Zoladex or Ovaries removed???

If you had the choice, what would you choose, zoladex injections or surgery to have your ovaries removed??

What a difficult decision. I've done both, so here is my view and if I could go back what my decision would be.

So, we know that both procedures will put us into menopause. I don't think the symptoms of menopause are any worse for either option. I was having zoladex injections for 2 years. That is, every 4 weeks an injection in my tummy, yes it hurts a little depending on the person injecting it. I had my injections at the cancer centre at the hospital, so each time I had the injection it was a different nurse.
I wasn't given the option of surgery to remove my ovaries, not until I had a recurrence in September. I had my ovaries removed in October, 2015. Whilst I had a few complications, I think that was the best decision for me. I feel healthier than I have for some time. Yes, I still get the menopause symptoms and there is not much I can do about that. One very important detail I learned from my gyno was that you should only be on zoladex for 6 months at a time because of the damage it can do to your body, particularly your bones, zoladex can cause osteoperosis. Something I wasn't aware of. I am yet to have any bone scans or checks on my bones to see if there is any permanent damage but yes I suffered from bone pain with zoladex and I continue to get some pain now.

So, if you are given the choice, think hard, if you are definitely finished having children maybe the surgery is the way to go for you, but if you are wanting children then perhaps you should have zoladex injections, because that is not a permanent procedure.

Tamoxifen and Zoladex

I was on tamoxifen and zoladex for two and a half years. My belief was that both of those together would stop any recurrence, especially a recurrence of the same er+ pr+ breast cancer. After all, tamoxifen is used to block or kill any cells and zoladex puts my ovaries to sleep, so I will be producing little to no estrogen. For two and a half years I was in menopause, hot flashes, the works. I was safe, at least from getting breast cancer again, maybe I would get a secondary cancer but it wouldn't return in my breasts, right? WRONG.
Apparently, there is only a 4% chance of a recurrence or being diagnosed with breast cancer in the other breast when on this treatment . I am in that 4%.
My point, if you are on this treatment, keep checking your breasts, don't think that this treatment will stop your chances of getting breast cancer again. It does lower your chances, yes, but it doesn't stop the cancer from coming back. Be and stay vigilant.


Tamoxifen and Zoladex (chemical name: goserelin) are hormonal therapy medicines used to lower the risk of breast cancer coming back (recurrence) in premenopausal women diagnosed with early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer. A study found that tamoxifen and Zoladex work about the same to lower the risk of breast cancer coming back.

Estrogen can make hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers grow. Hormonal therapy medicines treat hormone-receptor-positive breast cancers in two ways:

by blocking the action of estrogen in the body
by lowering the amount of estrogen in the body

Life Without Ovaries

So, for the past two and a half years I have been in what they call 'medically induced menopause'. I have been on tamoxifen and have had zoladex injections every 4 weeks. The zoladex puts my ovaries to sleep. The whole reason for this treatment was to lower or stop the production of estrogen in my body. As my breast cancer was estrogen positive. Having my ovaries removed was not an option I was given. That was until my recent recurrence - also estrogen positive breast cancer. I had my ovaries removed two weeks ago. Tomorrow I will see my gyno for any results. The surgery wasn't as easy as what I had expected. I had a few complications and oh so much pain. Apparently, I had a lot adhesions due to a previous cesarean and they had to be removed so the surgeon could get to my ovaries.
I have been in menopause for the past two years. I also have medication to help relieve those symptoms. Efexor. Unfortunately, that stopped working for me a long time ago. I get all the not so wonderful symptoms of menopause. Instead of feeling like a 45 year old I now feel more like 75.
Since having my ovaries removed I had a brake from the sweats and hot flushes for the first week. I couldn't walk straight and I was in pain but at least I wasn't sweating. Roll on last Saturday and I woke early in the morning dripping wet like I had been sleep walking and had a shower. Most of the day was spent with my body overheating. Sweating was out of control and hit with no warning. Luckily for me I had no where to go. So, I hid inside my house, sweating and hot flushing all day. The flushes were so strong that I also had nausea. What a rotten day.
Just as I am thinking, this will be my life now. I doubt there is any other medication out there that I can take to help with my menopause, everything has stopped again.No hot flushes or sweats since Saturday. I have a feeling that at the moment I am on a roller-coaster ride, not able to get off. Hopefully, the ride will stop soon and let me get off and leave my menopause symptoms behind.

Breast Cancer Treatment - The nasty Zoladex Injections

What is Zoladex??

Zoladex (goserelin acetate) Implant 3.6 mg is used in men to treat symptoms of prostate cancer, and in women to treat breast cancer or endometriosis. It is also used in women to prepare the lining of the uterus for endometrial ablation (a surgery to correct abnormal uterine bleeding).
If you are on zoladex implants as part of your treatment then you will be familiar with the not so wonderful side effects. Let's start with the more serious side effects-

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

back pain, severe numbness or tingling in your legs or feet;
muscle weakness, problems with balance or coordination;
loss of bladder or bowel control;
urinating less than usual or not at all;
pain or burning when you urinate;
blood in your urine or stools;
feeling like you might pass out;
trouble breathing;
pale skin, easy bruising;
nausea, loss of appetite, increased thirst, muscle weakness, confusion, and feeling tired or restless;
high blood sugar (increased thirst, increased urination, hunger, dry mouth, fruity breath odor, drowsiness, dry skin, blurred vision, weight loss);
sudden numbness or weakness, sudden severe headache, confusion, problems with vision or speech; or
chest pain or heavy feeling, pain spreading to the arm or shoulder, nausea, sweating, general ill feeling.

Less serious side effects may include:

hot flashes, sweating, headache, dizziness;
mood changes, increased or decreased interest in sex;
vaginal dryness, itching, or discharge;
impotence, fewer erections than normal;
breast swelling or tenderness;
bone pain;
diarrhea, constipation;
sleep problems (insomnia); or
acne, mild skin rash or itching.

Yes, yes and yes. and let's add to that list tiredness.

What is it used for ?
Zoladex prevents the production of certain types of hormones in the body. It is used to treat prostate or breast cancers which are sensitive to hormones. It is not suitable for children or for treating cancers which are not sensitive to hormones. Zoladex is also used in women who are having surgery or other procedures to treat uterine fibroids or other uterine problems. Zoladex is also used to treat endometriosis or as part of a programme of fertility treatment in women.

Zoladex is an implant – it will be implanted by a healthcare professional. The person responsible for giving you your medicine will make sure that you get the right dose.

Some people will have zoladex injections every twenty eight days for two years. Others, like me will have them evry twenty eight days for five years.