Zoladex versus oopherectomy side effects ?

[lia]

Hi everyone , I ve not posted for a while but still read all the posts . I finished herceptin last october and am now on 3 monthly zoladex and arimidex which seems to be going well. I feel much better in terms of joint / bone aches since finishing my year of herceptin and much less 'foggy' brain wise ! The menopausal symptoms ( you know the ones I mean ! ) are about the same although the hot flushes are much less frequent . I am seeing a gyn. consultant about an oopherectomy next monday , partly to avoid more zoladex and partly because of a family history of ovarian and breast cancer, and am wondering what to expect in terms of effects of the oopherectomy ? I have no doubts about whether this is the right thing but am a bit anxious about the possibility of more hot flushes and worse .. ! Any thoughts would be much appreciated ! Incidentally zoladex / lupron ? is fine , as is arimidex ..... in case anyone is reading this and wondering ! thanks !!

[sassy]

Hey Lia,

I finished Herceptin last month and have been on Arimidex and Lupron for a little over a year. I am wondering which side effects may now subside. Will probably be on Armidex forever and Lupron for a good while. What side effects are you having from either of these?

I asked my onc last week about possiblity of oopherectomy now and he told me Lupron is showing to have even more benefits for HER2s than previously known. Additional suppression benefits besides hormonal. This was information he got at San Antonio last month. So Lupron will continue for me.

Hope others can give you some info on side effects of oopherectomy. I'm fairly certain Becky had one.
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[Becky]

Hi Lia


I cannot comment on ovarian suppression versus oophorectomy but I can comment on oophorectomy (and the SABCS presentation that Sassy is referencing). I had no problem with oophorectomy (ie: hot flashes) but my mother had no hot flashes when she went through it naturally. However, both my mom and me experienced bladder infections. This can be a menopausal side effect (thinning of the vaginal wall and bladder wall). It was worse for me than her since natural menopause is gradual and oophorectomy causes abrupt menopause. I have no regrets because ovarian cancer runs on my dad's side and I really wanted to take the Herceptin/Arimidex combo (and not take other chemicals like Zoladex or Lupron to do so). The operation is a breeze to have and recover from. Also, I gained no weight or had any other problems - including libido (with the exception of the bladder infections which, after almost 16 months, is well under control).

As far as Lupron as suppression - the positive WAS NOT that it suppresses other things. It is that it is better to be postmenopausal than premenopausal in regard to recurrence of hormone positive breast cancer. It does not matter how you get there, just that you do. That was the jist of this presentation - inducing menopause in premenopausal women (the actual presentation should be available on SABCS soon.

I hope this helps.