HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - Zoladex is a pain more then I 1st thought.

Chelee · 10-07-2007, 06:36 PM

This post is really to share information I have found out by personal experience. I was put on Zoladex and Femara quite a while ago...then taken off of both. (Long story.) I just recently started back on Zoladex. The 1st time I was on Zoladex I was still doing my wkly herceptin & was on other meds including Femara. I had *alot* of edema in both of my lower legs, ankles & feet. Naturally I blamed it on the herceptin & the Femara.

Jump forward to now. I've been off herceptin & Zoladex about 7 months now. I haven't been on any other meds & I no longer had any edema. So two wks ago I got back on the Zoladex & I started noticing right away I was retaining alot of water! My lower legs, ankles & feet are swollen. Also my hands & fingers. My couple rings I wear won't fit anymore. My belly feels all bloated & I instantly gained 6 lbs since my Zoladex implant. I'v also noticed my hair thinning quite a bit which upsets me since it was finally looking good. Also my hair gets greasy really fast now. Also I've been much more tired.

So anyone out there that has wondered *why* their feet, ankles or lower legs might be swollen & thought it was the other meds they were on...that *might* not be the case if your on Zoladex. (I had NO idea Zoladex was to blame for all these things the 1st time I was on it since I was on herceptin & Femara. But its so obvious to me now. (Just sharing information in case it might be helpful.) Thanks to Zoladex...I have NOW had to go back on my Lasix & potassium to get rid of the edema. I didn't want to do that but I've had no choice. The things we have to do to battle this bc crap can sure be frustrating.

Chelee

10-07-2007, 06:36 PM	#1
Chelee Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Southern, CA Posts: 2,511	Zoladex is a pain more then I 1st thought. This post is really to share information I have found out by personal experience. I was put on Zoladex and Femara quite a while ago...then taken off of both. (Long story.) I just recently started back on Zoladex. The 1st time I was on Zoladex I was still doing my wkly herceptin & was on other meds including Femara. I had alot of edema in both of my lower legs, ankles & feet. Naturally I blamed it on the herceptin & the Femara. Jump forward to now. I've been off herceptin & Zoladex about 7 months now. I haven't been on any other meds & I no longer had any edema. So two wks ago I got back on the Zoladex & I started noticing right away I was retaining alot of water! My lower legs, ankles & feet are swollen. Also my hands & fingers. My couple rings I wear won't fit anymore. My belly feels all bloated & I instantly gained 6 lbs since my Zoladex implant. I'v also noticed my hair thinning quite a bit which upsets me since it was finally looking good. Also my hair gets greasy really fast now. Also I've been much more tired. So anyone out there that has wondered why their feet, ankles or lower legs might be swollen & thought it was the other meds they were on...that might not be the case if your on Zoladex. (I had NO idea Zoladex was to blame for all these things the 1st time I was on it since I was on herceptin & Femara. But its so obvious to me now. (Just sharing information in case it might be helpful.) Thanks to Zoladex...I have NOW had to go back on my Lasix & potassium to get rid of the edema. I didn't want to do that but I've had no choice. The things we have to do to battle this bc crap can sure be frustrating. Chelee __________________ DX: 12-20-05 - Stage IIIA, Her2/Neu, 3+++,Er & Pr weakly positive, 5 of 16 pos nodes. Rt. MRM on 1-3-06 -- No Rads due to compromised lungs. Chemo started 2-7-06 -- TCH - - Finished 6-12-06 Finished yr of wkly herceptin 3-19-07 3-15-07 Lt side prophylactic simple mastectomy. -- Ooph 4-05-07 9-21-09 PET/CT "Recurrence" to Rt. axllia, Rt. femur, ilium. Possible Sacrum & liver? Now stage IV. 9-28-09 Loading dose of Herceptin & started Zometa 9-29-09 Power Port Placement 10-24-09 Mass 6.4 x 4.7 cm on Rt. femur head. 11-19-09 RT. Femur surgery - Rod placed 12-7-09 Navelbine added to Herceptin/Zometa. 3-23-10 Ten days of rads to RT femur. Completed. 4-05-10 Quit Navelbine--Herceptin/Zometa alone. 5-4-10 Appt. with Dr. Slamon to see what is next? Waiting on FISH results from femur biopsy. Results to FISH was unsuccessful--this happens less then 2% of the time. 7-7-10 Recurrence to RT axilla again. Back to UCLA for options.