I am really torn about whether or not to take Zoladex. Can anyone who has been on it/ is still on it give me a no-holds-barred account of the SEs?
Has anyone not gained weight on it? All the websites say it causes weight gain.
I have been on zoladex and tamoxifen for 15 months. I have a few mild flushes each day and have put on about 5 pounds, dont know if this is from both drugs or just one.
I started zoladex with arimidex last Oct as tamoxifen on its own was doing my head in with side effects. I put a stone on with tamoxifen and then a further 1.5 stones within a month of the changeover - I went from 8.5 to 11 stone and a size 8/10 to 14. It has stabilised since then thankfully !
I get hot sweats loads, accompanied by mild anxiety just beforehand, and find them very draining. They are worse at night for me and I have tried taking them at different times of day. I also get very bad tempered a few days before my next jab is due, very emotional (complete personality change) and just recently started with mild palpitations and hormonal type headaches. The nurse who gives me the jab is great and said these are all SEs listed as does the oncologist - she said I just have a very strong hormonal reaction.
I am seeing the onc tomorrow for a 3 month check up and the results of my first bone scan for a year ( I have bone secondaries) and since I swopped tablets etc. I’m going with a long list of questions and keeping my fingers crossed all is going ok in the scheme of things.
I’m sorry to list all these but you did ask ! You may not have any of them or have fewer to a lesser extent. In spite of all this, plus the SEs from the arimidex and chemo and rads, I will stick with it - assuming of course tomorrow goes ok. I was 100% oestrogen and progesterone positive, I’ll try anything that gets rid of the hormones !
Good luck with whatever you decide.
I have had a baseline bone scan before going on Zoladex and it shows osteopenia in spine and osteoporosis in hips, (I am 37) - this is making me even more dubious about going on Zoladex. It is a quality of life thing really - I had such a c**p time on FEC that I am reluctant to take anything that will make me feel ill again (though I don’t regret putting myself through FEC) - feel I have just got my life back after a year of BC, am tolerating Tamoxifen well and the onc says that Tamoxifen blocks the action of oestrogen on any cancer there might be lurking. I expect there are others out there who have been given advice which conflicts with this tho!
I had Zoladex for 2 years. No side effects at all! I gained some weight but lost it on Weight watchers even though I am still taking Tamoxifen!
I lost weight while taking it. I read up on it and the main cause of weight gain appears to be comfort eating. Also I noticed a huge amount of chocolate biscuits being given out by breast care nurses at support groups and some of them were extremely large women, the breast care nurses that is.
I drew my own conclusions
Mole