How long does zoladex take to work

It may also be possible to use a coil IUD or intrauterine device. However, you would need to discuss this with your specialist as not all types are suitable for women with breast cancer. Like any drug, goserelin can cause side effects. Everyone reacts differently to drugs and some people have more side effects than others. The most common side effects of goserelin are menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes , night sweats , vaginal dryness , mood changes and a decrease in libido sex drive. Although these symptoms may be quite intense in the beginning, they usually improve over time.

After goserelin has been given, you may notice an area of redness or bruising at the injection site, but this should disappear within a few hours.

Occasionally, bruising may be there for a few days. Some women notice a change in their breast size. Acne spots is another commonly reported side effect that can appear on any part of the body. Less common side effects include headaches and tingling in fingers and toes. Some women have also reported weight gain, tiredness and nausea feeling sick.

Some people experience low mood or depression. Talk to your GP or treatment team about how to manage a change in mood. Counselling, mindfulness and regular exercise can be helpful. Your GP or specialist can refer you for counselling or may suggest you take an antidepressant drug. Your breast care nurse may also be able to help or tell you about support services in your local area. During the first month of treatment you may have some vaginal bleeding caused by the withdrawal of the hormone oestrogen.

When first starting goserelin treatment, some people notice joint pain and stiffness. This is due to the reduced oestrogen levels and usually improves over time. It can usually be relieved with mild pain relief like paracetamol or an anti-inflammatory drug such as ibuprofen. Before using anti-inflammatory pain relief, ask your treatment team about the correct dose, how long you should use it for and any possible side effects, especially if you have a stomach ulcer or asthma.

Goserelin can sometimes cause hair thinning. This is usually mild. Some people also report a mild skin rash. Changes in blood pressure may occur. Lack of oestrogen over a long period of time can cause thinning of the bones osteoporosis.

Your treatment team may suggest a DEXA dual energy X-ray absorptiometry scan to check bone mineral density before you start goserelin.

In rare cases some people with secondary breast cancer may have a temporary increase in the level of calcium in the blood.

This can cause symptoms such as nausea, vomiting being sick , constipation or drowsiness. If you experience any of these symptoms, contact your treatment team. Your treatment team and breast care nurse can help with any questions you have. You can also call us free on our Helpline for information and support.

On our online Forum , you can find people going through treatment at the same time as you. This was followed by an endometrial ablation. In addition to the uses listed above, Zoladex may be used off-label for other uses. Uterine fibroids are noncancerous growths in the walls of the uterus.

Some women who have uterine fibroids have symptoms such as heavy menstrual bleeding and pain in their uterus. The American Academy of Family Physicians recommends Zoladex as an option to decrease fibroid size before a surgery to remove them. Zoladex blocks the hormones that cause menstruation, which may help relieve symptoms of PMDD. The International Society for Premenstrual Disorders states that Zoladex and other drugs in the same drug class may be options for short-term treatment of PMDD for some women.

You may wonder how Zoladex compares with other medications that are prescribed for similar uses. Here we look at how Zoladex and Lupron Depot are alike and different. Although they contain different active drugs, Zoladex and Lupron Depot work in the same way. They both block production of certain hormones, including estrogen and testosterone.

Both medications lower levels of these hormones in the blood. Zoladex and Lupron Depot are used as palliative treatments to help ease symptoms such as bone pain and trouble urinating.

Lupron Depot is also approved to treat uterine leiomyomata fibroids, which are noncancerous growths. Specifically, Lupron Depot is used along with iron therapy to help improve anemia low iron in the blood in people with this condition.

Both Zoladex and Lupron Depot must be given by a healthcare provider, but the medications come in different forms. Lupron Depot comes as a suspension liquid.

A healthcare provider gives it as an injection into the muscle intramuscular of your buttocks, shoulder, or thigh. You may receive a Lupron Depot injection every 1, 3, 4, or 6 months. Although Zoladex and Lupron Depot contain different drugs, they work in similar ways. Therefore, these medications can cause some similar and some different side effects. Below are examples of these side effects. These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur when treating prostate cancer with Zoladex, with Lupron Depot, or with both drugs when taken individually.

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur when treating prostate cancer with Zoladex, with Lupron Depot, or with both drugs when taken individually. A retroactive study was done to compare Zoladex with Lupron Depot in men with advanced prostate cancer. Specifically, the researchers compared men who received Zoladex with men who received Lupron Depot.

The goal was to see if either medication was better at lowering a hormone called testosterone to castration levels. In the study, there was no difference in the results between men who received Zoladex and those received Lupron Depot.

Zoladex and Lupron Depot are both brand-name drugs. There are currently no generic forms of either drug. Brand-name medications usually cost more than generics.

According to estimates on WellRx. But this may vary based on how often you receive Lupron Depot. Other drugs are available that can treat your condition. Some may be a better fit for you than others.

They can tell you about other medications that may work well for you. Note: Some of the drugs listed here are used off-label to treat these specific conditions. Examples of other drugs that may be used for the palliative treatment of advanced breast cancer include:. Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat endometriosis include:.

Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat prostate cancer include:. Examples of other drugs that may be used to treat advanced prostate cancer include:. Like Lupron Depot above , the drug tamoxifen Soltamox has uses similar to those of Zoladex. Zoladex contains the active drug goserelin. Tamoxifen itself is the active ingredient in tamoxifen. Zoladex works by blocking the production of certain hormones, including estrogen and testosterone.

Tamoxifen works in a different manner. Tamoxifen blocks the effects of estrogen, including growth in breast tissue. Zoladex and tamoxifen are both used to treat breast cancer but contain different drugs. These lists contain examples of mild side effects that can occur with Zoladex, with tamoxifen, or with both drugs when taken individually when treating breast cancer.

These lists contain examples of serious side effects that can occur with Zoladex, with tamoxifen, or with both drugs when taken individually. Zoladex is a brand-name drug. Tamoxifen is a generic medication. The usual recommended dosage of Zoladex for the palliative treatment of breast cancer is a 3.

The usual recommended dosage of Zoladex for endometriosis is a 3. The usual recommended dose of Zoladex for prostate cancer is a 3. After 28 days, this should be followed by a The usual recommended dosage of Zoladex for palliative treatment of advanced prostate cancer is a 3. Another option is a Your doctor may want you to have another implant inserted to continue treatment.

The Zoladex implant is designed to release the drug for a few days beyond 28 days. Zoladex is meant to be used as a long-term treatment. The healthcare professional will pinch the skin of your belly, insert a needle, and inject the Zoladex implant. If you have questions about taking other drugs while using Zoladex, talk with your doctor. However, you should still check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any of these products while taking Zoladex.

If you have questions about eating certain foods while taking Zoladex, speak with your doctor. Zoladex is a type of hormone therapy that works by reducing the levels of sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone in your blood. This is different from the way chemotherapy drugs such as docetaxel Taxotere and doxorubicin Doxil work.

Chemotherapy drugs destroy cells in the body that grow rapidly, including cancer cells. But chemotherapy drugs also destroy other rapidly growing cells. These include blood cells, cells lining the intestines and mouth, and hair follicles sacs under your skin that hold the roots of your hair. This is why chemotherapy drugs can cause many different side effects throughout the body.

Your doctor may recommend chemotherapy by itself or with hormone therapy to treat advanced breast cancer and prostate cancer. Zoladex may be used with chemotherapy for breast cancer. Zoladex may stay in your system for up to 12 weeks. The Zoladex implant is designed to dissolve over time. By 28 days, the implant is nearly gone, and all the medication has nearly been used up.

However, in clinical studies , it took up to 12 weeks after the last implant was inserted for hormone levels to return to normal. In people with cancer, the tumors may grow after they stop using Zoladex. This could cause a return of previous symptoms, such as bone pain or trouble urinating. Women who take Zoladex should find that their regular menstrual periods return within 2 to 3 months after stopping treatment.

For some people, a Zoladex injection can be painful. The site is the area where Zoladex is placed. They may be able to suggest how you can be more comfortable. Clinical studies have shown that using hormone replacement therapy with Zoladex may help ease certain symptoms of Zoladex, such as hot flushes. The use of hormone therapy to treat cancer is based on the observation that receptors for specific hormones that are needed for cell growth are on the surface of some tumor cells.

Hormone therapy can work by stopping the production of a certain hormone, blocking hormone receptors, or substituting chemically similar agents for the active hormone, which cannot be used by the tumor cell. LHRH agonists work by telling the pituitary gland located in the brain to stop producing luteinizing hormone, which in men stimulates the testicles to release testosterone and in women stimulates the ovaries to release estrogen.

The drug does not have a direct effect on the cancer, only on the testicles or ovaries. The resulting lack of testosterone in men and estrogen in women interferes with stimulating cell growth in testosterone or estrogen dependent cancer cells.

In treatment of prostate cancer LHRH agonists are often used together with anti-androgen medications. Anti-androgens are substances that block the effects of testosterone. Cancer of the prostate depends on the male hormone testosterone for its growth. If the amount of testosterone is reduced it is possible to slow down or shrink the cancer. Note: We strongly encourage you to talk with your health care professional about your specific medical condition and treatments.