Zoladex questions

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purplelei
purplelei Member Posts: 22
edited August 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I'll be getting my 1st Zoladex shot on Monday.  Pretty nervous about it since I've been dragging my feet on the hormone therapy due to side effects (read: Quality of Life).  I said no to Tamox due to currently having problematic ovarian cysts.  I've had them checked out already & they look non suspicious, so I'm not quite ready for a hysterectomy.....but maybe after a few months of Zoladex I'll be ready & say enough is enough?

Besides hot flashes....what else should I expect as a common side effect?

Also, I hear hair thinning can be a side effect.  This only concerns me because I'm about ready to donate my hair & haven't made an appt yet.  I don't want it to thin before I donate so I can donate as much of this precious stuff as possible.  How much time does it take for the thinning to start?

How tender is the injection site?   Should I wear loose pants?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited August 2014

    Hi purplelei. You may also find interesting to read the article about Zoladex in our main site, with information such as uses, how it works, side effects, etc

    We hope this helps!

    The Mods

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    Thanks.  I'll check that out.

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    It didn't mention hair thinning, but I think I remember others commenting on that.

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  • Marianna_Jay
    Marianna_Jay Member Posts: 7
    edited August 2014

    Hi, purplelei, I just got my first Zoladex injection two weeks ago, and it wasn't that bad--the nurse gave me a numbing shot first (which did sort of sting), but I didn't feel the Zoladex at all, and I didn't have any discomfort after. The nurse did say that some people feel a bit sore the next day and that some have a bit of bruising. I didn't. My SE haven't really kicked in yet, so you won't notice anything much for a couple of weeks. Good luck!

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    Thank you, Marianna Jay!

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    I also noticed there isn't an option to choose "Zoladex" for hormonal therapy for our signature stats.

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  • fizzdon52
    fizzdon52 Member Posts: 568
    edited August 2014

    Compared to what most of us have been through Zoladex injections are a walk in the park. I even give them to myself now. I've had my first four months at the Doctors and have discovered the injection the Dr gives you to numb the pain is actually worse than the Zoladex injection haha. So last week I gave myself my first injection and it didn't even hurt. I am having minor side effects but I think they are from Femara rather than Zoladex. Minor headaches, bit of weight gain around my stomach (very minor) tiny bit of joint pain but it's winter over here and I always get sore joints in the winter. Honestly Zoladex is no big deal :) 

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  • fizzdon52
    fizzdon52 Member Posts: 568
    edited August 2014

    Forgot to mention I am getting some hot flushes, but they aren't bad either. Not half as bad as I thought anyway. Good luck.

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    Fizzdon52....i have to agree that the lidocaine shot for numbing was worse, but I didn't feel the Zoladex go in.  I still got a bit nauseous.  I don't think I could deal with giving myself the shot.  Seriously....what kind of superwoman are you?  

    It's almost 12 hours later & the injection site is still bothering me.  I did switch to knit shorts when I got home.

    I tend to be really anxious with the unknown.  I forget I have Xanax available to me!!!

    Glad to hear your hot flashes aren't as bad as you thought.  Maybe they won't be for me either...but it is summer here.

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  • kt1966
    kt1966 Member Posts: 1,326
    edited August 2014

    Hey you guys :)

    Emla cream is the answer! 

    I had 3 years of zoladex injections. For the first year I had nothing to numb me but got sick of that. 

    Emla is an anaesthetic cream you apply an hour before your zoladex inj (cover area with clear dressing). No more ouchy!

    You can get it from the pharmacy ($20 NZ)

    Fizzdon you are brave doing it yourself! I couldn't ;P

    kt

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    I'm going to have to ask about that.  I would rather have a cream.  I can e-mail my oncologist. Is Emla a brand name or generic?

    Did you feel anything at all?  I would be OK with something in between the stinging lidocaine shot & no pain.....but of course no pain is always best.  :)

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  • kt1966
    kt1966 Member Posts: 1,326
    edited August 2014

    Emla is the brand name I guess. It's made by AstraZeneca & my tiny 5g tube has lasted 2 years- you only need a pea sized bit. 

    It's a mix of lignocaine & prilocaine. 

    Hope you can find some :)

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    Emla cream....a topical lidocaine.  Interesting.  I just e-mailed my med onco about it.

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  • fizzdon52
    fizzdon52 Member Posts: 568
    edited August 2014

    For the first three months the Dr gave me a shot so I didn't feel the pain. On the forth Zoladex injection we decided the Nurse would give it to me without any anaesthetic. I honestly didn't even feel it, truly it was less painful than the anaesthetic injection. You just grab a hunk of stomach skin, put the needle in sideways and push it until it clicks. My daughter watched me do it and she thought I was brave. But it saves me having to get off work early, it also saves me a fee of $22.00 and it was a piece of cake. Diabetics have to give themselves injections daily so it's really no big deal. 

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    I might try it without the lidocaine (for none other than curiosity) unless I can get the cream.  Would really like to not have any pain at all (I'm a baby when it comes to needles) after all the junk of this past 10 months.

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    So...my next question is....when the first hot flash comes....it is a gradual thing?  Or is it like WHAM....there it is?

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  • Curlylocks
    Curlylocks Member Posts: 1,060
    edited August 2014

    I had Zoladex injections for 1.5 years with my first breast cancer that was estrogen positive.  It put me into immediate menopause, hotflashes from hell, insomnia, weight gain, fatigue and mood swings.

    I had the injection once every 3 months.  Being slammed into menopause is not fun but it beats the alternative....

    I was on Armidex for 5 years and so happy to get off it...

    Although I had a new primary breast cancer diagnosed this year after 8 years of being cancer free, this one was Triple Negative...not at all fueled by hormones.

    My hotflashes started within about a week of having my first injection, everyone is so different in how they do with these drugs.

    All the best to you.

    Michele

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  • fizzdon52
    fizzdon52 Member Posts: 568
    edited August 2014

    I think my hot flashes were gradual, maybe started a month or so after my first injection. I only get a few every day, but they aren't that bad. Put it this way, I would rather have hot flashes that are over with quickly, than periods which go on for weeks and are horrible. It also confirms that the Zoladex injections are in fact working, and my hormones are being suppressed and they are what fueled my breast cancer - so trying to be positive, it's all good I say. PS I might add it's winter over here so might notice them a bit more in the summer time.

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  • purplelei
    purplelei Member Posts: 22
    edited August 2014

    Fizzdon52:  Thx for the feedback.

    Michelle:  Maybe the 3 month injection gives more medication at the start?  Did you start with the 1 month ones & then work to every 3 months?  I read they usually reserve the 3 month one for men.  But I did ask about it since I hate shots with a passion...fewer the better....right?  Maybe not?

    KT1966:  I asked my MedOnco about Emla cream.  She said that was an option & that I could try it next time.  She said she likes the Lidocane shot better because it numbs deeper.  I got nauseous with the stinging (that seemed to last forever!) & anxiety I was having over the whole deal.....and not being able to recline at all.

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