Lupron?

[disfan07]

Has anyone here ever been on Lupron before? My gynecologist wants me to try this to see if it helps with pain ive been having.

She's pretty sure I have endometriosis but she cant do the laporoscopy for the final diagnosis until december because of my schedule so she wants to try something in the meantime while we are waiting.

I had never heard of this medication before today so I was just wondering if anyone here has used it and did it work for you.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

Please do not take this medication, it is poison. Women taking Lupron for endometriosis reportedly suffer severe side effects including joint pain, numbness, memory loss, irregular heartbeat, suicidal depression, whole-body swelling, grand-mal seizures, hot flashes and headaches.

I am a stage III endometriosis sufferer. I have had excision surgery with a skilled physician who's only specialty is endometriosis. http://www.centerforendo.com/ I was living in Delaware at the time and actually traveled to Atlanta to meet with this specialist but there are others across the country.

The problem I've found is that the world of women's health has grown but one type doctor is still trying to treat it all. Kind of like how in the old old days (like Little House on the Prairie days) you had one town doctor that treated everybody and everything from ringworm to heart attacks to kidney failure. Now, we have specialists for the feet (podiatrists) and for the heart alone(cardiologists) and you get the point. Endometriosis is such a horrible disease to those who suffer with it but the good news is, there are specialist that just deal with this disease, kind of like how an oncologist just deal with cancer.

Do some research, find some endo support groups, get to know this drug and the people it's harmed but, please, don't take this drug!

Here is a news report featured on television about Lupron:
http://www.ktnv.com/global/story.asp?s=11417696 and here is part two of this story:
http://www.ktnv.com/global/story.asp?s=11430136

Hope this helps and peace to you on your journey to healing.

 

[wenrob]

I have been on Lupron for fertility treatments. My doc said to my DH, "Now you get to see what she'll be like during menopause." That's exactly what it's like. Night sweats, hot flashes, mood swings that easily veer into depression. Yeah, not pretty. I do suffer long term side effects from the fertility treatments. I can't say for sure it's just the Lupron but if you can use a safer alternative treatment that would be the advice I would give.

 

[tlbwriter]

I've been on Lupron twice. The first time was for fertility treatments. I had no side effects, and I did have a baby, so I consider that a rousing success.

The second time was in an attempt to shrink uterine fibroids. I took it for 5 months and had no serious side effects. It did work to some extent, but not enough. But it kept me from bleeding to death for 5 months, so again, I consider that a rousing success.

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

It is a very good drug. It was first used for men with Prostate Cancer, that is where I have experience as in using it to give the treatments. Then I heard that it was being used in fertility treatments and it does put you into menopause, therefore relieving your symptoms of Endometriosis.

I haven't heard of anyone having any symptoms other than those normally present with menopause and since it is temporary, I think I could deal with that more easily than Endo pain.

Suzanne

 

[luvwinnie]

it was HELL for me...it puts you into a drug-induced menopause...so you it's like WHAM you're in menopause with all the horrible effects. I had hot flashes so bad I would try to wedge my body into the freezer (I was 22 at the time) and my eyes felt like someone put sand in them. The MOOD SWINGS were horrible...i felt homicidal. I also experienced short-term memory loss.

 

[wendinator]

I was on Lupron for 3 months and echo all the other negative opinions of it. My surgeon put me on it prior to surgery for fibroids. I wish I'd listened to my family doctor who said she felt that the side effects were too great for the small benefit derived. In the end I'm not convinced that there was any merit to me being on it. (I don't think it affected the outcome of my surgery one way or the other.)

If you have any other options besides Lupron, I'd encourage you to explore them.

Your mileage may vary...

 

[ilovejack02]

I was on Lupron recently for 6 months. I have endometriosis also. Worked out ok for me, but yes does put you into menopause.

Because I had been having issues with endometriosis and ovarian cysts and horrible hormonal issues , this actually evened my mood swings out completely . Hubby said it was like living with another person, I was in one even mood all the time.
Menopause effects everyone differently , but for the most part it isnt fun. I knew what I was getting myself into though so I wasn't surprised at the unpleasant side effects. A baby was more important to me than sleep at the time. : )
Sleep was rough, started ambien and yes hot flashes, they weren't fun but nothing I couldn't get through.

It did help , my cysts were smaller by end of treatment. I could have gone longer, but I am the one that cut it off . We decided no more children so no need to go through all of the meds, all will be removed soon. I am now on birth control awaiting surgery, I could have had it sooner but hubby had to recover from rotator cuff surgery and had to wait for parents to be home to take care of child while hubby
taking care of me.

I really can't see how it will help you though before Dec. It takes a least a month for the meds to kick in from what my dr. told me. I would think in your case, explore other options.

 

[CF'er]

I was also on it for fertility reasons.... hell on earth. But I did get pregnant. Would I take it again.... not sure.

 

[happily single]

Maybe a little off-topic, but how does a drug that puts you into menopause help with infertility?

 

[wenrob]

Maybe a little off-topic, but how does a drug that puts you into menopause help with infertility?

It stops your cycle so you can then take control of everything is the simplest explanation.

 

[I loveStitchnippyjon]

I took Lupron for three months trying to shrink my fibroids while waiting for my hysterectomy. My only problem with it were hot flashes only in my head! Honestly, suddenly I felt as though my brain was going to melt! Fortunately, the intense flashes only lasted 5 minutes each, and I had maybe 2 or 3 per day. Really not all that terrible.

 

[ForTheLoveofDisney]

it was HELL for me...it puts you into a drug-induced menopause...so you it's like WHAM you're in menopause with all the horrible effects. I had hot flashes so bad I would try to wedge my body into the freezer (I was 22 at the time) and my eyes felt like someone put sand in them. The MOOD SWINGS were horrible...i felt homicidal. I also experienced short-term memory loss.

I was on Lupron for 3 months and echo all the other negative opinions of it. My surgeon put me on it prior to surgery for fibroids. I wish I'd listened to my family doctor who said she felt that the side effects were too great for the small benefit derived. In the end I'm not convinced that there was any merit to me being on it. (I don't think it affected the outcome of my surgery one way or the other.)

If you have any other options besides Lupron, I'd encourage you to explore them.

Your mileage may vary...

And the scary thing that they're finding with this drug is that some of the side-effects become permanent once you've stopped taking the drug.

 

[clutter]

I've been on it. It wasn't pretty, as I was just plain cranky, well, really it was worse than that. Now that I'm approaching menopause, my GYN and I have agreed that I will take hrt if I begin to feel that way again. A good friend took it and had hot flashes. She thought they were her only symptom. But, when she had to go on it again, just a small dose for and IVF, her admin quit. She said "I'm not going back there" to her boss' best friend.

That said, talk to your GYN again. I've held my endo in check for YEARS (9 before my dd, 12 since) by taking birth control pills constantly. No break: no period: no pain. If you can take BCPs, it's a far safer alternative. And if your dr seems hesitant, then find one that specializes in Endo.

p.s. what is she planning for you to do if the lap is positive for endo?

 

[ilovejack02]

And the scary thing that they're finding with this drug is that some of the side-effects become permanent once you've stopped taking the drug.

It takes a cpl of months for it to get out of your system for sure ! I am still having issues sleeping, but I think it actually started before I was on lupron due to the swinging hormones because cysts were making my cycles crazy.

I will say while on it, my pain from cysts were completely gone. It was soo nice not to have to take any pain meds.

I really think in the ops case that this isn't the way to go. She wont be on it long enough to possibly get any benefits since she is having surgery in Dec.

I have been on constant birth control for 7 months, it was been great, had one period at the end of 4 months, over in about 5 days which is a record for me. I was at 10 and 12 days with constant pain and a once or twice an er visit due to rupture. If I wouldn't have been so stubborn about not wanting to be on pill I could have ended this stupid cycle years and years ago.

Not much longer though, soon all will be gone wooo hoooo!

 

[caborst]

I was on Lupron for 6 months after my hysterectomy to try to kill off the remaining endo implants that could not be removed surgically. The side effects are nasty, the joint pain is bad and in some cases are permanent. The potential benefits in your case do not come close to outweighing the potential side effects. I'm sure many people have used it without serious side effects, but many users have permanent damage.

 

[Daisy&Max]

I've been on it twice, the first time for 6 mo and the 2nd for 9 months. The only side effect I had was the hot flashes. I loved not having a period for those months. Mine was for endo also and it really did help my endo. I never had any joint pain (other than the arthritis I've had for many more years than I had before the Lupron) I wanted to stay on it permanently but my doc wouldn't let me. So now i'm on Depo Provera and I have more side effects of it than I ever did with the Lupron.

Good luck to the OP!

Daisy

 

[quentina]

Has anyone here ever been on Lupron before? My gynecologist wants me to try this to see if it helps with pain ive been having.

She's pretty sure I have endometriosis but she cant do the laporoscopy for the final diagnosis until december because of my schedule so she wants to try something in the meantime while we are waiting.

I had never heard of this medication before today so I was just wondering if anyone here has used it and did it work for you.

I have, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I had serious endiometrious (SP??). It was either level 4 or 5. I had a horrible time for years. Went on this, amazing. Only side effect I had was one hair that would grow out of my cheek after each shot. My gyno did say that I was the poster child for the drug. I was on this for 4 or 5 shots. Eventually, I did end up with a full hysterectomy...I thank the higher beings for this every day. Life is now so enjoyable.

I will add, if you google, it has terrible reviews and side effects. I just want to caution that most people write the negative, few do positive comments. At my gyno, I spoke to 4 or 5 women who were as happy as me and 4 or 5 that couldn't sleep due to the side effects (even mix). The ones who were suffering did get the issues under control however; you need to take more meds to do that.

I cannot say a bad thing about Lupron. I would still be on it if things weren't so bad that required removal.

Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!

 

[Daisy&Max]

go to hystersisters.com. They have lots of people on it and so you will get many more responses and some other options if you want to research it.

Daisy

 

[disfan07]

Thanks everyone. We decided not to do it. We are just going to keep me on continous birth control for the next 3 months with the hope stopping my periods will at least keep cysts from developing and relieve at least some of the pain and that I wont need anymore pain meds anytime soon.