Anxiety attacks after stopping Zoladex?

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cider8
cider8 Member Posts: 832
edited January 2017 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I'm over a month overdue for my Zoladex shot. I'm 45 and I get the shots so I can take Arimidex. I'm over due because I got sick of the shots and wanted to schedule an ooph. I started with anxiety attacks the past few days. Those stupid attacks that flush my whole body and all i can do is cry. It's been about 2 plus years since I've had an attack. I'm starting something new that involves leadership with strangers and that seems to be triggering them. (New people scare me! But I volunteered because I believe in the value) On one hand, I don't think i would have an anxiety attack if I didn't already have it in me (suffered from them 10 years ago so bad I was agoraphobic; I think I have a certain aspect of social anxiety). On the other, I wonder if my ovaries are producing more estrogen this quickly and it's causing hormonal freak out. I'm hypothyroid, too. I see an endocrinologist in about a month. The wait was 6 months for an appt. I haven't got my ooph scheduled yet. I'm scheduleing Zoladex asap tomorrow.

I do feel like I have some more energy and feel lighter. I just wanted a taste of that! The zoladex and AI slow me down. So I'm just wondering if estrogen production is that dramatic and shocking to allow anxiety attacks. I hate them. Like my body betrays me the same as cancer feels like a body betrayal. And the more they start, the more frequent they come and the more fearful I am of them. Looks like time to get back to therapy, too! 😑😑

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  • vlnrph
    vlnrph Member Posts: 1,632
    edited January 2017

    No personal experience with that type of ovarian suppression myself but just wanted to offer support: it's good that you can recognize triggers and decide on appropriate action in seeking relief.

    I didn't really comprehend that estrogen was such a significant hormone until going on aromatase inhibition - affecting so many parts of our biology, I can see how a cycle of anxiety attacks could be stimulated by changes in blood/brain levels.

    Again, the fact that you know yourself and have resources to access is great. Perhaps the endocrinologist will have a cancellation allowing you to be seen earlier. Half a year is a long time to wait for treatment...

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  • Michelle_in_cornland
    Michelle_in_cornland Member Posts: 1,689
    edited January 2017

    After I had my last child, 18 years ago, I began my downward spiral into panic attacks and anxiety. I was diagnosed with insufficient progesterone and took prometrium for 18 years. Last year when diagnosed with bc, I had to stop immediately. Fortunately, I have meds that I take to compensate for the ups and downs of hormones. This month I was supposed to get my first Zoladex injection, but had been weighing a double oopherectomy and hysterectomy. I had the procedure last week and am now recovering. I was cycling every 28 days, like clockwork and no sign of menopause. I would have been getting years of Zoladex and that was not a good option for me. I am glad I made the decision to remove my nether-regions and am not looking back. Hormonal swings can cause mood swings, which can in turn bring on panic attacks. I no longer have to worry about excess hormonal production and feel that is a protection from bc recurrence. Can you take Tamoxifen as an alternative?

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