Zoladex timing

Anonymous

Zoladex timing

gb2115

I will be starting Zoladex here in a few weeks. I read it's every 28 days. How much leeway do they give you with that? I want to try to plan a 4 day weekend to the mountains in the late spring, but how in the world can I really figure out when to book that?

I'm already seeing why people get their ovaries removed. I will have to wait until I build FMLA back up though. :-(

ParakeetsRule

I just asked the same question at my appointment on Wednesday! I'm getting Zolodex, Zometa, and Faslodex all on the same day once a month. They told me it's usually fine to wait a week or so if I have plans. I'll try to plan around it if I can though.

I'd wait to plan until after your first shot though to see what kind (if any) side effects you get and when in the cycle. Plus once you start it's easy to map out the treatment schedule! I'm already doing it for what will hopefully be some spring travel.

Edit: Also, it's really just up to you and how much risk you are comfortable with. If you miss one they'll just give you the next one whenever you come back.

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Anonymous

This is why I had my ooph, there was NO leeway on the 28 day schedule at all. Like it was GO time on the dot because without it, the other drugs dont work. I swear I could also tell my hormone levels were rising towards the end of the month as I had all sorts of PMS-y type symptoms (cranky/moody but nothing physical). However, Im Stage IV so its a bit different and my MO is a real stickler for the calendar and in the 18 months I was on zoladex I never once moved off that 28 day schedule.

Ovary removal (dont need to do the whole hysterectomy) was a fairly 'easy' day surgery and took about a week of recovery, maybe a month total to not feel an odd tug here and there. But as long as Omicron is chugging along you may as well do the injections until things simmer down and its less risky at the hospital.

I could swear there was like a three-monthly zoladex dosage though? One month a nurse said that the only needles bigger than that one was the one they give the prostate cancer men and they are on that three-month cycle.

ElaineTherese

I've been on Zoladex for almost 7 years, and there's some leeway about when I get it. It has never had to be every 28 days EXACTLY. I usually get it on Wednesdays, but I've gotten it on some Thursdays and Fridays as well. Also, I've taken a few Zoladex holidays to see if I was menopausal, and then gotten back on when hormone tests showed I wasn't. (I'm 54 but my ovaries are still capable of producing lots of estrogen.) It is what it is.

ParakeetsRule

It's possible other meds won't work as well but I don't think gb2115 is taking anything else? Unless it's not listed in her signature. Plus she's not Stage IV so she's not blocking a known cancer. It's preventative. (if not, please update us!

Regardless, it's still about what level of risk we're comfortable with. I really doubt it would make any difference if my cancer gets a lighter dose of meds for a couple days or a week and I'd be okay with a short delay.

gb2115

I kept forgetting to make my info more visible, so I just did that! To clarify, I will also be on exemestane. I had a recurrence after 4 years of tamoxifen so it's pointless to take that anymore, so this is the next step. I would normally say I'd be ok with a delay, but the cancer already came back once, with macromets, so not sure how much I want to play around.

I will find out my first zoladex appointment on Monday. It has to be changed because surgery (ALND and port removal) changed and I don't want my first injection the day before surgery. Once I get that date maybe I can count out the days and book my weekend. The place I want to rent is booking up fast, I only see 2 weekends in the late spring that are open.

Palesa2018

Hi, I have been on Zoladex for almost 4 years and I get my shot every 3 months. Perhaps find out about this option if you want flexibility on timing to travel etc. The needle is bigger I imagine because of a bigger implant releasing over 3 months. Besides hot flashes no issues for me.