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Old 06-18-2015, 09:09 AM   #1
kimsmo
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Unhappy Zolodex

I have surgery scheduled for August to remove my ovaries, since I'm ER+ and my oncologist wants to put me on Arimidex. In the meantime, he wants me to begin Zolodex injections to shut down my ovaries.

Has anyone had these injections before? For some reason, I'm really nervous about it. They apparently have to inject you in the stomach. Am I just being a whimp? I've had hundreds of injections over the past 2-1/2 years; maybe I'm just getting tired of getting stuck with needles . . .
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December 28, 2012: Dx Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, ER+, PR-, HER2+++
January 23, 2013: Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. 3.5 cm tumor. Surprise 2nd tumor found as well. Sentinal lymph node biopsy clear (which is good). Margins not clear, so will have to have radiation.
February 27 - May 1, 2013: Four rounds of AC
May 22 - July 22: Weekly Taxol, Herceptin every three weeks. Taxol discontinued a few weeks early due to neuropathy. Herceptin will continue every three weeks through May 2014.
August 26 - October 3: Six weeks of daily radiation.
September 4, 2013: Hair, eyelashes and eyebrows start growing back!
October 14, 2013: Returned to full-time work, and started Tamoxifen the same week.
November 19, 2013: Expanders out, implants planted - so much more comfortable! Returned to work two days later! (crazy)
Herceptin is causing poor Muga results (left ventrical function decreased from 78% to 53%). Echocardiogram good, though, so we're continuing with Herceptin and regular echocardiograms.
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Old 06-18-2015, 01:00 PM   #2
tricia keegan
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Re: Zolodex

I haven't had these shots but did have other injections in my stomach, one of the nurses gave me a tip to relax the tummy muscles as much as possible (hard as that is) but she was right and I didn't feel a thing. I think she explained it's only when the muscles are tight that you feel any discomfort. I also had an ooph for the same reasons as you and it was the easiest surgery ever and recovery was quick, I had no regrets and finished eight years of Arimidex last summer, good luck!
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Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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Old 06-18-2015, 02:28 PM   #3
kimsmo
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Smile Re: Zolodex

That is such a relief; thanks for the quick response! I'm feeling nervous about the ooph as well, so that makes me feel much better. You'd think I'd be a pro at this; it's weird that I'm worried. I've had a bunch of surgeries and invasive procedures since being diagnosed, and I generally haven't felt concerned about the procedures themselves (just about the biopsy and test results). Maybe I'm just getting tired of the pre-op/post-op routine. My veins are in poor shape, so it's difficult to start the IV, and it seems to take me longer and longer to recover afterwards. Hopefully this will be it for a while.
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December 28, 2012: Dx Invasive Ductal Carcinoma, ER+, PR-, HER2+++
January 23, 2013: Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction. 3.5 cm tumor. Surprise 2nd tumor found as well. Sentinal lymph node biopsy clear (which is good). Margins not clear, so will have to have radiation.
February 27 - May 1, 2013: Four rounds of AC
May 22 - July 22: Weekly Taxol, Herceptin every three weeks. Taxol discontinued a few weeks early due to neuropathy. Herceptin will continue every three weeks through May 2014.
August 26 - October 3: Six weeks of daily radiation.
September 4, 2013: Hair, eyelashes and eyebrows start growing back!
October 14, 2013: Returned to full-time work, and started Tamoxifen the same week.
November 19, 2013: Expanders out, implants planted - so much more comfortable! Returned to work two days later! (crazy)
Herceptin is causing poor Muga results (left ventrical function decreased from 78% to 53%). Echocardiogram good, though, so we're continuing with Herceptin and regular echocardiograms.
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Old 06-18-2015, 02:35 PM   #4
tricia keegan
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Re: Zolodex

Glad I could help a little, good luck and I'm sure you'll be fine!
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Tricia
Dx July '05 IDC 1.9cm Triple positive 3/9 nodes positive
A/C X 4 ..Taxol/Herceptin x 12 wks then herceptin 1 yr
Rads x 36 ..oophorectomy August '06
Currently taking Arimidex..
June 2011 osteopenia/ zometa x1 yearly- stopped Zometa 2015 as Dexa show normal bone density.
Stopped Arimidex July 2014- Restarted Arimidex 2015 for a further two years on the advice of my Onc.
2014 Normal Dexa scan
2018 Mammo all clear, still NED!
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Old 06-18-2015, 02:55 PM   #5
Becky
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Re: Zolodex

I had an ooph too and it was so easy and an easy recovery. You will do fine.
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Kind regards

Becky

Found lump via BSE
Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45
1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side)
2 micromets to sentinel node
Stage 2A
left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg
lumpectomies 9/7/04
4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol
Used Leukine instead of Neulasta
35 rads on right side only
4/05 started Tamoxifen
Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to
trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations
Oophorectomy 8/05
Started Arimidex 9/05
Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06
Arimidex Only
Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia

NED 18 years!

Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"
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Old 06-19-2015, 07:58 AM   #6
Camiddendorf
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Re: Zolodex

I am a nurse and have given lots of injections in the abdomen. One that typically burns is Heparin. To ease the discomfort, I would put a little ice over the area I was going to inject and this helped significantly. I also injected it SLOWLY so the tissues could better absorb and this seemed to help as well. Saying all of this, I think part of the unease is due to the location of the injection which is certainly understandable!!!!
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Old 06-19-2015, 01:35 PM   #7
Lien
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Re: Zolodex

Hi, I was on it for 5 years and didn't find it to be much of a problem. The time-release capsules look quite large, but I actually hardly felt them usually. At least, when the right doc was doing the shots. And the times when I did feel them, it was over in a sec. so not much of a problem. Really, I'd much rather have these shots than chemo!

After the 5 years, my periods returned, even though I was over 50 at the time, which was a bummer. I'll be 56 tomorrow and they have stopped about two years ago, I think. I decided against the ooph because my tumor was tiny and my risk of recurrence seemed small.

I am tall and skinny with low bone density, so I figured a bit of hormones wouldn't be so bad for my bones. But we are all different and we have to make our own choices. I've heard the ooph is a breeze. So you won't have to have 5 years of Zoladex shots, like I did ;-))

I'm sure you'll do fine with these shots. Oh, and one time the needle hit a vein and I had a huge bruise on my stomach. Didn't hurt though, and I just waited for it to go away. So if that happens, don't freak out.

Hope you breeze through your treatments too and never, ever have to deal with cancer again.

Jacqueline
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Diagnosed age 44, January 2004, 0.7 cm IDC & DCIS. Stage 1, grade 3, ER/PR pos. HER2 pos. clear margins, no nodes. SNB. 35 rads. On Zoladex and Armidex since Dec. 2004. Stopped Zoladex/Arimidex sept 2009 Still taking mistletoe shots (CAM therapy) Doing fine.
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