Zoladex

I just had my third Zoladex injection this week. I've been on Tamoxifen for almost 90 days. I had very little side effects from just the Tamoxifen, but when I added the Z into the equation....HOLY night sweats batman. I also find I'm more prone to tears these days, but I chalk part of that up to the fact that I havent' slept all through the night for months. I have given up alcohol and If I do have a drink, I know my night sweats will be considerably worse. I cut all sugar out of my diet as of Monday in the hopes it would help....so far I can't say I've noticed a difference, but I have lost 5 pounds in a week due to watching my diet more strictly and adding in more exercise, which I also hope will help with my SE's.

 I'm premenopausal, 43 years old. My cancer was ER+ so my MO wants to eliminate all estrogen in my body. I will have a complete hysterectomy when I exchange my TE's for implants next year.

Maxine, I have the Zoladex injection every 28 days. There is a sronger dose that can be given once every three months.

Ladies,

 Nice thread.  I can tell you that my wife just finished her 36th injection of Zoladex.  She had been on Zoladex and Tamoxifen.  To the person who said that the hot flashes got worse when the Zoladex started, that is true.  At one point, my wife was taking medication to limit the hot flashes but it just caused migraines so she stopped.  Around the 12th month my wife put on another 10-15 lbs despite exercising but still felt great. 

As I mentioned, we are now just 3 weeks out from her last injection and will be interested to see if the hot flashes stop, the periods begin etc.,  At 46, the doctor says the fact my wife was still having bad hot flashes might mean she will come out of menopause.

My wife did feel that with the lack of estrogen that her skin felt more damp and lost its elasticity.  It will be interesting to see the after effects of coming off the drug.  Still 2 more years of Tamoxifen though.

Thank goodness I found others to discuss this with. I am 41 and have been on Zoladex for 14 months now.  I take it every 28 days. I tried Tamox but had ugly side effects so been on this ever since. I also take effexor daily since I started.

The hot flashes are ugly!  I must go through at least 10-12 a day. Sweaty and all!  I would really hate to see if I went off the effexor what would happen.  I do get some bone and body aches also but they come and go in waves and can be somewhat related to the surgery and bad back.  Oh...and let's not forget the best part........I have never varied more than 5lbs my whole life but managed to gain 25lbs in 5 months.....  Haven't gained too much since but it is devastating.

I am suppose to be on this for three years.  I was really wanting to come off of it early until recently when I was 1.5 weeks late for my shot.  I had the worst possible menstral cramps and pain I have ever experienced in my life....it was two days of pain but enough to scare me about how it would feel to come off of it.

Ok, I'm 1 week into shot #2 and the first day, I noticed my tongue felt weird and then my mouth tasted strange. Tongue is fine now but throughout each day, my mouth gets a really strange flavour (almost bitter like aspirin)...anyone else with this odd situation?

Hot flashes still tolerable and exercising 1 hour/day.

I wondered that, too, about the shot in the same place each month. My doctor said it is the largest needle he has ever had to administer and that he is surprised I don't need a stitch afterward. He gives it subcutaneously in back of my 'good' arm but I don't want to be scarred there...have enough of those!

I'm in week four of my first round of Zoladex and was doing fairly OK on it (mild hot flashes, some mood swings) until last weekend, when the hot flashes, night sweats, and then nausea really kicked in.  I'm due for my second injection tomorrow and am wondering if the SE's are likely to get worse or better over time -- can anyone speak to that?  From what I've read, it seems like for most people, things sort of ramp up for the first few months and then gradually diminish -- though for others, the SEs continue unabated.

I was on Tamoxifen for 2.5 years, and in that case the SEs did seem to have a sort of cumulative effect, to the point where I asked to go off it.  My onc was OK with that given my Oncotype score and other factors, but would like me to do Zoladex as an alternative.  So far the Z seems easier to take than the Tam was at the end (biggest SEs for me there were cognitive issues and a sort of all-PMS-all-the-time feeling of irritability + sadness -- very fun, for my family too!).

I'm 45 and had a recurrence one year ago, which thankfully was "only" DCIS this time (vs IDC the first time in 2009) but was in the same breast so I had to have a mast.  I opted for a bilat mast with no reconstruction, though I may do reconstruction later this year; I'm undecided.  Right now my treatment is limited to Zoladex and Zometa, though I'll finish up the latter's three-year course later this year.  If I stay on the Zoladex, I think my onc wants to add an AI alongside it.  Without the Zoladex, I'm fully premenopausal and my BC was strongly ER+, thus my onc's eagerness to "do something" if I won't/can't stay on Tamoxifen. We'll see if I can tolerate the Zoladex over time.

So glad, as always, to hear others' experiences.  Thank you for being here and sharing. 

I am on Zoladex and have my 4th shot tomorrow, I have done pretty well on it, just hot flashes but nothing i cant tolerate.  I was given effexor but havent used it.  My MO said I can stay on the shots for 2-3 years and go on an AI, now she said its best to do the surgery and remove the ovaries or have a hysterectomy and go on AI. I dont know which one to do, stay with the shots, remove the ovaries or have a total hysterectomy. I am 42 years old and I know I would have a ways to go with shots.  SO difficult!!

Is anyone having problems with foot pain? I have had a pain in my foot for several weeks now, and it is worse when I sit for a while and get up.  I hobble along and eventually it loosens up a bit; I can't walk around barefoot, and it seems like I have to wear sneakers all the time to keep the pain away.  It's only one foot, and I don't think I injured it...

My joints are certainly worse as time goes on: my knees are just terrible (they weren't any great shakes before these medicines), but this is really focused in the side of my foot.

Thoughts?

sj29 - I had one more period after starting zoladex. Then it kicked in and I have not had one in 8 months. (one of the benefits of zoladex). I am 48, so not sure if the age difference comes into play or not. I also get the 3 mos injection instead of once a month.

I hope that the zoladex starts to work for you and continues to do it's job. It, along with tamo, is doing a wonderful job for me.

I was on Zoladex for two years, because the Tamoxifen didn´t stop my menstruation, and the onc was concerned about my high estrogen levels. The first year was gastly: wild mood swings (the emotional surges MT1 mentions), impatience, sudden burst of anger, no sex drive whatsoever, hot flushes, insomnia. The second year I managed to control the mood swings, and the hot flushes got more tolerable - still insomniac and no sex drive. In August I finished my treatment, but am still on Tamoxifen - but - worse news - today my menstruation is back (?!?!?!?!). I´m 45, and after all my hormonal system´s gone through, I certainly didn´t think it would ever come back. So I´m worried I might have to go back on Zoladex. 

I took tamoxifen only for 5 years and just switched over to Zoladex and Anastrozole in November. I'm still trying to find my new normal. I have noticed mood issues and that is why I came to this board. With the Tamoxifen, my moods were steady as a rock. Now, I have the cry for no reason and flashes of anger for no reason that I seem to recall having when I was a teenager! It seems this occurs during the first week to week and a half after the shot. Then my emotions improve to steady again. Though I'm still not sure as I've only had three shots to date. I wonder if it's due to a spike or crash in hormones following the shot. I read one study online that seemed to indicate estradiol levels can rise immediately following the shot and then drop. My onc had no idea and my gyn said it could be either since women react differently to hormone changes. She said to come on in and get a blood test if I want to know. Hmmm.....my gut feel says my hormone levels are actually up immediately following the shot, based on all the other fun things like hot flashes, etc. The reason it matters for me is I'm debating having my ovaries yanked. If the emotional ridiculousness is due to low estradiol, then I will have a lot more thinking to do.

Hi

I ammeeting with new doc in hr. A gyno oncologist to see if i should start lupron to shut my ovaries down. Had not heard ofzoladex. Sounds just fabulous! I am 45 on tamox. Havnt had period in yrs. Guess i am in menopause.

Maybe i should just pass out warning notices to everyone at work.. great

rozem: I had sucky Zoladex SE's. I hope to never be on it again. I took it for 6 months to protect my ovaries during chemo... how long has your onc suggested you use it?

Hi dancing veggie. Pretty much the zoladex throws you into sudden menopause thats why the symptoms are so extreme. I definitely get worse bone pain if I dont do weight bearing exercise, I just walk but not often enough. Keep up vitamin d and calcium.

My onc said results are same if you get ooph. I am finding getting to thedoctor every 4 weeks a huge pain and I feel rotten for about 2 days so I will be seeing if onc will change his mind and let me get an ooph.