Lupron vs Removal of Ovaries

karijo
karijo Member Posts: 13
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi all! I have a question for anyone that may have any similar experiences. After months of chemo, radiation, still taking Herceptin and Tamoxifen I am still getting my periods regularly. My onc thinks it is because of my age(36) but wants to stop my period ASAP. He recommends the Lupron shot but the different things I have read scares me a bit. The other option is removing my ovaries. I am done having children so I am not against that procedure at all. Does anyone have any experiences or opinions on the best choice?????

Kari Jo  Dx 5/26/08 ER/PR+ Her2+ 4/15 nodes Bilateral Mast., chemo, rads, Herceptin, Tamoxifen, Actonel

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited March 2009

    Kari Jo..

    I'm 31 and have been doing the Lupron shot since June 2008. The shot I don't feel! The nurse gives it just above you bum in the back hip area..if that makes any sense...lol.

    I have asked this same question.I am done having children too BUT and there is a big but...removal of ovaries comes big risks. Increased risk for heart disease / stroke, osteoperosis and the fact that you will just have aging issues a lot sooner. A lot of young woman remove their ovaries I think just due to fear......if you were BRCA+ then of course removal is justified. Also removal of the ovaries is permanent...thats it. With the Lupron...when you stop taking it you will resume your period. I would suggest looking up disadvantages of ovary removal at a young age.

    In the end it is you choice...I'll tell you someting...I talked to a young woman who was diagnosed at 28..shes 32 now. Had 3 kids and double mastectomy , ovary removal. she said she was just scared and wanted to do anything to help to reduce her chance of recurrence. Well now at 32 she has Osteopenia (early stages of osteoperosis) and has to take MORE meds to help with that! She told me NOT to base my decision of fear...and she then said if she could have done things differently, she probably would have.

    Good luck with your decision!

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  • EWB
    EWB Member Posts: 2,927
    edited March 2009

    I have been having Lupron injections monthly for the past 2 yrs. No problems with it, although I have heard some women say the injection can be painful and have leg pain for a day or 2 afterwards. I started w/ Lupron to see how I would respond and always thought I would have ooph, it works great, just never got around to the surgery. From what I know either is a good option, just depends on individual circumstances and preferences. Since you are ER/PR +, reducing estrogen is a really good thing.

    Concerns about osetoperosis will be there regardless of the choice you make but your onc will probably have you take supplements and watch that.

    Best wishes

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  • Sukiann
    Sukiann Member Posts: 310
    edited March 2009

    I'm glad I found this thread.  I am considering removing my ovaries (I cannot take tamoxifin becasue of blood clot issue) and my oncologist also mentioned lupron shots.  My cousin said that you can only take lupron shots for a short period of time. Is this correct???  I would be interested to hear what others have to say.

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited March 2009

    In MY case sukiann I have to take the Lupron for 3 years. But since Tamox is out of the question for you, your oncmay recommend longer ..like 5 years. Best to ask him. There is the SOFT trial going on now regarding Tamox or an AI and Ovarian Supression VS AI and Ovary Removal to see if there is any survival advantage over one or the other.

    I actually plan on waiting till these results come out to make my final decision regarding removal of the ovaries. I will probably ask my onc to do the Lupron for longer than the 3 years suggested untill this happens.

    P.S. sukiann....are you able to take an AI (Aromitase Inhibitor) ? You can do the Lupron and take an AI also. I'm not sure if the AI's cause clotting as well, best to ask about this .

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  • karijo
    karijo Member Posts: 13
    edited March 2009

    Thanks for the input ladies, I meet with my onc this Friday for my Herceptin treatment and he wanted me to have a decision then. I am leaning towards trying Lupron and see how I handle it, I could always have my ovaries removed later..........it is good to hear that lexislove and EWB are not having troubles with the Lupron, makes me less scared somehow!

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  • lexislove
    lexislove Member Posts: 2,645
    edited March 2009

    Thats the right attitude...try it and see.

    ~ Keep us updated~

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  • AnneW
    AnneW Member Posts: 4,050
    edited March 2009

    I took Lupron for about a year, then had my ovaries out. I was 44 at the time. I was concerned that I could possibly be in a Lupron-induced menopause for five years, then come out of menopause for a while. No way in hell did I want to do menopause twice. You younger women have even a bigger risk of that happening.

    So far, 6 years late, my bones are still strong and menopause hasn't been too intolerable.

    Anne

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  • momofbraj
    momofbraj Member Posts: 49
    edited March 2009

    Thanks for that posting.  I just made an appointment with the surgeon today to discuss having my ovaries out and I was starting to have second opinions reading the prior posts.  I still have two and a half weeks to consider my options.  I got results back from the tamoxifen test that I am a poor metabolizer so I feel that the more estrogen I can get rid of the better.

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  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited March 2009

    I was premenopause age 49, strong ER+, PR+. My onc started me on Tamox after chemo and rads and wanted to do Lupron shots plus Tamox for 2-3 years before switching to AI.  I had some rough time on 4 months on Tamox - - maybe crashing from chemopause plus Tamox and maybe flaming hormones trying to turn back on.  I decided to get an oophorectomy and then switched to AI - Femara. 

    I take lots of Calcium supplement with magnesium and Vitamin D but I still developed osteopenia after 20 months on Femara.  I just got my first Zometa infusion last month.  Hopefully it will control and reverse the osteopenia.

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