Zoladex 3 monthly available but not PBS covered for women
I wanted to share something I recently learned as it might help ease the burden of regular monthly injections. I recently learned that the goserelin injections many of us have monthly are actually available in a 3 monthly dose (10.8mg). I was a really hopeful thinking this could significantly reduce the stress, time and cost that comes with needing to have an injection every 4 weeks. However, my Med Onc informed me that in Australia, the PBS doesn't subsidise the 3 monthly dose for women, although it does for men (prostate cancer). The reasoning given that there's `insufficient evidence of reliable suppression of serum oestradiol' in women. What doesn't make sense is that there is evidence suggesting otherwise. Recent research indicates that the 3 monthly dose is non-inferior to the monthly dose for pre-menopausal women with breast cancer in terms of ovarian suppression. For me, the monthly injections come with a real burden: financially - GP visits and medication add up every month time wise - frequent GP appointments and pharmacy trips take time out of the week. physically and emotionally - injection itself is painful, it's a large slow release implant into the abdominal subcutaneous tissue. The main alternative - surgical removal of the ovaries is obviously much more invasive and comes with it's own risks and long term consequences. Given that the 3 monthly option is already in use, clinically tested and could ease the burden for many of us, I would really like to see equal PBS access for women. I'm curious, has anyone else looked into this and how to go about taking action?
Letrozole / Zoladex Side Effects Hitting Hard
Hi there, I'm day 9 of Letrozole, and week 2 of my second Zoladex injection. The joint pain has hit, but my biggest challenge is fluid retention, especially in my legs. Sitting and standing are really hard, I can't bend my legs more than 90 degrees. I've tried lying with my feet elevated but to no apparent benefit. (both drugs' eviQ notes have edema as a side effect) Given it's Good Friday and everyone in my medical team is uncontactable, any clues on what I can do to alleviate or relieve this? Taking 2 hourly meds for the joint pain (panadol then nurofen) but this has no discernible impact on the swelling. Meant to be flying to Perth tonight to see my father - but worried and thinking I should cancel. Any advice? Kelly
Zoladex vs oophorectomy
I'm currently on Zoladex and have had four injections. Even though I'm 42 they make me feel as if I'm 82! The all over body joint aches, whilst not painful as such, is pretty constant. It's a side effect of Zoladex but I'm concerned that it will get worse when I start taking Exemestane. It's for this reason that I'm considering an oophorectomy as I don't want double the joint aches! My questions for those in a similar or the same situation as me, are: 1. Would you expect that after four injections I'm experiencing the full effects of Zoladex or is it early days? 2. How many injections did you have before deciding to have an oophorectomy? 3. Do you still have joint pain after having an oophorectomy (from the Exemestane)? 4. Do you regret having an oophorectomy? Thanks!
Zoladex experiences
Hi everyone. Just started tamoxifen this year and the plan was to start zoladex once my menstrual periods returned (I'm 34). But onco said we can fast track that and start the injections sooner rather than later (eventhough I still haven't a cycle since round 2 of AC chemo April 2019). Just dreading this injection and once again being a human pin cushion. Can anyone share their experiences with zoladex? Is it a big painful injection?
DIEP recon and Zoladex
Has anyone been on Zoladex injections before there DIEP surgery... where did you continue the injections in the month before and after surgery? Were you able to use Lupron instead? I am not a candidate for oopherectomy at my age, but my team can’t give me an answer yet about Zoladex injections. Surely I’m not the only young hormone positive BC patients on zoladex who has gone through DIEP....
Bone / Joints
Hi guys. Ive undergone breast conservation surgery followed by radiation and now on Zolodex injections and also Exemestane. Always have dull pain in the chest area, wondering if this is my new normal due to side effects of medication and surgery? Does anybody have similar? I also went for ultrasound of the area which came back clear and my bone scan 5 months ago was clear also. X
Is there anyone with little side effects for zoladex and A.I ? I only hear terrible things
Hi all, I am newly diagnosed 49 years old but still into decision making ,after 2 x lumpectomies no clear margins . I am HR /PR+ HER - multi focal Invasive Lobular BC , with node involvement. Due to my type, they are doing a double mastecomy/ recon and auxilliary node removal , no radiation, waiting onc to advise chemo ( usually does not respond well to this type of bc ), but mostly have been advised will have either ovary removal or ovary supression with zoladex and and Ai 10 years . I think I need to stop googling as all I am hearing is the horrible side effects of both ovary removal and or supression and Ai's . Is there anyone that has had experience not as horrific as I am reading? I am now terrified . I have a wonderful partner but only 9 months into it and terrified the side effects will ruin our relationship let alone all else . Please give me some positive experiences ? :( also which is better removal or supression ?
More scared now than before starting chemo
I haven't posted for a while, I got diagnosed in Jan 2018, had lumpectomy 23rd Jan and they also removed nodes. I finished my chemo 22nd June and start Radiotherapy 23rd July for 5 weeks, 5 days a week. My oncologist wants to start me on Zoladex injections this week and I'm really stressing myself out about them. I didn't feel this stressed out when I started my chemotherapy and if I'm honest i'm really scared. I'm not scared of the injection itself, I've been injecting myself twice a day with clexane since 24th Jan when I had a scan after surgery and had a clot on my lungs, that has gone now but I have to stay on the clexane until my radiotherapy has finished. I'm scared of all the side effects that comes with the injection and I don't think I want to start them. I'm going to see my GP on Saturday morning to discuss further, when my oncologist was talking to me about them I couldn't really take everything in. Has anyone else been on the Zoladex and is it as bad as I'm thinking or am I stressing myself out over nothing?