I’m 27 and got diagnosed early January. I have currently gone through and IVF cycle. Managed to get two eggs frozen not as many as I hoped but good considering I had been on the pill for nearly 10 years. I started chemo last week and discussed using Zoladex during my chemo. However my ONC said using Zoladex can make me chemo less effective as I am ER+. Fertility specialist don’t think it wil but they are currently discussing. It’s so hard to make a decision when there is hardly any information. Does anyone else have any further info? Really don’t know whether to start on Zoladex?
Welcome to the BCC forums, in addition to the information and support you will have here from your fellow users please feel free to call our helpline team, the lines are open 9-5 weekdays and 9-2 Saturdays on 0808 800 6000. I am posting a link to the BCC ‘younger women’ information page where you will find the fertility issues publication and further support ideas such as the younger women’ s forums:
I was diagnosed in July 2009, aged 23, i was also ER+ and went through IVF cycle, and like yourself only managed to freeze 2 embryos. Oncologist never menioned to me about the possibility of taking Zoladex during chemo, it wasnt until after i had finished chemo and came on here that i realised that some people do this to try and protect their ovaries. Anyway, after my 4th chemo, my periods reurned and coninued until i started taking zoladex, after chemo! Oncologist said that was a good sign that everything was working again and hopefully chemo had no affect on my ovaries at all!! They said that the younger you are, the less likely it is that chemo will affect your ovaries! you are young and no where near menapause age, so i would think you would be similar to me. If your oncologist is saying that zoladex could interfer with your chemo, i would be inclined not to use it, but of course it is enirely your decission and you have got to do what you feel is right for you.
I think this is one of those controversial and unknown areas. My oncologist was of the same opinion and said that there was no proof that it increased your chances of retaining fertility anyway - I had a second opinion up in Harley Street and that oncologist said the same - so I went ahead with chemo happy with my decision.
I have since met girls our age who did have Zoladex during chemo…so who knows!! I think YOU have to be happy with YOUR decision. Maybe you should ask for a second opinion? You are entitled to it and need to be content with the decision. Although maybe it’s a bit late if you’ve already started chemo? But maybe not, and fertility is so important to us.
I’m now having a Zoladex quandry as to whether to have it alongside Tamoxifen as my periods have returned. So far 3 oncs say no. One says yes. Have had second, third and fourth opinions and still not sure what to do!! I’m tempted to give it a go and see how I fare!!
Thank you for all your replies, going to have to have a big think - as decision has to be right. So hard though with the lack of information. Sandy toes just out of interested what are benefits of using Zoladex with Tamoxfin? Not at this stage yet but know I will be in tr future? Great news about your periods x
The school of thought is that by turning your ovaries off your body becomes as oestrogen free as possible, working alongside Tamoxifen to starve the ER+ cancer cells of oestrogen but there’s so far results have been contradictory and there’s a trial going on at the moment but results won’t be out for a couple of years. NICE guidelines say there is no benefit if you have had 3rd generation chemo. Will be interesting to see what your onc says about it. I’ve met a number of young women along the way and some are on Zoladex and some aren’t!