I wonder if anyone can help me…I started Tamoxifen on Nov 1st and as my periods didn’t stop I have recently been put on monthly Zoladex for 2 years. I had my first Zoladex implant on tues 5th feb and my gp said that I would prob start getting hot flushes about 48hrs after. Well, its been over a week now and I’ve had nothing so far. Now I’m getting concerned that its just not working!
Has anyone had very few side effects whilst on Zoladex? Is it something that has to accumulate, so may take a few weeks before the side effects rear their ugly heads?? I’m just a bit scared that its not doing what its supposed to!
Any help and advice would be greatly appreciated, as ever,
Hi Kelly,
I started Zoladex on Jan 25th and have not had any hot flushes yet either and last week had a very heavy period which has now stopped thankfully. I have my next injection next week.
Take care
Allie
Hi Kelly
Apologies for butting in on this thread but I was interested as I also started on Tamoxifen in November and have also had periods in late November, December and February - albeit just lasted for 2-3 days. I am due my first check-up with oncologist on Tuesday. Should I be asking about this myself?
Hi Kelly, I was on Zoladex for 2 yrs finished in October there. For me personally I suffered the works and it was an accumulation started off not to bad but by the finish I had had enough, I was 32 when I started on zoladex and the menopausal symptoms were just unbearable. Thats just my personal experience I have read of other girls who have had barely any side effects, we are all different, I hope you are one of them ! Try not to worry that its not doing what its supposed to be doing, it will be !!!
take care and if you need any more help / advice let me know
Lorri xx
I don’t have any side effects either. When I first started zoladex i did suffer a little with hot flushes but they were never that bad, and now I only get them if I’ve had some wine. The zoladex is definitely working for me, I had a scan before christmas which showed that it was keeping everything under control, so you don’t need to have the side effects to know that it’s doing it’s job.
I started Zoladex in July and also didnt get any side effects for a few months but by Oct/Nov time I definately had quite a few…hot flushes/stiff joints etc. I think it can take a while to get going!!
Wendycrackers - its interesting that you suffer from hot flushes after having wine…I’m just the same, but thought it was just me.lol Hardly had any alcohol since starting Zoladex, so 1/2 glasses wine and I’m well away
Just thought I’d pass on a couple of top tips for your Zoladex experience. I was on it for two years and found the effects cumulative and fairly unpleasant - but manageable - towards the end. (I’m unfortunately back on it again as I now have bone mets though I’m sure it kept them at bay while I was originally on it). My sympathetic GP gives me a little local anaesthetic before the implant… you don’t feel a thing. I also take 4 x 40mg Gamolenic Acid (Evening Primrose Oil) each day which really helps with the hot flushes. You can ask your GP to prescribe it. I put it on a fair bit of weight with it, though I’m skinny so no-one else noticed. The upside was great skin!
Just thought I’d let you know that I have had very little side effects form the tamoxifen and zoladex. A few mild hot flushes and vaginal dryness at the start but very little if at all now. I’m 28 by the way. All the best. x
I have just read all of the comments relating to zoladex and agree that each of us are different. I was only on zoladex for 6 months while I was having my chemo. I am on tamoxifen too and didnt really get any extra side effects from the zoladex. It did take a month for my periods to stop though. I finished the zoladex just before christmas and still havent had a period yet. Does anyone know when they will start up again as im still on the tamoxifen?..very confusing all this stuff isnt it!
thank you all so much for your responses and apologies for not responding sooner. We’ve just got a new puppy and she’s been keeping me very busy!!
Anyway, last week I had a really heavy period, so I guess its now no surprise that I’ve not had any hot flushes or anything yet! I havea routine app with my onc on monday so think I’ll mention it to him then, just to be on the safe side.
I finished zoladex last June, still taking tamoxifen and haven’t had a period yet. As I’m 50 I’m rather hoping that I went through the real menopause whilst having the jabs!
Kelly
I had hot flushes after about 6 weeks of starting the zoladex. They gradually calmed down over the 2 years, I still get them now 9 months later as I’m still on the tamoxifen but they are more like warm flushes. I too find them worse with alcohol and spicy food - that’s the beer and a curry out the window then!
may thanks for your reply, much appreciated. I have noticed this past few nights that I have been really really hot, even though our bedroom is usually pretty cold! I regularly have to throw the covers off now! Wondering whether this is the start of the menopausal symptoms that Zoladex brings. I suspetc it is!!
Thanks again, although I’m not sure I liked the bit about them getting worse with alcohol. I can live without spicy food but not liking the thought of life without a snifter or two! Guess I’ll just have to put up with the sweats then!
Hi, I’m not on Zoladex, but on Synarel, whcih I’ve heard does the same thing.
I’ve been on it for 2 months now, and have had very few symptoms or side effects as well. Which got my wondering if it was working! So I went to have a blood test to test my oestrogen levels, and they confirmed that my levels were that of a menopausal woman! So i guess it’s working… !