Hello,
I am new to this forum. I am 39. I was diagnosed last January (age 38) with grade 3, stage 3 invasive breast cancer. Ive had a mastectomy with full lymph node clearance, 18n weeks chemotherapy and 3 weeks radiotherapy. Im now on exemestane (aromatase inhibitor) and zoladex for the foreseeable!
Im not keen on having the zoladex injections for potentially another 10yrs and the anxiety that surrounds the consequences of possibly missing an appointment. I have decided to have elective surgery - oophorectomy to remove my ovaries next week.
I have coped well so far with side effects of oral chemo and zoladex - joint stiffness, hot flushes, low libido etc but mood generally ok. However, I’d like advice from anyone in the know please…
My understanding is that zoladex puts you into gradual menopause suppressing estrogen production from the ovaries. Does it also suppress progesterone and testosterone? If I have surgery im essentially cutting everything off at the source - all 3 hormones! Im nervous about the added risks associated with a drastic drop in all 3 hormones. I guess I want to know whether its essentially the same - injections every month would be no different to surgery as the injection suppresses everything?? in which case risk benefit a no brainer…or…does the injection just suppress the estrogen and then other hormones will tail off naturally as I get older?
Being so young im not worried about fertility etc as my family is complete but I am worried of course by my increased risk of dementia, osteoperosis etc and I just want to be sure the elective surgery is the best thing for me…