Zoladex/Prostap + Livial for Endometriosis

[Dying_Swan]

Hello.

Not sure if this is in the right place :blush: and not sure anyone will have any answers for me!

Anyway, worth a shot...

My Doctors want me to go onto monthly injections of Zoladex or Prostap to try to control my ovarian cysts without needing surgery right now. The side effects look horrific and I can't bear the thought of it....Hot flushes, fatigue, weight gain, depression, acne, osteoporosis etc etc.

These are drugs which put you into an artificial menopause. You can only be on them for 6 months due to the Osteoporosis, and then you have to stop (and probably have surgery). The idea is that you stop being menopausal then, although it does happen (rarely) that women never 'come back' from menopause.

I am really stuck for a decision here and in desperate need of advice! The options really are drugs or surgery. They think I will need surgery about once a year from now on, or once every 2 years if I agree to the drug treatment. Leaving them alone 'isn't an option' apparently....or they will grow and rupture as they did before, which is nasty. Surgery would be ok, but once a year isn't ideal....plus the more times they slice into my ovaries, the more damage it will do to my fertility :weep:

They've said they will give me Livial (Tibolone) as well, which is HRT. This is supposed to couteract the side effects, but I'm very dubious! Any experience? Anyone?

I've never been particularly 'drug-phobic', but I know that the side effects of this can be debilitating. Of course, not everyone experiences problems. The doctors don't understand that the thought of having fatigue, depression, hot flushes etc doesn't do wonders for panic disorder.....:weep:

I've posted all this in an Endometriosis forum too, but I was wondering if any of you good people here have any clues? Particularly from a panic point of view.....even those of you who have gone through a 'natural' menopause....do the effects make you more anxious?

Thanks guys!

xxx :flowers:

[Pink Panic]

Hi Swan,

Sorry that i can't give you much advice apart from that over 18 years ago i suffered from endmetriosis and was put on Danol (danazol) to stop my periods altogether. Like you i was horrified at the side effects even though at that time i didn't suffer with anxiety or was drug phobic like i am now..... as far as i can remember i don't think they were too bad. I was very worried about my fertility but went on to have two beautiful girls and also had another pregnancy which unfortunately failed.
Sorry if this isn't much help but sending you a hug :hugs:

Love
Pink
xxx

[Dying_Swan]

Awww Pink Panic thanks for replying!

It is reassuring to know that you didn't have too many problems with Danazol or having kids. So sorry to hear of the last pregnancy though :hugs:

Thanks again xxx :flowers:

[Pink Panic]

No probs ...... just glad to have been of some help.

:hugs:

[raphael]

I didnt have any probs i actually lost weight x

[Bill]

Hello swan,

I'm Very sorry that you're going through these problems Swan. :hugs:

I realise this may not be my place to offer my views but you've always been very kind to me so I want to try to help.

If my partner was faced with your situation I'd be saying that I feel their physical health should be the priority. I realise though that to have surgery more frequently could affect your fertility so you need to ask yourself how much you'd like to have children in the future. If you think you would like to have that chance then you ought to at least try the medications and see how you get on. Maybe the things you fear won't actually happen and even if they did, there are ways of sorting them.

I realise it's a very difficult decision to make and I sincerely hope things get better for you.:hugs: