Ovary shutdown medical surgical or not?
Hi everyone, Diagnosed last year with ER positive bc. T1 but grade 3 so lumpectomy, chemo followed by radiotherapy. Got through everything pretty well. Some side effects but most are gone. Got my per...
Forum Discussion
Hi @Sheera,
I'm 7 months into 12 months of Zoladex injections (1 per month) to shut down my ovaries. Very hormone receptive BC. I am 55 but still had my period prior to BC diagnosis (November 2019). Probably why I got BC, plus Mum had it too (but I don't know the pathology of her BC). My Oncotype DX score was 20. No chemo, but I have to do endocrine therapy for sure. Mum had two recurrences and succumbed to BC in 2001, aged 72. She was on Tamoxifen. Aromatase Inhibitors have since been introduced to the treatment options for postmenopausal women. I was diagnosed at around the same age as she was, so I know I have to do what the doctors order, but I can't help being stroppy about it. :|
I tried Tamoxifen but then ended up with endometrial thickening. I had day surgery Hysteroscopy with Dilation and Curettage (D&C) and am seeing the gynecologist soon. I presume the pathology was OK and that they would have called me in sooner if there was anything sinister. I'm now on Letrozole instead of Tamoxifen.
I will be asking the gynecologist - why Zoladex instead of oophorectomy in older or post childbearing women, and why not hysterectomy - one less thing to go wrong and develop cancer in the future?
The Zoladex injections aren't too bad. You get used to it.
I hope my story helps you with your decision-making. All the best. L x
I'm 7 months into 12 months of Zoladex injections (1 per month) to shut down my ovaries. Very hormone receptive BC. I am 55 but still had my period prior to BC diagnosis (November 2019). Probably why I got BC, plus Mum had it too (but I don't know the pathology of her BC). My Oncotype DX score was 20. No chemo, but I have to do endocrine therapy for sure. Mum had two recurrences and succumbed to BC in 2001, aged 72. She was on Tamoxifen. Aromatase Inhibitors have since been introduced to the treatment options for postmenopausal women. I was diagnosed at around the same age as she was, so I know I have to do what the doctors order, but I can't help being stroppy about it. :|
I tried Tamoxifen but then ended up with endometrial thickening. I had day surgery Hysteroscopy with Dilation and Curettage (D&C) and am seeing the gynecologist soon. I presume the pathology was OK and that they would have called me in sooner if there was anything sinister. I'm now on Letrozole instead of Tamoxifen.
I will be asking the gynecologist - why Zoladex instead of oophorectomy in older or post childbearing women, and why not hysterectomy - one less thing to go wrong and develop cancer in the future?
The Zoladex injections aren't too bad. You get used to it.
I hope my story helps you with your decision-making. All the best. L x