Scared its my last zoladex
Scared its my last zoladex Hello some of you may think im mad but i am scared that its my last zoladex in a couple of weeks. ive been lucky that ive not had bad side effects, usual flushes but thats all. I suppose im worried that just taking tamoxifen is not going ot be enough to keep this bloody cancer away. Am i abnormal thinking this, my husband has been really nice and said we should go and celebrate after it is finished but i dont feel like celebrating.
thanks
boobless Zoladex is only for 3 years so am I right in thinking you have just come to the end of allowed time?
You can be tested for Oestrogen production - if yours is OK you would relax and if not you’d better start thinking about what to do next.
My daughter is in the same boat as you- finishing Z in May. her O levels are not reassuring and she is thinking seriously of an oopherectomy.
A lady on this site recently posted that she had this done , went home same day and everything was fine.
So suggest asking for O level test and if O is alarming have serious discussion with onc/surgeon about next step.
I think all of us feel edgey when we come to the end of any treatment- our protection has gone and we feel alone on the battlefield.
Best wishes for regaining composure and getting anything done that needs doing, dilly
Dilly - my blood tests showed my oestrogen levels to be still premenopausal after chemo and two years of Zoladex - I’ve been put on five years of Zoladex despite saying that I would be prepared for oophorectomy if necessary.
Loobylou that’s interesting- daughter was told 3 yrs is the max.
Did they tell you any more about reasons for/against lengthening Zoladex time?
Best wishes, dilly
I can’t remember all the details of their reasoning but I was told that, due to my age (45 at start), I would probably be menopausal by the end of five years and they also mentioned that the zoladex/tamoxifen combination countered oestrogen produced from other parts of the body other than the ovaries, whereas an oophorectomy would only remove the ovaries and not address fully the oestrogen from other places (I believe that fat, liver etc, also produce small amounts of oestrogen). Sorry that this is a bit sketchy but my mind has gone a bit blank for this particular information but I do remember that, at the time, the discussion we had was enough to make me feel happy with this decision, apart from obviously the continuing injections. If I remember anything else that was said, I will let you know - (good old chemo brain, eh??!!)
Loobylou thankyou very much for telling me what you remember- it’s a big help. Best wishes, dilly
I agree with the other messages that you should get your levels of oestrogen production checked out.
I was offered Zoladex and Arimidex when they discovered Tamoxifen hadn’t worked for me (see my profile), but decided to go straight for the oopherectomy option, as I didn’t want to be told I had further spread because another drug hadn’t done its job. Also, I figured that as I’m only 36 and my periods were still going strong, a couple of years of Zoladex would only put off the inevitable…
Anyway, had the op done by keyhole 3 weeks ago and other than the hot flushes and tiredness, I feel fine. Actually, the flushes from chemo the 1st time around were much worse! I see the onc on Tuesday, hopefully to start Arimidex, which stops oestrogen being produced in the fatty tisue (and I have loads of that - should probably start that diet, too!!).
Removing your ovaries may sound like a drastic step at first, but for me it was better than constantly worrying and waiting to hear the worst - I know that my cancer’s main source of strength has gone for good, so I can get on with enjoying life!
Good luck with your next step. Stay strong, Angelfalls x
OMG! I’ve obviously started ageing prematurely already - I’m still 35, not 36!!!
Dilly - I have just checked some information that I noted at the time of my consultation and one of the reasons for the five years of zoladex decision was based on clinical trials that had compared five years of zoladex v oophorectomy and found the outcomes following five years of zoladex to be equal to those following oophorectomy. I never found any details of these trials but, if you are that way inclined, you may like to try to find more information on them.
I would like to thank you all for your replies I have an oncologist meeting in a couple of months so will definately ask for my oestrogen levels to be checked didnt even know they could do that for me. Im only 31 but dont have a problem with getting rid of ovaries as starting the adoption process anyway to have more kids as advised risk of getting pregnant is too high. I was told to have zoladex for 2 years didnt realise some people had 3 and 5.
Hi Boobless Hi Boobless,
I was diagnosed in 2003 with two grade 3, oestrogen-positive herceptin-negative tumours. After a mastectomy, chemotherapy and radiotherapy I was put on zoladex and tamoxifen. The plan was that I would be on zoladex for two years and tamoxifen for five years.
When I initially talked to my oncologist about the planned treatment I asked about what would happen when I came off the zoladex and tamoxifen. Would my periods come back and if so what should I do?
The oncologist looked at me and said “You can have your ovaries removed or irradiated and we can give you drugs to remove oestrogen but actually I just recommend that you get on and enjoy life.”
So, in November 2006 after two years of hormone treatment I came off zoladex. Much to my surprise the oncologist I saw on this occasion advised me to come off tamoxifen too. She said that the latest research said that there was no difference in survival between women who had zoladex for two years and tamoxifen for five years and those who had both drugs for two years.
So, here I am. No zoladex and no tamoxifen. In fact no treatment of any sort. And yes my periods have come back.
Am I planning to have my ovaries removed or irradiated? No. I’ve decided to take the original oncologist’s advice.
Has the cancer returned? No. Is it going to return? Who knows but I’m not going to spend the rest of my life (or remission) being frightened about it.
Go out and celebrate. Remember the effects of the zoladex will be as strong as ever for a month after the last injection and gradually diminish after that. Remember also that zoladex is great for preventing BC recurrence early after diagnosis but that it doesn’t have as much of an effect later on. So it has done its best work already.
Lastly, you really must create another name for yourself. It may be true that you are boobless but it’s not good to define yourself in terms of BC. Try BeautifulBody or Intelligent&Feisty or TheThinkingMansCrumpet or WonderWoman. Perhaps your husband can help you choose on your celebratory evening out.
Best wishes,
Sue
Sue many reasons why oophorectomy’s better than Artificial Menopause via RT. Have a googling check. Best wishes, dilly