bad reaction to 4-month lupron shot

powder
powder Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Dear Friends,
Has anyone had experience with receiving a 4-month dose (via injection) of Lupron and having a bad reaction? I had a lumpectomy, chemo, radiation, went into menopause during chemo, came out months later, and now the oncologist wants to suppress my periods using Lupron. I had a couple of one month shots and the 2nd shot stopped my periods. I then got the 4-month shot and have not been the same since. I sob constantly, can't sleep, have extreme reactions and am overly sensitive to everything, and feel like a dark alien has taken over my body. I am absolutely not myself and am struggling to cope everyday. It has been like this for more than 2 weeks. I feel like I am losing my sanity and can hardly function to do my work. Can you imagine getting through surgery, chemo, radiation, while working (I am a small business owner), getting on with my life, and then with one injection, completely falling apart? I am afraid I might hurt myself and have never felt this way in my life. I never asked "why me" or felt "angry" going through treatment. I felt it was my path in life and that I would learn from the journey. I just need to know that someone else has had this experience. This is my lowest point in the past year. The oncologist has not had anyone else react this way, therefore it is easy to minimize the impact. Can someone please share with me? (FYI - I have seen someone for Chinese medicine and I am scheduled to meet with an acupuncturist in 2 weeks who specializes in treating women with BC. I have a wonderful husband who is very supportive, but what is he to do with a wife who is nut case or basket case or falling apart . . . not sure what I am or what to do anymore. Again, I have never felt like this in my life and it frightens me.)

Comments

  • Idalia
    Idalia Member Posts: 76
    #2
    Dear Powder, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! Call your oncologist now and tell him/her that you have had a bad reaction to the lupron, are very depressed and emotional and are afraid that you could hurt yourself. There are effective treatments available for your depression and mood swings, but you must be treated by a doctor. If your oncologist won't take your symptoms seriously, go to your primary care physician and insist they treat you. Two weeks is long enough to be miserable. Honestly, I don't know how you've taken it this long. We all have low points in our experience with cancer; mine was during chemo when I got very anemic and again, when I was told my cancer had spread. You have done everything you can to deal with this disease and deserve to feel better! Don't hesitate to be a **** if that will get you the care you need! Let us know what the docs say. Good luck. We care.
  • powder
    powder Member Posts: 4
    #3
    Idalia said:

    Dear Powder, THIS IS AN EMERGENCY! Call your oncologist now and tell him/her that you have had a bad reaction to the lupron, are very depressed and emotional and are afraid that you could hurt yourself. There are effective treatments available for your depression and mood swings, but you must be treated by a doctor. If your oncologist won't take your symptoms seriously, go to your primary care physician and insist they treat you. Two weeks is long enough to be miserable. Honestly, I don't know how you've taken it this long. We all have low points in our experience with cancer; mine was during chemo when I got very anemic and again, when I was told my cancer had spread. You have done everything you can to deal with this disease and deserve to feel better! Don't hesitate to be a **** if that will get you the care you need! Let us know what the docs say. Good luck. We care.

    Thank you for your response. I did call my oncologist today in the midst of an episode. My husband called him as well. He FINALLY does understand how serious this is and said he should consider putting me in the hospital . . . as if that would make me feel better! I told him that would be like punishment and my husband explained that would not help me now. The doctor called my GYN to discuss a dosage of estrogen to at least get me through these extremes. Again, I have been strong, brave, positive, you name it, I believe attitude is HUGE in dealing with treatment and recovery, but this is over the top and I can hardly function. The only time I have come to this web site have been in my absolute lowest times during treatment. It is hard to reach out when I know that other patients are dying. I don't want to get this far in the process and kill myself simply because some drug has pushed me over the edge. I am very hopeful the estrogen will help. My doctor, husband, and close friends are on red alert and understand that if I call, it is truly an emergency and that someone must talk with me when I am in the midst of one of these severly dark episodes. I WILL GET THROUGH THIS! Thank you for responding. I feel like the only ones who understand this are those of us who unfortunately have been through it. No one else seems to understand what is happening. Thank you for being a friend in my time of need. I pray I can do the same for someone else in the future.
  • lindatn
    lindatn Member Posts: 229
    #4
    My husband was on Lupron for a few months and was very depressed until he was put on a excellent antidepression drug. There are many things to help you, seek and you shall find. You have come much to far to let this get you down. Linda
  • epgnyc
    epgnyc Member Posts: 137
    #5
    lindatn said:

    My husband was on Lupron for a few months and was very depressed until he was put on a excellent antidepression drug. There are many things to help you, seek and you shall find. You have come much to far to let this get you down. Linda

    Anti-depressants can literally be a life-saver in situations like yours. Don't be afraid of them - most of the people in my bc support group went onto anti-depressants for depression (some during treatment and others post-treatment). My oncologist laughs and says he's surprised the hospital doesn't put anti-depressants out in baskets like Chicklets in the waiting rooms....since all the patients are on them! I'm so happy your doctors are taking you seriously now. And I'm very glad you nixed the idea of going into the hospital - that's the last place you need to be when feeling depressed as you are. Hang in there, with help and caring support the fog will lift. I've been there. Good luck.

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