Lupron and birth control

I am a 27 year old female and I have stage 4 endo and have had lots of rupturing ovarian cysts. The laporoscopy was pretty ineffective for me and I tried birth control and had severe vaginal bleeding during intercourse. So my doctor wanted to do 3 months of Lupron Depot and add back therapy with Premarin.
I have only had one shot of Lupron and that was on 10/16/09. I noticed side effects with in 24 hours. I had severe joint pain especially noticed in the right hip ( I was injected in my right side) severe migraines, awful mood swings, short term memory loss and that was all in my first week on the shot. I started feeling better like 10 days after the shot, but that was only short lived. Now even after three weeks into the shot, I am in so much pain in my joints, it is difficult to take care of my two toddler boys and my home. I now have a crazy rash on my butt, and still have so much pain in my body as well as feeling numb in my toes, left arm, and fingers. This drug appears to be more ineffective than effective and I feel like women need to explore other options before going down this unknown path. I found out through research on the internet that the Premarin that I was taking as an add-back is made from PREGNANT HORSE URINE and that the horses are treated like crap so everyone can get rich off them. There has to be other options for people that have already gone through the nightmare of endometriosis. I would take endo over these side effects any day.

Hi. I just had a laproscopy done 3 weeks ago for endometriosis. I am 26 yrs old and have been dealing with this pain for almost 2 yrs now and it is the worst pain in my entire life. My doctor is now suggesting Lupron because even after the laproscopy the endometriosis was level 4 and had bonded to my intestines and literally trapped my ovaries and uterus against the lining of my stomach. The pain was a 15 to say the least and the past 3 mos it had landed me in the E.R. Finally the docs figured it out. I started my period 2 weeks after the surgery and the pain was still pretty bad. An 8. Now I am seriously considering Lupron. My health is on the line and this pain is not right. At this point I am considering a hysterectomy if Lupron does not work. Any help suggestions please? Monday I follow up with the Dr.

Unfortunately I've had to stop the Lupron injections. I lost my job and with that my health insurance. I am wondering can anyone tell me when I can expect my period to start again?

November 6, 2008 was my last injection and it was a 3 month dose. It is May 2009, I am 39 years old and I have not yet had a period. My fibroids ae back to their large abdomen filling size so I am very worried.

Not having insurance or adequate funds has reduced me to the internet for research first before venturing out to a doctor as a "self-pay" patient.

I am 26 years old and I was diagnosed with endometriosis last year (2008). I had pain in my lower abdomen for years and doctors always told me nothing was wrong but I knew there was. Finally a doctor did an ultrasound and found a 7cm mass on my left ovary. I also had a slightly smaller mass on my right ovary. My doctor told me that he would need to do a lap to remove the masses and possibly remove my left ovary because he could hardly see any ovarian tissue on the ultrasound. Thank goodness when he did the lap I was able to keep but ovary but he told me that I had one of the worst cases of endo he had seen. My right ovary was stuck to the wall of my abdomen due to the endo and I even had endo on my bowel. He removed what he could but not all of it was removable. He suggested that I go on Lupron for 6 months to "shrink" the rest of the endo. I have been on Lupron for 3 months. I just went and got my second 3 month injection. I have had some side effects such as Headaches, Bone pain, Hot Flashes, Insomnia, Drowsiness, Increased appetite and major Mood Swings. All of which come and go. I try to stay active but I don't over do it. It seems to help with the joint pain. Most of my side effects were in the first 2 months of getting the injections. I am told all the time that everyone reacts differently to Lupron and there is a pill you can take to reduce the side effects of Lupron but it does reduce the effects of the Lupron so my doctor suggested that I not take it unless the side effects were unbearable. I don't remember what it is called but if you are one of those people having major side effects ask your doctor.

I'm a 26 year old female that has had the lovely experience of taking Lupron twice in my life. I was diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 19 after having a lap. I had been suffering from excruciating back pain for months. The lap only helped for 3 months and then the pain returned. My doctor recommended Lupron for 4 months and so I jumped at the chance to feel better. I actually did ok with the shots. I experienced the hot flashes, fatigue and crazy mood swings but I was willing to try anything to feel better. After the 4 months, my life returned to normal and I had 5 good years of pain free life with normal periods. My body on the other hand did not react well to birth control so I couldn't use it. For the last 2 yrs, my husband and I having been trying to conceive with no luck. 1 yr ago my periods took a wild turn. I began bleeding so heavily that I was bleeding thru my tampons every 5 min and began passing clots the size of a half dollar. These episodes would last for bout 3 hrs. This continued for 3 months and so my doctor recommended Lupron again. I was cautious about taking it again, but I was desperate. This time around I suffered from weight loss, nausea, severe bilat hip pain (due to low bone density), and receding gums along with all the usual Lupron side effects. My dentist said my gums and teeth looked like I was 60 or 70. FYI, I have never even had a cavity!!! I'm now 3 months post Lupron. I still haven't started my period again but my symptoms have subsided. Its just a waiting game now. I hope to get pregnant soon but I will probably go on fertility drugs very soon. All I can say about this drug is that it worked for me the first time and I hope it did the second time. It definitely was not easy and I don't recommend anyone going into it lightly. Good luck to anyone who is thinking about it and I feel blessed to have gotten out of it with a lot less problems than other men and women

I was diagnosed with endometriosis five years ago. I had laproscopy surgery and it was recommended that I start the Lupron shot right after. I had read lots about all of the side effects and decided to just stay on my birth control pill. After four years of dealing with chronic pain, my doctor said the Lupron shot was my best option. At the time my pain made my decision for me. My first shot was ten months ago. I continued with the shot for six months, gained weight, had terrible hot flashes, anxiety attacks, depression, mood swings, exhaustion, memory loss and the pain didn't improve at all! Besides the fact that I was so upset that the shot didn't do what I was hoping I lived with all of the side effects for those six months and I continue to live with them now even though I haven't had a shot for four months. Do these side effects go away? I feel like I am in a fog and often I feel so alone. It is hard to explain to doctors, let alone family and friends what my life is like.

I have endometriosis and would like anyone with the disease to contact me so that I can find out more information, etc. My email address: ******

I can relate to many of these experiences. Started out in my 20's with very irregular cycles, went to my first gyn after a miscarriage - the emergency room dr referred me to a dr that was at a fertility clinic. I had no idea why until I was actual a little more "awake" I was diagnosed with polycystic ovaries. I went through at least 6 or 7 different birth control pills, depo provera shot, nuvaring, then back on another birth control pill. finally we started doing the continuous suppression as I was bleeding at least a little bit every single day... for 2 years. I would still have my full blown period every 4 weeks or so, which also included a monster migraine on day one of the menstruation. Not only was my life being altered but I was starting to get anemic. Finally after a month of the continuous suppression my bleeding stopped. As did the menstrual migraines. I continued this way for 4 years. Didn't have a single period or migraine, life was wonderful.. or so it seemed. I have been over weight for most of my adult life. Finally decided to do something about it. I joined the gym with a friend and started losing weight. I dropped 55 pounds until... the dreaded bleeding, pain and hormones got out of control. I started bleeding every single day again. Finally made an appointment with my dr. She stated that when you lose weight it releases estrogen out of your fat cells. Gee, I thought losing weight was supposed to make you feel better!! I went on with it for a while thinking it would stop eventually and it just HAD to get better. In fact, things got worse. I started having horrible abdominal pain, eventually it got to be daily. To the point where I could not stretch or even hyper extend my right leg backwards. My abdomen felt like something had a rubber band tied to it from the inside. My dr said that she suspected endometriosis. However, due to my anemia... we had to wait. So back on the iron pills and wait wait wait. Finally, October 15th I went in for my lap. Sure enough, stage 4 endo, huge cysts on both ovaries. My endo had gone all over the place and attached itself to anything it could. Including folding my bladder in half! Good grief. I thought that I was just getting the weak bladder from getting older (I am 35 by the way). For the next couple of weeks after my surgery I felt pretty good. Finally pain free (still a little bleeding but not much). But, the end of December rolls around and here it is, back with all its fury. The pain is again horrible, my migraines are back, my energy is dwindling. The good life was short lived. My doctor suggested a series of Lupron shots. One shot a month for 6 months. My first shot in January (took me a little bit of time to decide if I wanted to do it) finally bit the bullet and got the shot. First few days, fine, no problem, no relief either but no life altering experience. Then one morning I woke up and realized I was not in pain. It was a strange feeling actually. But the time I got the second shot, no more bleeding, no more pain... However, the hot flashes, night sweats and the emotions came on. Holy cow. Drama drama drama. I could find any reason on the planet to argue, with anyone. Thank god I have a very understanding family and an even more wonderful partner. I think he has the patience of a saint. I still don't know how he puts up with me. If I am not trying to find some reason to pick a fight then I am crying like a baby... for hours and hours. These hormones are so out of control. I honestly don't know what is worse, the pain or feeling like the world is going to end in the next 2 minutes if I don't get this spill picked up.. I literally cried for 2 hours Saturday because my cat knocked a stupid bottle of car wax off a shelf in the back room. Good lord, I had the most horrible feelings coming over me and just could not stop crying. I bought a new bed 2 weeks ago and let me tell you. If I am not on one of my 13 hour sleep fests then I am laying in it crying and feeling sorry for myself. Or the even better part of indegestion or my favorite part.. gas. I honestly don't know if I can go on like this. I made an appointment to see my doctorr this Friday to determine what she thinks will happen if I don't complete the other 3 shots. just give me back the pain if you have to!

My daughter who is now 18 began having problems with Endo. at 15.
Her Dr. began giving her the Lupron shots which she stayed on for almost 2yrs. plus she was taking Yazz birth control. She just took her last Lupron shot in March of 2007 and had another exploratory surgery in May 2007.
Since coming off the Lupron she has yet to start her period. The Dr. prescribed her some medication to take that was supposed to make her start, but has not worked. She has also gained about 25 lbs. since coming off the Lupron. She is getting married and is wanting to have a baby but she will not start her period. The Dr. said she is not ovulating but he is not sure why. Just wondering if anyone else has had problems starting their period for this long?

I had laproscopic surgery done in May to remove an ovarian cyst. At that time it was confirmed that I have endometriosis. I have always had very difficult periods and at times constant pelvic pain. I have experimented with many different types of birth control and had finally given up on them because they all cause me varying degrees of depression. After my surgery my doctor recommended Lupron because I cannot take the pill. I had my first injection in September. I only did the one dose because I could not tolerate the depression that followed. At times I was nearly suicidal because I was so depressed. I have also gained weight and completely lost my sex drive...

Just after the new year I went to the ER with extreme vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain. It turns out that my gallbladder is only functioning at 10%. I have since learned that this is probably due to the Lupron injection (my doctor never mentioned this as a possible side effect!! but I discovered other sites that mention it and my GI confirmed) I am visiting a surgeon tomorrow to discuss removal of my gallbladder and I am wondering if any other women out there have had similar experiences and what the outcomes were??

I live in CT and I am going to look for an OB/GYN that specializes in endo. Please let me know if anyone has recommendations for a doc in CT too.

Thank you!!

I took 3 injections of lupron, in the summer of 2008. I then was switched to an extra strength dose of birth control pills, so that the endo would not come back. I was really sick, really bad headaches, and really bad cramps, after two months of birth control, so I stopped taking them, and have felt great ever since.

I have gained about 20 lbs since the beginning of this process, which is not at all like me. I work out, and watch what I eat. I have recently started a very heavy workout schedule, but have not lost anything. My boobs have gone up a whole cup size, and my stomach is where I have gained the rest.

Any one that has any ideas on what I should do, would be great.

I started Lupron in April of 2008. The year before this I worked HARD to lose 80 lbs. I finally got down to my goal weight because I was tld my endometriosis symptoms could be relieved if I wasn't overweight. I had a laparoscopy in March of 2008 confirming my diagnosis- Lupron was a last minute decision because of my age and status the doctor didn't want to do the hysterectomy right away. My endometriosis is spread throughout the body- including the lungs. While Lupron helped with the pain I was experiencing, it caused other pain. Pain that I can no longer even deal with. I became lethargic, depressed, and angry. My hair was falling out in large clumps. I didn't gain weight right away.. except a pound the first shot and three pounds hte second shot but I figured that was alright if it was only like 15 lbs total. I oculd deal with that. Here I am almost a year later. my last injection was in August. I gained a total of 47 pounds. I am a fat slob. I couldn't work out because my bones hurt so bad while taking the medication. No one around me knows what I went through physically. They al think that it was just some excuse to be a lazy fat cow but it truly HURT to move. Just simply walking from my bedroom door to my bed killed me. It hurt my ribs, my knees, my shins, my back. There were times when I couldn't even get out of my bed ebcause I just didn't have the energy. Then the depression started shortly after losing a large amount of hair. By now I am thinking about how ugly i've become on top of how fat I am. Nothing went right but my doctor pushed the shot. I figured hes the one with years of experience he couldn't possibly be this wrong. I trusted him. When I would go to him with complaints of my weight gain he would tell me to stop eating. The problem was... I wasn't eating. I was too sick to my stomach to bother. Then when I would get hungry i'd over eat. I bled a lot through the shots and I still had pain here and there but I was too afraid of what he'd put me on next if I complained. I started to forget simple things. My career was going down hill because they were sick of me not being 100% commited to my job any more. I cried all the time. I finally got sick of the weight gain while I was on my shots and I decided to work out regardless of how I felt and three times I passed out in the gym and was transported to the hospital where I had to listen to their advice on being overweight WHICH WASNT THE REASON I WAS PASSING OUT TO BEGIN WITH but no one wnats to hear what I have to say. Every one just assumed that I was this pig who never worked out in her life and over did it this time. What no one understood was that three months before the incident i was my average weight. I was tachycardic all the time- my normal resting heart rate while i was on my shots was 162. During a work out it would get up to 220!

Ive been off them since August and I haven't lost a single pound. I get up at 4am every day and work out. I park as far away as possible. I use the stairs instead of elevators. I eat healthy. I cut out extra sugars and stopped rewarding myself when I deserve it. I started these shots at 155lbs and today I am 215. Ive been on a strict monitored diet, diet pills and work out regimens and I am still 215. My knees kill me nad sound like velcro when I walk- ive even fallen a couple of times because they hurt that bad. My back still hurts and my neck still wont turn to the right completely because of a nerve that pinches or what have you in there that sends the sharp pain through my face when I move. I still have the depression but i think thats more because of my weight now than it is anything else.. and I finally ended up losing my job.

I recently saw my OB for a follow-up where he stuck me on yet another birth control. This one makes me vomit and gives me stomach cramps so Ive decided im done. I won't take another pill because its making me worse. Id rather have my uterus fall on the floor than pop another drug.

In the past five years I've gone through two six month Lupron treatments. The first Lupron treatment was given without a Laparoscopy. After being told for ten years that I was one of the unlucky few who have "bad periods", I finally found a doctor who would listen. She diagnosed Endometriosis after I listed my symptoms and put me on a Lupron treatment plan. I had one one-month injection and two three-month injections. Most of my side effects were tolerable; weight loss (almost sixty pounds but I was over weight to begin with), hot flashes, night sweats and memory loss. However, I experienced horrible back and hip pain...to the point of following up with a pain management doctor who insisted there was no reason for me to be in pain.

About four years later I found a really great doctor who performed a laparoscopy to diagnose my endo. She removed fibroid tissue from both ovaries and my colon. My next period was just a horrible so she suggested we follow up with another Lupron cycle. I expressed my concerns with the pain I experienced the first time and she suggested I have add-back therapy. She prescribed a regimen of Estradiol and Norethindrone along with six monthly Lupron injections. The side effects were worse this time around. My depression kicked into overdrive, I was constantly struggling to keep my anger in check, I would wake up dripping from night sweats, hot flashes were bad, blurred vision, memory loss, insomnia and the pain in my back and hips was excruciating. She prescribed Celebrex for my back and hip pain, which didn't help too much. I have a three year old son and had to use a wheel chair when we went to the museum because being on my feet for more than fifteen minutes was impossible.

I've now been off the Lupron for about six months and I have yet to regain any sort of short term memory. My vision is much worse than before I started the second cycle and has yet to reverse. My depression is still bad, as well as anxiety and irritability. However, as soon as the last month of Lupron started to wear off, my back pain did dissipate. I'm still having trouble sleeping but have found solace in Ambien...which could be a bad thing. I don't want to depend on chemicals to help me sleep at night. I just had my yearly exam with my doctor and she apologized for all the pain I experienced. She told me that in all the years she's given Lupron treatments, she had never seen a patient in as much pain as I was in. I don't think I'll be undergoing the Lupron treatments again in the future. I'm currently starting Yaz as a way to keep my periods at bay and only have three or four a year. I'm not real sure if that's a good thing either but we'll see. I have sympathy for all the other Lupron patients out there who experience the bad side of the drug. I don't understand how a medication such as this, which has such drastic side effects, can be marketed to people who are already suffering from pain in the first place.

I'm on my second series of the lupron shot, I am also a very young age of 17 years old tying to conquer endo and it's symptoms.... At age 13 I received my first laparoscopy and have been on birth control since "becoming a woman". I have terrible cramps and creeping lower back pain that makes me feel weak and exhausted all the time. I should be full of energy,but i just have terrible mood swings, lost love interest, severe mood swing, extreme hot flashes, memory loss, I've lost so much weight ..... I have lost from 125 lbs to 111lbs in maybe a month. I get very sick to my stomach and vomit when something doesn't appease me such as the smells of certain things, room temperatures, or even if someone around me is smoking. Lupron does take care of my extreme menstrual pains i did have, but sometimes i just wake up to dread the day.... It just feels like anything can make me feel upset and empty on the inside, no one wants to feel like that. From April 08- July 08

I have had endo for about 9 years now. 6 surgeries later, I decide to try the Lupron Shot. I took the 3 month dose twice. I did not experience any side effects until the 2nd month, which included hot flashes, mood swings, sleepiness, no interest in sex, weight gain, horrible headaches, loss of memory, pains in all my bones, breast tenderness, blured vision and so on. I am now off the shot after being on it for 6 months, and I am worse now then I was then. My pain is back from the Endo, my stomach feels like there is a huge ball in it, I have extremes of sever diarrhea to constipation. I feel like Im going to throw up every other hour..sometimes I do. My bones hurt worse than ever. I still have no memory and I cannot concentrate very well. My Dr. will not allow me to have a hyst because he feels I am to young. I am 27 married with a child..how much older do I have to be to get some relief? So, yes I liked Lupron, it did help. but I would rather get this crap taken out than go through all of this again.

I am 30 years old and have been put on Depo Lupron after a laproscopy to help with endometriosis. I am 2 months into a 6 month course (one shot every 3 months) of Depo Lupron and my life has drastically changed. I started feeling life altering hot flashes and night sweats two days after the first shot and nearly drown myself in sweat 24 hours a day. I experienced a little postpardum depression after giving birth 6 years ago but have found myself sunk into a sinking hole of depression and anger like I've never felt before. I bawl at McDonald's commercials and become enraged if the dishwasher isn't loaded properly! I am ecstatic one minute and severely depressed the next. I have even had thought of suicide since being on this shot. I am normally a very outgoing, athletic, cheerful, happy person - but since taking this shot, I have become a stanger in my own head. I tell my family all the time that I need to "go stick my head in the freezer" to cool off because of the horrific hot flashes. I have to carry a handheld fan with me 24 hours a day and sleep with ice packs to keep cool. Since the shot started 2 months ago, I have lost all sexual drive, am thoroughly exhausted by 9am and find myself crying at my desk at work by late afternoon because I am so tired. My family thinks I am going crazy and I've never fought more with my husband. My daughter has gone to grandma's for awhile because I'm just so tired and irritable that I feel like an awful mother. Migraines have also come full circle since the onset of the shot as well as blurred vision and shaky hands. I'm a little achy throughout the as well. I know that everyone responds to medication differently, but I'm finding a lot of people with the same side effects as myself and have to wonder why the doctors don't warn patients about these types of problems before prescribing medications such as Depo Lupron. I don't think I'll be going back for the second shot. Could it get any worse?

I have been on Lupron for not even a month yet. My side effects are bad headaches, the pain has not gone away, I am still having my period, I have terrible mood swings, I have trouble sleeping, I have no sex drive at all, (my husband hates that) I get shortness of breath sometimes. I get hot flashes, they don't really last long, but when they hit, they hit. I get stomach aches and nausea sometimes. I think the worst thing about me is that I am in the Army. One doctor that I was seeing did a sonogram, a CT scan(i think), and put me on birth control pills, but none of that worked. She said there was nothing wrong with me and that I was making it all up. She said I needed to go to mental health. I finally got referred to OBGYN. The doctor there did a laproscopy, but let her tell it, she doesn't even know if I have endometriosis. She said I have a lot of scar tissue, but she can't say if it is endometriosis. Why are you treating me for endometriosis if you don't know for sure if I have it? The worst part of all is that I am supposed to be deploying to Iraq next month and I am still in pain. Yall please pray for me...

I started IVF and Lupron was my first injection I had to take along with birth control pills. I feel like I've experienced every side effect possible and it is making me crazy! My vision is blurred, I can't even focus long enough to read a book. Migraines, night sweats, hot flashes and I feel on edge all the time like I may freak out at any moment. Very moody thank goodness only ten more days!

I am 17, soon to be 18, and have suffered from this horrible pain over my right ovary (basic area) for near 5 years now. I have missed my whole high school years, ended up being home schooled from the pain and graduating early. I FINALLY have a job that I love, but I'm afraid I won't be able to last. I go in to work with pain, get fevers because of either the pain or inflammation. I have had 2 laps, the first one showed nothing (I also, in 8th grade when all this started, had a 5.5cm cyst on my right ovary), the second showed endo on my right ovarian ligament. I have tired almost every birth control out there, and all they do is make me 10 times worse (odd, but true). Now this new doc wants me on Lupron. After all I have read, I'm scared to take it. I'm supposed to take it Friday. The bad thing is, I already have an auto immune glitch (we believe, every problem I have is linked to auto immune), I don't want to be worse. Recently I was on DEPO, which is horrible (seriously, don't take it you gain so much weight and it is so hard to get off, you bleed for like a month or more after you stop... it's awful). Every time I get this pain I bleed 10 min later, badly. I just want this gone, but I don't want any other problems too occur. If anyone has any links that specifically list the side effects of lupron or anything else that might help me, I would love it.

Hi, I was wondering if any knows if it's normal to not have your period for 2 months after being off the lupron shot?

It wasn't helpful at all for me so, I want to go back on birth control. However how can I without having a period.

Seems like this shot just messes everyone up huh?

For the first time since my doctor perscribed Lupron for me, it has been terrible. The heavy bleeding, the anemia, the hair loss, the aches and pains, the headaches. I never had this problem in times past when I've used this before and it did not affect me to this magnitude. I have a history of endometriosis and fibroids, with 7 "lap scopes" and a myomectomy. I cannot explain why I've had such a terrible time with the injection this time.

I am just so unhappy all the time. I feel fat, tired, and i cry everyday. I feel humiliated becuase i'm so emotional, i dont want to tell anyone. But i have, but it still seems that no one understand me. I feel detached from everyone. I just turned 24. I had my third shots 4 days ago. I've failed all my classes this semester. Does it really get worse after this even though i just had my last shot?? What will happen next? Does the doctor give me other pills to take after this? I'm also on the BC pill that is suppose to be a back up method with the shots. The Birth control ( BC) is call Errin. I just feel better telling people that understand me. I do not know anyone who has done this before. I've gain almost 25lbs already. Women who respond to this will just make me feel so much better. I didnt even know i was really going to feel this bad. I feel unhappy and tired ALL the time. I feel like people who i know care for me, dont care for me. Did it do this to ya'll? I have night sweats, my headaches arnt so bad now, hot flashes that come and go ALL THE TIME, nausea, sleeplessness, i can never stop thinking about things, i have bad anxeity about nothing, i can never relax. Please respond...anything would be nice. And another bad part is, i just had started dating a guy right before the shots. lol. and 3 months ago i was 25 lbs lighter and more fun. And i really like this guy, everything just seems bad right now.

Hot flashes, headache, NO sex drive; repulsed by any sexual intamicy. Very uncomfortable wetness in vagina, severe depression, boyfriend has nearly lost all patients. Horrible memory loss, blurred vision, spacey and cannot focus on anything. I look horrible too, my eyes look like I'm a meth head, sunken in look, too bad the Kate Moss look has passed (joking). Had surgery last June, no help with that or birth control therapy, now on third month of Lupron. Really want to melt away. Hot flashes all night and day, insomnia. Skin has frequent rash appearences.
Any helpful ideas? email me at ******