Zometa side effects?

[Esther]

I noticed that some on the board mentioned taking Zometa for rebuilding your bones. Have any of you experienced jaw issues?

I'm on a bc mets e-mail list, and some of the list members mentioned getting osteocrenesis (sp??) of the jaw while on Zometa. This seems to be a pretty big issue, leading to bone deterioration in the jaw bone.

Dr. Pegram reccomends Zometa, but also knows that some of his patients have jaw problems from it.

[StephN]

Guess I have not studied up on Zometa very much as this is new to me. I have been on this drug for 3 years and have no such problem. and not even heard of this problem in my clinic from other patients or the nurses.
I should ask my med onc next time, but he hasn't asked me about any jaw distress either - nor has my dentist, who knows that I have been on this.

The only change I have made is that I take the Zometa now every 6 weeks, as my onc said this dose hase fewer long-term side effects, and he considers I am now on it "long term."

[*_jeff_*]

Hey Esther-

There has been a ton of recent research suggesting that osteonecrosis can be a rare side effect to bisphosphonate (the class of drugs zometa belongs to) use.

Just go to pubmed and type in zoledronic+osteonecrosis and you'll find stuff like:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.f...7925&query_hl=1 (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=Abstract&list_uids=15807925&query_hl=1)

all the best,
Jeff

[Lisa]

I've been on Zometa for months and have had no problem. My onc did warn me however about the potential, announced by Zometa a couple of months ago. I was told to put off any major dental work if possible.

Love and light,

Lisa

[sandraj]

I have done some research on not only Zometa, but Aredia and Fosamax side effects. These types of drugs(bisphosphonates) have been linked to losing jaw bone.
This side effect is called by many names, "Bis-phossy jaw",, "Dead Jaw", "Jaw Necrosis, Osteonecrosis of the jaw"


Cases have been reported since 2000 and yet it took the drug company in late
2004 to admit that there is a link. The FDA has taken Novartis(Zometa and Aredia) to task about
the delay and the methods used to inform the public. Novartis says they have 875 reported cases to them about people losing their jaw. Researchers believe that this 875 numbr represents
only about 1 to 10 % of the people who have this jaw condition from taking these drugs.

Now the warning is to have all your dental work before you take these drugs
or don't have dental work at all while on the drugs,and even then it can be risky

Here are many links that I found.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-0...ne-deaths_x.htm (http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2005-03-13-jawbone-deaths_x.htm)

http://www.cancerpage.com/news/article.asp?id=8122

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/doc...57172293526.htm (http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/SB110245057172293526.htm)

http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hosp...05052005-1.html (http://sev.prnewswire.com/health-care-hospitals/20050506/CGTH06205052005-1.html)

http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/zo...tite_5-5-05.pdf (http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2005/zometa_deardentite_5-5-05.pdf)

http://www.fda.gov/medwatch/SAFETY/2004/ZometaHCP.pdf

http://www.fdaadvisorycommittee.com/FDC/Ad...405_ZometaR.htm (http://www.fdaadvisorycommittee.com/FDC/AdvisoryCommittee/Committees/Oncologic+Drugs/030405_iressa/030405_ZometaR.htm)

You can also go to Yahoo , MSN, or Googlr and search for "Zometa Side Effects"

Hope this helps.