ARIMIDEX AND ZOLADEX...Anyone taking these two together?

nayda985

I saw my MO today and he wants me to start taking 2 hormone blockers b/c I am 35 and my tumor was feeding off my estrogen ..i was just expecting one medication...anyone taking these two together and could tell me your experience with these two meds...he wants me to get the Zoladex injection once a month and take the Arimidex daily.uuhgg!!

nayda985

bump

nayda985

BUMP

cive

The Zoledex is to stop your ovaries from making estrogen, in other words it is chemical menopause.  The armidex is what is called an aromatase inhibitor which prevents your body from turning progesterone into estrogen.  Post menopausal women don't need the zoledex because they are already in menopause so only need the armidex.  Your other option might be to take tamoxifen rather than arimidex, although arimidex does slightly better than tamoxifen at preventing reoccurence.  You would not need zoledex with tamoxifen.  

Falconer

I am taking Lupron and Aromasin, which is basically the same combo as you've been prescribed in that they have asimilar effect. What are you wondering about?

LM070917

Hey, I'm 36and been taking both zoladex and arimidex for one year now. I don't find them too bad, I had bone ache, hot flushes and insomnia from the arimidex initially but side effects have calmed down so much tha I barely even notice them now. It's so automatic at 6pm for me to take arimidex now, it's like brushing my teeth.

nayda985

TY cive for the information...I wanted to know why I needed 2 hormone blockers thank you for clearing that up:)

nayda985

TY for your response Falconeer..I just wanted to know what the se's are and if they were tolerable:)

nayda985

Thank you Lottemarine!

I know everybody tolerates medicine differently..i just wanted to know what everyone else experience is with these two meds...thank you for sharing your experience it makes me feel a lot better about taking the two:)

ErenTo

I'm on Zoladex and Tam now. I have virtually no side effects. I tried Aromasin (another AI) for 4 months and had some weird side effects. Weird as in rare and uncommon, like severe tingling and ligthheadedness, so I switched back to Tam for now. But I have to say I didn't have the typical bone/join pain that most people have from AI, only some stiffness. For a lot of people it's a tolerable treatment, and I highly recommend regular exercise. I think you'll probably start with a few months of Zol and then add Arimidex as you need to be in menopause to take an AI.

kyliet

I finished my 5 years of zoladex and Arimidex 6 months ago. Still on Arimidex at the moment. Going for blood tests today to check if I have gone into permanent menopause. Fingers crossed.

nayda985

Congrats kyliet!

May ask...did you have any terrible SE's from both meds?

I had my first Zoladex injection(huge needle)/ started my first Arimidex tablet last Friday...and so far so good..just the hot flashes so far, and a little constipation...so I am crossing my fingers that will be it..lol

Knitpig

Hello Nayda, I was also diagnosed pretty young as well and this is the recommendation by my cancer team. I'll be starting Zoladex+ Tamoxifen, then switching to an AI (in a the fall) This will be for 5 years. I have the choice to stop because I was only stage 1A.

The YSC Facebook group is a helpful resource to discuss this line of treatment and all the side effects with it. Lots of women in their 30's going through this, with the same treatment plans. If you're not already a member over there please feel free to send me a message and I can get you added to the group.

Falconer

Kyliet congratulations on the five year mark!! I'm wondering how old you are. I'll be 51 when I get to year 5, and of course, hopeful that I'll be permanently menopausal! Will your MO check your estradiol levels?

nayda985

HI Knitpig...interesting..you will be doing Zoladex/Tamoxifen....I am doing Zoladex/Arimidex...I wonder how they choose which med to go with the Zoladex Inj..

Kyliet..I too would like to know how do your MO test to see if your permanently menopausal

angwalla

I started taking both Zoladex and Arimidex together about a month ago. The only side effect has been hot flashes, but I was having them before this anyway from the chemotherapy treatments. Other than that, no other side effects at all!

nayda985

Me too angwalla!

I have only been having hot flashes!:)