For those on Lupron or other chemical ovarian suppression

Lexica

Are you still being told to go into the hospital and infusion room for your monthly injections? It seems such a high risk to all involved for such a simple procedure (especially those on active chemo in the infusion room to have relatively healthy people passing through the infusion room). Anyone being offered an alternative - either take home or having it administered at a pharmacy or something?

Moderators

Hi Lexica, You may want to also look at this thread: https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topics....

This was posted on the thread:

17 hours ago Staceybee wrote:

I have been getting monthly Lupron shots since July 2018 which have been a non-event. But I am in NYC and don't want to go in to the hospital next week so asked my MO to send in a prescription so it can be delivered to me. My husband has medical training and can inject me. However, the script is for 7.5mg which CVS Caremark DENIED because they will only approve 3.75mg - even though my insurance has covered 7.5mg since the beginning. So now I need to go to a NYC hospital next week. Can you BELIEVE it? My MO said she uses7.5mg to ensure complete suppression.

Lexica

Thank you Mods!

spiralforest

I was worried about getting my injection of Zoladex. It's not in the hospital but a medical clinic. He actually told me to cancel it and not go. So I stopped it and also the anastrazole for 8 weeks. Everyone's situation is different though and most people seem to have still gone in and gotten their shot. Also depends on where you are. I'm in Montreal and we're the hot zone in Canada.

ErenTo

I'm in Toronto and my next appointment is tomorrow morning. I get mine at a small clinic that partners with AstraZeneca, so it's not at a hospital setting. This morning I got a pre-screening call from the clinic asking me the usual stuff: if I have Covid 19 or been in contact with someone with it, have fever, cough or have traveled recently or been in contact with someone who has recently returned to Canada. I got the go ahead and was told they'll follow strict guidelines at the clinic. I intend to wear a mask and walk to the clinic tomorrow (instead of subway, it's a 35-min walk), the waiting room is never busy, so it's typically a quick in and out.

ChemicalWorld

Canada here. I get a monthly Lupron injection as well as a B12 at the same time. I have been going to my local small hospital outpatients where a nurse was giving it to me. About two weeks ago, the hospital called and told me I was no longer allowed to go there for my injections as they were going with emergency services only I believe (can't recall all the conversation). I was told to contact my doctor and/or find a nurse friend or something to give it to me. I did have a nurse acquaintance volunteer, but i'm guessing that means she'd also have to come into my home after work. I have not left my house in over two weeks and no one has been in my home either. My oncology centre is over an hour away, my doctor about a half hour. The office is open and letting two people in at a time. Not comfortable with any of it. I even asked to see if it was at all possible I could give myself this injection - no go. Pharmacy can not give me this injection either but they said i'd be able to get the actual needle still (fingers crossed). It's IM and the rig is complicated, I guess it's outside what they can do.

It actually only occurred to me this morning that my injection is next due over the Easter weekend. At best I'll be two days late getting it, if I have to go to a dr's office. Going to be making some very rushed phone calls .

ElaineTherese

I went and got my Zoladex shot last week. It was fine. My clinic is separate from the rest of the hospital and has a strict "no visitors" policy. I was met at the door with a thermometer and some hand sanitizer. I must have been offered hand sanitizer at least 20 times and my nurse used it liberally. I was there for maybe 15 minutes and that was it.

pokyspider

I was given a 6 month depot Lupron injection so I don't have to keep going in and out of the hospital, plus it works out cheaper. They gave me 3 month script of Tamoxifen too.

NoWhyToIt

I was given a 3 mos. injection for this reason and have had some joint pain and am wondering if anyone is seeing more side effects with the longer dose shot?

HOPE012119

I’ll be doing Zoladex at home starting in May. Previously I went to the infusion center. Another option shared with me is to do Lupron every 3 months.