HT

Gulp! I’ve been on them 3.5 years and now you tell me. In fact I’ve got another one tomorrow at 7:45am

I’ll ask my nurse and report back tomorrow.

Wish me luck…

Interesting shahramahroyan ! I have just read the side-effects patient information leaflet and yes, reduced heart function or heart attack is classed as common in the list in the ‘may affect up to 1 in 10 people’ category. I hadn’t seen the leaflet and it has never been mentioned to me (I’m 14 months in to 3 years of Zoladex implants) so I was unaware. I presume that means ‘no more than 1 in 10 people’, which seems a bit vague as to the actual figure? I also spotted ‘blood clot in the lungs’ in the ‘unknown frequency’ list. About a month after the first Zoladex injection I ended up in hospital with just that…so I’m on anti-coags for life. It seemed quite a coincidence to me although the consultant wasn’t convinced Zoladex was the cause.

Apart from that, hot flushes, which occurred noticeably from about 7 months to 11 months, are the only side effect I can definitely attribute to Zoladex. Most days now there are none of those. Maybe slightly reduced energy too…?

I too will be interested in your other replies.

Hello Amplitude. 

Here we find something that needs sorting out in the big scheme of things.

You get a prescription for medication - you get it from the pharmacy and you read the patient information leaflet (PIL) and you are aware of the side effects.

You go for a hormone injection and you either take the unopened box you have collected from the pharmacy to the GP or they already have the injection at the surgery - either way you never see the patient information leaflet. You are totally unaware of any side effects or any other medication that could affect the HT injection.

As an aside yesterday I was in hospital for a colonoscopy - the nurse readout all the risks from the consent form - number 11 "small risk of death". 

In my view we all need to be aware of all our medication, what it's for, how to take it and any side effects. If you are in England get the NHS App and get full access to your medical records and take an interest in your test results and medication.

Best wishes - Brian.

i've been on it 7yrs no problems apart from the usual hot sweats etc !!!!!!

if you tolerate this o.k , they will probably put ur next dose up to 10.8 mg .

which will be every 12 weeks .

hope it goes o.k 

Hi shahramahroyan  I guess you are at a fairly early stage but don’t know anything about your diagnosis so can’t help.  I can say that I have had 38 x 12 weekly (10.8mg) Zoladex.  There are warnings on all drugs and sadly the option in this case is take it or leave it.  Without Zoladex I would be dead.  
I do suffer from AF (atrial fibrillation) but I had this before my cancer diagnosis.  Please come back if you want any more info or we can help in any way, tell us more about your own condition and we can be more focused on helping you.

We need to know not only what side effects going onto a medication can cause - but those of ceasing a medication too. I stopped Prostap in Dec, it should now be wearing off - to some degree.

I have since been experiencing heart rhythm problems and shortness of breath. My GP looking at my ECG trace said it looked like "Ectopic Beats". I have since discovered a Harvard University report which states: "Stopping prostate HT can...........increase the risk of abnormal heart rhythms, including ectopic beats".

A case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't" ???

Luckily, I do have some private health cover, have just had 7 day heart monitor on - waiting for the Cardiologist to come back to me.

Hi David I got diagnosed with a fib soon after hormone treatment began I wondered if it was linked, I have my first meeting with a cardiologist in a couple of weeks I've been on blood thinners and betablockers a year now can we ever get off them ? Sorry to jump on the HT post but this a fib thing does worry me a bit 

Hi moonrakerz & Mace I am looking to have an HT holiday and hadn’t factored impact of coming off HT giving problems.  I think this needs a separate thread.

To be truthful I forgot to ask about the side effects of Zoladex this morning, sorry.

The only thing I would say is, if you read the details on every drug you might be offered you would probably not accept any for consumption, if you are the few not the many, so it’s always up to the patient.

Good luck

I am with you on this - your side effects are close to mine.

It may be that I have some heart issues, but the small symptoms I have shown (mildly swollen ankles) are symptoms of other problems too.

I am 73 and fat, so that needs to be taken into consideration......

When I am looking at these things I need to remind myself of the other common side effect - not dying, or at least so quickly.

Keep smiling, and keep moving forward.