What should I do about Ibandronic Acid?

Ask our Nurses your questions
1

I have had a single mastectomy ( and lymph nodes removed), chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The plan was to be on Letrozole for 5 years and Ibandronic acid for 2 years.
I only started the the Ibandronic acid tablets a couple of weeks ago as I needed some dental work done.

About 5 days after starting the tablets the side effects were very difficult to cope with ( indigestion, acid reflux, bowel upsets, extreme fatigue, headaches dizziness).
My oncologist who prescribed the ibandronic acid, said that if I couldn’t tolerate the tablets then she would change me to 3 monthly infusions.
My oncologist has retired and the replacement hasn’t started yet.

I spoke to one of the oncology nurses about the side effects and she told me to stop taking the tablets.
She also said that the benefits of the Ibandronic acid was only 5%, she gave me the impression that it wasn’t worth having it.
She has left me to decide whether to try the infusions or to not take any Bisphosphonates at all. She is going to phone me next week for my decision.

I know it is my choice but I don’t know how to decide, can you help me weigh up the pros and cons, please?

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2

Hi @rosey-posey

I’m having 6 monthly Zolendronic acid as my bisphospanate for 3 years. I have 4/5 days feeling a bit flu like and don’t have to worry about taking daily tablets and keeping upright for 30 minutes. I was told that they not only help strengthen my bones but newer research has suggested it can help prevent cancer in the bones. On the NHS predict tool they only gave me a small percentage about 1% as my surgery was the biggest percentage as I have no lymph node involvement but being HER2+ is more aggressive and can come back in the bones. I decided to take it, I’ve just had my 2nd.

I would suggest calling a BCN nurse as you can have a more in depth two way conversation than posting on the forum.

  • Helpline: 0808 800 6000 (Mon-Fri 9am-4pm; Sat 9am-1pm). Speak to our trained helpline team. No questions are too big or too small.

I also hope you get to talk to an oncologist to talk this through with your diagnosis. Could you ask to talk to another one? I’m my hospital they work in teams so there is always another one you can talk to.
:smiling_face_with_three_hearts:

3

Hi rosey-posey,

Thank you for posting.

Making a decision about which treatment option is right for you can be difficult, and it’s understandable that you’d like help to weigh up the pros and cons of continuing with the bisphosphonate ibandronic acid.

For primary breast cancer, bisphosphonates may be given to reduce the risk of breast cancer spreading to the bones and other parts of the body.

They are prescribed for women who have been through the menopause (post-menopausal women). They can be given regardless of whether the menopause has occurred naturally or because of breast cancer treatment.

Although side effects from different bisphosphonates are similar, some people do tolerate one better than the other. Zoledronic acid is more commonly prescribed, and it sounds like this may be the alternative that has been suggested for you.

As you mention, some people do choose to stop the treatment if they experience side effects that impact their quality of life. This is a very individual decision. You may want to ask your breast care nurse to talk you through the risks and benefits again. They can use a computer tool called Predict to calculate the percentage of benefit of bisphosphonates for people in your situation, if this would be helpful for you.

Although you mention that your oncologist has left the hospital, you can ask to speak to a different oncologist to discuss your concerns.

Some people find that talking to others that have been through a similar situation helpful. You may find this section of our online forum helpful, to hear other’s experiences of having different bisphosphonates.

We offer a range of free supportive services for anyone who has had a diagnosis of breast cancer which you may be interested in. They include face to face and online courses and events. For more details about all of these services, please see the information on the link.

Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to more support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks. The number is 0808 800 6000. If you have hearing or speech difficulties prefix our number with 18001 and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.

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Best wishes

Cassie

Breast Care Nurse

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