About your treatment  

Your doctor has ordered pamidronate to help treat your illness. The medication will be added to an intravenous fluid that will drip through a needle or catheter into your vein. You will receive your dose of pamidronate as an infusion (slow injection) that may last 2-24 hours. You may receive an infusion of pamidronate once every 3-4 weeks, once a day for 3 days in a row, or as a single dose that may be repeated after 1 week or longer. The treatment schedule depends on your condition.

Pamidronate is used to treat high levels of calcium in the blood that may be caused by certain types of cancer. Pamidronate is also used along with cancer chemotherapy to treat bone damage caused by multiple myeloma (cancer that begins in the plasma cells white blood cells that produce substances needed to fight infection) or by cancer that began in another part of the body but has spread to the bones. Pamidronate is also used to treat Paget's disease (a condition in which healthy bones are broken down and replaced by abnormally thick but weak bones). Pamidronate helps prevent bone breakdown and bone fractures. This medication is sometimes prescribed for other uses; ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Your health care provider (doctor, nurse, or pharmacist) may measure the effectiveness and side effects of your treatment using laboratory tests and physical examinations. It is important to keep all appointments with your doctor. The length of treatment depends on your condition and on how you respond to the medication.

Storing your medication  

Store your medication only as directed. Make sure you understand how to store your medication properly. Do not use the solution after the expiration date and time written on the label of the medication. Keep your supplies in a clean, dry place when you are not using them, and keep all medications and supplies out of the reach of children. Your health care provider will tell you how to throw away used needles, syringes, tubing, and containers to avoid accidental injury.

In case of emergency/overdose  

In case of overdose, call your local poison control center at 1-800-222-1222. If the victim has collapsed or is not breathing, call local emergency services at 911.

Symptoms of overdose may include:

• fever
• dizziness or lightheadedness
• blurred vision
• fainting
• changes in the way food tastes

Signs of infection  

If you are receiving pamidronate in your vein or under your skin, you need to know the symptoms of a catheter-related infection (an infection where the needle enters your vein or skin). If you experience any of these symptoms near your intravenous catheter, tell your health care provider as soon as possible:

• tenderness
• warmth
• irritation
• hardness or bump
• drainage
• redness
• swelling
• pain

Brand names  

Other names