worsening of pain you already had?

Since my first infusion of Zometa on Aug 11, I have had an increase of arthritis-type pain in my knees (nothing new, just worse than before), my hips (same) and the joints in a few of my fingers are swollen and quite painful - this is new. Less than a week after my infusion my right knee swelled quite a bit and I had to have fluid drained. The orthopedic surgeon recommended that I see a rheumatologist.

I saw the rheumatologist today and he is running several tests on me to see if I have rheumatoid arthritis or gout; blood work for lupus came up negative. He said that several cancers, including breast cancer, can trigger arthritis or other autoimmune diseases. However, his gut feeling is that the Zometa has caused these symptoms since they started/worsened within a few days of my infusion. I will get my results in two weeks.

Has anyone experienced this or been diagnosed with an autoimmune disease after bc?

[jones7676]

I had one shoulder that was sore for about a year after starting Zometa (and would worsen after each treatment) but it seems my body has compensated and it no longer bothers me.

[hutchibk]

I have been on monthly Zometa infusions since May, so I have had 5 of them, and I have had no aches or SEs at all. I am starting to think that my body is made of cast iron... LOL.

[Becca]

Sorry to hear of your extra pain. I now have lupus that the rheumatologist thinks may be caused by the chemo given to me. I am currently on ixempra and I have lots of joint, muscle pain for several days after treatment. When Zometa is given with the ixempra I feel even worse--can barely move. My onc says it is hard to know what is causing the pain--chemo or lupus. However for a while he has decided to not give me the Zometa with the ixempra. Gerri, hope you can get some help with this problem. Becca

[Gerri]

Thanks for the responses ladies.

Barb, I am really hoping that my pain turns out to be like yours, probably due to the Zometa.

Becca, I'm so sorry to hear that you now have lupus to deal with on top of bc.

Brenda, it does sound like side effects do not mess around with you - way to go! For me, if an SE is listed in the 'Possible but not likely catagory', I have more of a chance experiencing it than the run of the mill SEs. Go figure.

Guess I will have my answer in two weeks - I hate waiting!