Stop me if you've heard this one before (well, actually you can't), but a sweep of my Archives reveals that I have not yet dealt with this topic. One of the ancillary ailments that comes along with Multiple Myeloma is bone disease. Multiple Myeloma can weaken your bones and increase your risk of fractures and bone pain. Myeloma cells can form tumors within the bone marrow and spread from the marrow to damage the bone tissue (such as in the jaw). As far as we know, from frequent monitoring, this is not the case with me - but my Onc team always tries to stay ahead of the cancer curve and prevent "worsening" of any kind from possible issues that may arise within my body.
As a prophylactic, I receive a monthly infusion of Zometa (this is not a celebrity endorsement of any kind; as I am not a celebrity of any kind). Zoledronic Acid, which sounds scarier than it is, is used to treat potential high levels of calcium in the blood that may be caused by certain types of cancer (like my MM). Before the first course of infusion (and then again after completion), I was advised to be on the look-out for osteonecrosis - which is a long way of saying: slow or complete lack of healing (ie: infection) following dental surgery. "Be sure to tell your dentist about the Zometa" they said - but seeing as how I wasn't planning any major oral surgery in the near future, I appreciated their warning but didn't give it too much concern.
Over the past nearly four years (I was diagnosed in August 2017), I have expected, heard about, and dealt with myriad side effects. So when after about three weeks following my maiden dose of Zometa I started developing sensitivity to heat and cold throughout my entire mouth, I hadn't yet put two and two (dare I say: tooth and tooth) together. Besides, they said osteonecrosis (eg: bleeding in my gums) - not what felt like cavities developing in all 32 teeth of my adult mouth. Coince-dental-ly, I had an appointment scheduled for my bi-annual oral check-up and cleaning, so I took the occasion to tell the hygienist of my circumstance when asked if I had been experiencing any recent discomfort. A fresh set of x-rays confirmed that in fact Zometa was the culprit.
Somehow knowing the origin has mysteriously caused the sensitivity to abate (I guess I'm just getting used to it), but here's another side effect to add to the list. Never a dull medical moment (though plenty of dull ache) in my Multiple Myeloma body.
