One month into Zoladex

Hi Ann,

So how are you feeling a few months in? I just got my first shot of Zoladex 3 days ago, after not tolerating Tamoxifen at all, having to get a uterus ablation due to excessive thickening of the uterus lining. I have been off all hormones for nearly 1,5 years but my onco convinced me to do the Zoladex as I am almost 54 and not in menopause.

I am terrified of SEs as the 1 year on Tamoxifen was a nightmare, particularly as I already have joint pains and SAD due to having moved to a damp-cold climate my body doesn cope with at best of times.

Then again being stressed out about potential SEs just makes everything worse.

i have been taking zoladex for 6 months now ! my MO wanted to induce early menopause since i was still im my 40's

since i started that injection it has been a night mare i have gained so much fat belly

my belly is almost 5 times bigger than it was 6 months ago i can barely breath and can not eat much because of this discomfort just salads and fruits abd salads most ofbthe time but my stomach continues ro grow bigger and bigger every time no matter how much i eat health and little i still gain weight and my tummy continues to grow bigger everyday

my MO looks like does not know what to do

this is a major concern to me

i hope you guys will nit have these side effects!!!!!!!!

anybody out there who can help wirh this will be appreciated

Thanks ann273 for starting this thread--Just had my first shot of Zoladex a few days ago and am nervous about the SE too. This ordeal never seems to end. I will check in periodically to see how everyone is doing!! I just did an exercise DVD and I think with regular exercise and a healthy diet we can fight whatever SE come our way!! Trying to be positive--I'm always a negative nelly but I'm trying over here!!! LOL

Sharita--what did your dr say? Maybe another drug or removal of your ovaries will help? Could it be a reaction to the zoladex? I'm, 44 and not in menopause yet. I had 2 sporadic periods and they were absolute HELL!!! I thought I was hemorrhaging! The second period came just as I was leaving for a cruise with my family!!! Awful, but it got better and halfway through the vacation it stopped. I think I'd rather have the SE of menopause than uncontrollable bleeding!! Sorry--tmi

Wishing you all well!!

Hi there,

I took Zoladex for two years. I'm still on Tamoxifen.

I had 1 period after the first shot (lighter than it used to be) then it stopped. I believe the first year (with Tamoxifen+Zoladex) was ok, some hot flashes, some bone pain, some insomnia, some bad mood, some weight lost (with some diet and a 5 km walk every day). The second year was so much worst (but not that bad!), a lot of hot flashes, insomnia, terrible vaginal dryness, and very very instable mood, I thought that Tamoxifen was the cause, but I stopped Zoladex 6 months ago and all that stopped (excepting insomnia), my life is getting a lot worse now (due to other reasons), but my mood is much better, but, I had leukemia meanwhile, in my second year of Zoladex, so maybe my bad mood was somehow related..Since I've stopped Zoladex my period came once, after 3 months, normal, with normal pain.

I didn't loose any weight after have stopped Zoladex, actually I gain some muscle weight, and my belly is getting bigger, not sure if it's not related with ovarian stuff. I came to the conclusion that Tamoxifen didn't and don't cause me any visible side effects, but Zoladex was more difficult. Does it worth it? Yes, for me it did. I's true that now I'm in a much better mood, but is also true that now I have to deal with not so visible side effects probably caused by Tamoxifen not being opposed by Zoladex, like thickening of the uterus lining, my fibroids are getting bigger, and ovarian cysts are appearing from nowhere..to tell the true, I was better with Zoladex visible side effects, that were just temporary and I used some tricks a long the way, to help me get trough, like walking and exercising a lot!, avoiding things that put me in a depressed mood, and using melatonin for sleep.

I also remember that the bad mood side effect, was always a certain number of days, every month, just before I took the shot, I was always very happy when I took the shot, because my mood started improving in the next days, not sure why.