Women on Ovarian Suppression + Hormonal Therapy Unite!

I am in 3 months lupron and it is getting worse by day, my lower back is hurting so bad, cramping like pain, all my body is aching and its getting out of control, my doctor suggested shutting down my ovaries by radiation, has anyone heard about that??? He said no need for surgery, in 2 sesiones of radiation we will smash your ovaries... I haven’t heard that befort.. any experience??

lily,

Thanks for responding , My doctor continues with tamoxifen as my hormone level hasn’t reached the menopause stage, I am 40 years old and according to my doctor as my body despite 2years of lupron is still pre-menopause stage the best option is to remove my ovaries and start taking Letrizole

Nas- Please make sure the RO discloses all of the possible SEs from this treatment. It sounds terrifying to me! You could also get a second opinion. My MO was pushing for ovary removal, and I didn’t want it. Got second opinion from same doc at Dana Farber who did my original consult, and she said no way! So we switched OS drugs and stayed the course. I like knowing I can come off OS if I need to. You can’t get your ovaries back though!

Good luck with your decision!

Meg- I’m on both.

Nas- for what it’s worth, I’ve found Zoladex easier to tolerate than Lupron. It almost feels like Lupron-lite. Often MOs just put us on one or the other because, “That’s what I usually put all my patients on.” (My MO) I also will not let them put me on the 3 month shot. I don’t want that much stuff in my system.

Lilly- hope you recover quickly and your upcoming surgery goes smoothly. I saw Dr. Partridge up there, she’s had my back for just about every decision.

Anybody here have asthma? I've had an increase in breathing problems, going from illness-induced asthma that only crops up once or twice a year if that, to a cough and asthma symptoms since late August. My GP says that hormone changes can affect asthma, so she suspects that the rapid-onset menopause has just triggered a worsening of symptoms and we just need to keep me on meds year-round now. Has anyone else experienced this? This hormone stuff is full of fun surprises.

Ooops....taking tamoxifen 20mg at midnight every night for the past year made it such an automatic activity that thanks to its devastating effects on my memory, tonight I might have taken 2 pills just 15 minutes apart...I am not sure but it is a possibility...now I am freaking out at the thought of a stroke or a blood clot during my sleep...40 mg at once is not big of a deal, right? Thank you in advance for your replies. I wish you all the very best.

Nas- OS= ovarian suppression = Zoladex or Lupron. 😊

Hi ladies, I have developed constant dry mouth and scratchy, phlegmy throat since last November (thank goodness no coughing and swollen lymph nodes). All these symptoms are not getting worse or better. I went to ENT doctor last week to have gastroscopy the doctor said my throat looked swollen and looked like it is from allergy. Can this be one of the side effects from my hormonal treatment (2.5 years of Lupron and Aromasin)? I saw somewhere online that Aromasin can cause sore throat. Thank you for all your input!!

stephie,

You are not alone on that, I am having the same symptoms, dried throat, phlegm, swelled muscles in my throat and trouble in swallowing... doctor after checking my throat told me that it could be the result of reflux... I am on lupren+tamoxifen and this combination is extremely strong, Whole my body is struggling with coun side effects

I get zoladex and lethzole and I get dry mouth oh occasions I always put down to morphine and pre gablin xxx

Hi

I am 36. I got a period just 2 months off chemo. I just started tamoxifen today. MO says we shall start lupron shortly and once hormones are in menopause range then switch to AI from tamoxifen. Is this how its done usually?

neeli- yes, that is a good way to do it. It gets you on something preventative right away, then the steps to get you switched over. I never switched to AI, I’m doing okay on Zoladex plus Tamoxifen. Zoladex and Lupron are both used for ovarian suppression. I was having trouble on Lupron but switching to Zoladex helped. It sucks at first, but two years in, I’m doing okay. Good luck!

neeli- Zoladex is also monthly. After about 5 months on Lupron, I was having blood sugar issues (I’m not diabetic) and my hot flashes started making me nauseous. Assuming 10-15 hot flashes a day, that’s a lot of nausea, and I was not holding my weight. I felt sick a lot. I told my MO that my hot flashes had started coming with a side of nausea, and she took me off the Lupron. I stayed with Tamoxifen and three months later started zoladex.

peridot- for me the Zoladex is more tolerable, for you it could be different. I still have hot flashes and sleep troubles, just nothing out of the ordinary. Yes, the Zoladex needle is huge. My onc nurses hate giving it. Plus it goes in your stomach. Stick with the Lupron if you don’t like needles.