Your Personalized

Doctor Discussion Guide

navigating multiple myeloma

Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide
Its important to take an active role in managing your health. Whether youre newly
diagnosed with multiple myeloma or youve had the condition for some time, your
Personalized Doctor Discussion Guide can help. By learning how to partner with
your doctor and by asking the right questions, you can work as a team to find the
best treatment for you.
Please see Important Safety Information for ZOMETA (zoledronic acid) 4mg/5mL
Injection on page 7. For more information, please see full Prescribing Information
on www.Zometa.com and talk to your doctor.

Working with Your Healthcare Team

When you have bone complications from multiple myeloma, the importance of your role
in your own care cant be overstated. It starts by knowing as much as you can about your
condition. The more you know, the more empowered you may feel to partner with your
healthcare team. The following tips and suggestions can help make this process easier:

Plan ahead before

your next appointment

Be prepared: have new questions

ready to discuss with your doctor

K
 eep a journal: track any symptoms
and record them in detail
B
 ring a friend or family member
with you to take notes during your
appointment. This will better enable
him/her to provide support and help
you through your treatment process

Be actively involved
during your visit

Discuss the symptoms you are

Help your
doctor help you

Maintain an active role in your

experiencing and how they are

care. In addition to information your

affecting you. For example, if you

doctor provides, seek out additional

have fatigue, tell your doctor how

information about multiple myeloma

it impacts your ability to perform

from websites or advocacy groups

activities of daily living

A
 sk for an explanation of

T ell your doctor about all

the medications you take.

anything you dont understand.

This includes over-the-counter

Get a picture, diagram, or written

medicines and dietary supplements,

instructions to make sure you will

such as vitamins and herbal

remember what your doctor says

supplements

after you leave the office

Be as open and honest as

A
 sk questions. Its important to

you can be. When your doctor

get as many details as possible so

knows what your needs are, he

you receive the information you are

or she will be better able to

looking for

meet them

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Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide

navigating multiple myeloma

Questions to Ask Your Healthcare Team

When you have bone complications from multiple myeloma, its important to learn as much as you can about the
disease and develop a treatment plan with your doctor. Use the following list of questions to start a discussion
with your doctor about multiple myeloma and protecting your bone health.

Questions About Multiple Myeloma

If Youre Newly Diagnosed
1

What is multiple myeloma?

Additional Questions and Concerns:

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

How might multiple myeloma affect my health?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________

What are common symptoms of multiple myeloma?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

 hat are the signs of bone complications that I should

W
watch for?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

Where can I get more information about multiple myeloma?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

What are my treatment options for multiple myeloma?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

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navigating multiple myeloma

Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide

Questions About Multiple Myeloma

How is multiple myeloma affecting my health?

Additional Questions and Concerns:

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________

What stage is my multiple myeloma?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

Will multiple myeloma affect all of my bones or just some?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________

 ow can I protect myself from serious bone problems due

4 H
to multiple myeloma?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

 ow will I know if my pain is from bone complications or

H
something else, like arthritis?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

 ho will be part of my multiple myeloma healthcare team

W
and what does each team member do?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

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navigating multiple myeloma

Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide


Questions About Multiple Myeloma (continued)

 ho will be coordinating my overall treatment and

W
follow-up care for multiple myeloma?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Who can I call if I have more questions about my multiple myeloma?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Additional Questions and Concerns:

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

If I am worried about managing the costs of my medical care

for multiple myeloma, who can help me with these concerns?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

10 What follow-up tests will I need for multiple myeloma and

how often will I need them?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

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navigating multiple myeloma

Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide

Questions About Treatment for Multiple Myeloma

1

 hy is it important to manage my bone complications

W
from multiple myeloma?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Additional Questions and Concerns:

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

 hat are the available treatments for bone complications from

W
multiple myeloma?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

What treatment options would you recommend for me and why?

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

 hat are potential benefits and risks of the different treatments

W
you recommend?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

 hat is ZOMETA (zoledronic acid) 4mg/5mL Injection and

W
how is it given?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

Am I a good candidate for ZOMETA?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________
7

_________________________________________

How can ZOMETA help me?

_________________________________________
_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

page 5 of 7

navigating multiple myeloma

Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide

Questions About Living with Multiple Myeloma

1

 re there any foods I should eat or avoid? Should I talk to a

A
nutritionist?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

Additional Questions and Concerns:

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

Can I exercise if I feel up to it?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________

3 Are there any limitations on my physical activity?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
4 Who can you recommend to help me deal with the emotional

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

aspects of living with multiple myeloma?

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

___________________________________________________

_________________________________________

5 Where can I go online for information and support?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

6 Can you suggest a support group in my area?

___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________

_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________
_________________________________________

page 6 of 7

navigating multiple myeloma

INDICATION
ZOMETA (zoledronic acid) 4 mg/5 mL Injection is a treatment for
hypercalcemia of malignancy (HCM; a condition resulting in high
calcium blood levels due to cancer). ZOMETA is also used to reduce
and delay bone complications due to multiple myeloma and bone
metastases from solid tumors; used with anti-cancer medicines.
ZOMETA is not an anti-cancer therapy. If you have prostate cancer,
you should have failed treatment with at least one hormonal therapy
prior to taking ZOMETA.
IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION
Do not use ZOMETA if you have had a severe allergic reaction to
zoledronic acid or any components of ZOMETA. These reactions,
including rare cases of hives and angioedema (swelling often near
your eyes and lips), and very rare cases of life-threatening allergic
reactions, have been reported. ZOMETA is in a class of drugs called
bisphosphonates, and contains the same active ingredient as that
found in Reclast (zoledronic acid). If you are treated with ZOMETA,
you should not be treated with Reclast.
If you have HCM, you should drink plenty of clear fluids before using
ZOMETA. If you have kidney problems, tell your doctor. The risk of
adverse reactions (especially related to the kidney) may be greater for
you. ZOMETA treatment is not for patients with severe kidney problems.
Patients with kidney problems on multiple cycles of ZOMETA or other
bisphosphonates are at greater risk for further kidney problems. It is
important to get your blood tests while you are receiving ZOMETA.
Your doctor will monitor your kidney function before each dose. Tell
your doctor if you are on other drugs, including aminoglycosides,
loop diuretics, and drugs which may be harmful to the kidney.
Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) has been reported mainly in cancer
patients treated with intravenous bisphosphonates, including ZOMETA.
Many of these patients were also receiving anti-cancer drugs and
corticosteroids, which may make it more likely to get ONJ. If you have
advanced breast cancer or a type of cancer called multiple myeloma,
or if you have had dental extraction, periodontal disease, local trauma,
including poorly fitting dentures, you may be at greater risk of getting
ONJ. Many reports of ONJ involved patients with signs of local infection,
including bone/bone marrow inflammation. You should maintain good
oral hygiene and have a dental examination with preventive dentistry
prior to beginning ZOMETA. While on treatment, avoid invasive dental
procedures, if possible, as recovery may take longer. If you develop
ONJ while on bisphosphonate therapy, dental surgery may worsen
the condition. If you require dental procedures, there are no data
available to suggest whether stopping ZOMETA treatment reduces

Your Personalized
Doctor Discussion Guide

the risk of ONJ. A causal relationship between bisphosphonate use

and ONJ has not been established. Based on your condition, your
doctor will determine the treatment plan you will receive.
Do not use ZOMETA if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant,
or if you are breast-feeding.
Severe and occasionally incapacitating bone, joint, and/or muscle
pain has been reported in patients taking bisphosphonates, including
ZOMETA. Do not continue using ZOMETA if severe symptoms develop,
as some patients had the symptoms reappear after taking ZOMETA
or another bisphosphonate again. In aspirin sensitive patients,
bronchoconstriction (tightening of the airways in the lungs)
has been observed while taking bisphosphonates.
If you are an HCM patient with liver problems, talk to your doctor
about whether ZOMETA is appropriate for you.
HCM patients may experience flu-like symptoms (fever, chills,
flushing, bone pain and/or joint or muscle pain). Common side
effects in HCM patients include fever, nausea, constipation, anemia,
shortness of breath, diarrhea, abdominal pain, worsening of cancer,
insomnia, vomiting, anxiety, urinary tract infection, low phosphate
levels, confusion, agitation, a fungal infection called moniliasis, low
potassium levels, coughing, skeletal pain, low blood pressure, and
low magnesium levels. Redness and swelling may occur at the site
that you are injected.
Common side effects for patients with multiple myeloma and bone
metastases due to solid tumors include bone pain, nausea, fatigue,
anemia, fever, vomiting, constipation, shortness of breath, diarrhea,
weakness, muscle pain, anorexia, cough, joint pain, lower-limb
swelling, worsening of your cancer, headache, dizziness (excluding
vertigo), insomnia, decreased weight, back pain, numbness/tingling,
and abdominal pain. These side effects are listed regardless of any
potential association with the medications used in registration
studies of ZOMETA in bone metastases patients.
Eye-related side effects may occur with bisphosphonates, including
ZOMETA. Cases of swelling related to fluid build-up in the eye, as
well as inflammation of the uvea, sclera, episclera, conjunctiva, and
iris of the eye have been reported.
Patients with multiple myeloma and bone metastases from solid
tumors should be taking an oral calcium supplement of 500 mg
and a multiple vitamin containing 400 IU of vitamin D daily.
Please see full Prescribing Information and talk to your doctor
for more information.

Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation

One Health Plaza
East Hanover, New Jersey 07936
2011 Novartis. All rights reserved.
This program is a service of Novartis and is intended for U.S. residents only.

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