Lupron and medication

ok, so I am 28yrs old just had my second lap for endo and my doctor has recommended lupron, after reading this I am soooooooooo scared to even get near this med. Its like you either take this with the hope of saving fertility and no pain..or not and have endo ravage your body and you will live with unbearable pain!!! I have no idea what to do, my post-op surgery appt is this week, and i am so scared after reading this. Is there anyone that did not have weight gain, headaches etc...anyone that can testify that lupron actually worked for them? Cause right now its my health on the line, my ability to have children, my ability to have a normal life free of endo pain or these crazy, horrible side effects...please help me!!!

I just went in for my second shot of Lupron (out of a series of 6) for treatment of stage IV endometriosis. The most noticeable side effect I experienced was during my first menstrual cycle after my first dose of Lupron. I had never experienced menstrual pain or cramping (even though I had advanced endometriosis) until after Lupron. I have a fairly high pain tolerance and yet the cramping for the first 2 days of my period were almost debilitating. I had extremely heavy bleeding and have had spotting daily ever since (app.18 days). I have gained about 3 pounds because I have no energy at all. I'm usually active and work out 4-5 times a week but by the time I get off work, I'm too fatigued to do so (hence the weight gain I guess). I have hot flashes and night sweats all the time. The most recent side effect is high blood pressure. I have never had high blood pressure in my life (I'm a healthy 25-year-old woman) and when I went in for my 2nd Lupron shot today, they told me I all of a sudden do. I don't seem to have mood swings but do feel depressed and sometimes more anxious than normal. I have experienced a decreased interest in sex as well.

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 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.

Only on it for 1 month so far and already having issues. I apparently have the worst case of endometriosis all my doctors have seen, including a cancer specialist that had to do all my surgeries because of the severity. Granted, I am only 31 years old and have had a full hysterectomy. So, after 3 surgeries I am still having severe abdominal pain and bleeding (don't know where that is coming from since I don't have a uterus anymore) so they said try Lupron and I finally gave in. Now I started getting such severe pain in my lower back that I can't stand for longer than 15 minutes and terrible side aches. I started getting headaches (which I already take pills for for years now),and have gotten the hot flashes as well. What are we to do ladies? I am so sick of complaining to the doctors about pain. You feel as if you are a big cry baby. What are my options here and does this ever stop?

My wife just got her injection almost a month ago. She has a new doctor. The doctor gave her a 3 month supply, in 1 shot!!! She still has the pain, also back pain, constant on/off bleeding, depression, mood swings, headaches, hot flashes, nausea. I want to know, is she suppose to get such a large dose at one time? It seems that her body is fighting the medicine. Now she is taking another hormone in addition.

After my 2nd monthly shot of Lupron I experienced heart palpitations and high blood pressure. I felt as though my heart were going to burst while I was laying in bed trying to fall asleep. I saw a cardiologist who prescribed a BP med. Now I am on 1 medication to combat the side effects of another. I am due for my 3rd shot. I am buying time until my hysterectomy. I am worried that this 3rd shot will be stronger and worse than the first 2. I do not have any other worrisome side effects.

I began the three month Lupron shot about 2 weeks ago. After about a week I began to notice that I was having some side effects that I was not made aware that could even be possible. It wasn't just vaginal dryness and hot flashes. I was having a very hard time urinating a began bleeding for a day or two at a time which was heavy and unusual with a lot of large blood clots. I have had a lot of anxiety attacks especially when trying to go to sleep. My stomach has been hurting me terribly to the point I can't sleep, it hurts as though I have severe intestinal problems. I have had extreme bouts of uncontrollable anger, which is horrible when you have a two year old to care for. I have had miserable migraines, breast pain to the point where just a t-shirt on hurts. I feel so emotionally out of touch crying over everything and not caring about much of anything. I feel like I am going absolutely CRAZY! I wish that doctors would let people know what ALL the side effects could be, I feel like I as many people on here were completely under informed.

I was absolutely miserable on lupron. It all started with a softball sized cyst on my L. ovary that burst and landed me in the hospital from the pain. I didn't even know it was there! The Dr. went in to take it out with the scope, and told me that I had stage 3 endometriosis. I never had any pain, so I find it hard to believe that I even had endo. At any rate, he told me in order for it not to come back, I would have to go on Lupron. He told me I may have some hot flashes and vaginal dryness..I read the brochure on it and I thought the side effects would be worth saving my reproductive tract.
I gained 30 lbs during my 4 months on lupron. The hot flashes were terrible, I would have 2 or 3 in an hour, drip sweat, and then freeze. The vaginal dryness was so bad it itched internally, I had to use massive amounts of lube to have sex--which was nearly impossible because my boyfriend couldnt stand to sleep with me constantly moving around, dripping sweat, throwing blankets on and off. I began to have anxiety attacks and terrible mood swings.

I wouldn't recommend this medication to anyone, ever. I was on the monthly dose,refused to stay on the medication after 4 months (June), and just finally got my period a few days ago. I still get occasional hot flashes, especially during or after drinking alcohol. I am doing about an 1 1/2 hours of cardio a day, besides using my bike for transportation, eat clean 90% of the time, and weight train a few days a week. The scale is not budging and I've been at that for about 6 weeks. It is frustrating to say the least. Does anyone know how long it takes your body to get back to normal??

I had 3 injections of lupron Jan Feb and March and I stopped. I still feel lousy, my bones ache. Ever since the first shot I have not felt good thinking that this would help me, it did not. I wish people would stop talking about the price of this medication and start talking about the side affects. I sit and cry from my aches, I won't even go back to any Doctor. Thank-God that it is only so severe 3 weeks out of the month. has anyone experienced such side affects. and by the way my period never did stop and I am still in much pain from that.

I was diagnosed with endometriosis in 2007. I had the surgery, and then started the shots. I suffered depression during my 6 months of the Lupron shots. Not too bad, but I didn't feel like myself. Kind of emotionless. I had no motivation to do anything. I have no history of depression. When I got off the shots, it got worse. I had terrible panic attacks to the point where I felt paralyzed. It was awful! My Doctor never told me that it was a possible side effect of the shots and the progesterone pills I was on. I found that out when I started researching myself. I am now seeing a counselor, because it was really scary to feel that way. I am doing much better, but I will never take Lupron again. I found out that going from no hormones at all (on Lupron) to all of a sudden having a period again can really screw with you. It can cause a chemical imbalance. While I was on Lupron, I also had headaches, terrible hot flashes, night sweats, achne, and gained about 18 pounds....not fun! Good luck to all of you taking this medication. Just keep a good relationship with your doctor. I went in to this with no information. If I would have been more informed, the outcome could have been different for me.

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 taken 10 units of Lupron for the past 3 days in preparation of IVF with donor eggs. I am also on BCP until tomorrow. The symptoms from lupron were felt pretty much after my first shot. I have been feeling irritable, moody and have terrible insomnia at night and a mild lingering headache, but no hot flashes - at least not yet. The insomnia is terrible as I wake up in the middle of the night with horrible thoughts and feeling agitated and irritable. I would describe the overall feeling as if I have been drinking 20 cups of strong coffee per day and feeling constantly pepped up. But as some of you said, I keep on thinking of the end result and the opportunity to possibly get what I would otherwise miss out in life if not for these drugs - a baby to love and cherish.
Ok, for now we endure Lupron and the future meds like progesterone oil shots which sound "very" exciting.
Good luck to everyone.

Hi: My doctor has suggested me lupron depot 3.75mg for three months before doing supracervical laparoscopy. I did ask the doctor about the side effects and she said that you might get hot flashes and mood swings. Thats all she said about the side effects. My first shot is on Tuesday April 15/08. After reading all these experiences i am so scared to take them and planning to talk to the doctor again and looking into the abdominal hystrectomy instead of supracervical laparoscopy. Do you guys think that because it is 3.75mg and not 7 or more mg it might not have that many side effects.
God, I am so confused now, please help me out here.

55 year old male and used to be in excellent condition. I had radiation and Lupron Depot injections for prostate cancer and even though my PSA is down to .032, the hot flashes, joint pain, weakness, weight gain and atrial fibrillation caused by Lupron sucks. Now I am on medication for the a fib and it's really horrible.

I had the worst experience of my life. It has been very hard for everyone around me to understand what I have been going through physically and mentally. I read one of the other posts about feeling like the "hulk" when your mood swings come on and it is no joke. I've lost friends and my boyfriend of three years. I have been off Lupron now for a month and I still haven't regained any strength. I used to actively go to the gym 4-5 days a week, now I'm lucky if I can make it through a one hour session every month. This medication was also recommended highly by my doctor without a description of the side affects. It was the most miserable experience of my life. There are plenty of other treatments out there and I beg for you to try them first.

I am reading these posts and see a horrible pattern of doctors not informing their patients of the possible side effects of this product. I, too, was informed by my doctor that the side effects we minimal. HA! The mood swings are brutal and the night sweats/hot flashes are almost hourly! I've also had localized chest pain beyond my left breast (like a muscle pull) since about a week after receiving the shot. I will be having an endometrial ablation in 2 weeks and this dose of Lupron will have worn off by the beginning of December and I can't wait!

I am using Lupron for treament of prostate cancer. I have had radiation and radioactive seeds. I get hot flashes, joint pain is almost unbearable and skips around all over my body. I am tired most of the time and today, it even settled in my hands and wrists to where I can't pick up a glass. I am supposed to be on this medication for 1 to 2 years. I don't know if it is worth it or not.

I am 21 and I have had endometriosis for the last 5 years. I currently have a large cluster of endo on my right ovary that is causing extreme pain. I have already had a laporoscapy in the past and my doctor wants to try the lupron this time around. Let me just say that I hate it. I cannot bear it anymore. I would rather have the surgery again. I have been suffering from TERRIBLE headaches. I am also very moody, have awful hot flashes, night sweats,and nausea. If you can avoid taking the medication, please do.

After two years of lupron injections I lost six inches in height
due to severe osteoporosis also thyroid had to be removed.
Believe this medication removed normal male protection against what are normally womens' diseases. The reason for
lupron injections was to reduce psa. Bad medical decision.

Well, First of all I'm 16 years old and I was diagnosed a Little less than a year ago with stage 3 endometriosis. I Suffered with it for about 3 years. I started having Pain again 1 month after my surgery. So My doctor decided to put me on this 6th month treatment of Lupron. Well to be honest I would have rather had 1,000 surgeries then EVER be on this stuff again. I have had even worse pain ever since I started it. I have terrible Hot flashes, Night sweats, and Insomnia. Not to mention It being hard to focus, Being exhausted all the time, and Now Tingling and heaviness in my feet and hands. This medicine has even Made my heart beat so fast it would wake me out of a sound sleep. Its so hard being 16 and Having to fight for your fertility. Some women may find this medication Relieving, well its hell and it has made me miserable from day one. I think I would do Just about anything If I could have never had Endometriosis. Girls I just want you to know I feel your pain and I'm so sorry and Im very sympathetic if you are as miserable as I am.

I hope many people read this. I was treated for endometriosis at age 29, 1995 with 6 months of lupron injections. yes, it may have gotten rid of some of the problems like period cramps, but I have developed permanent memory loss; my short term memory is shot; I had the worst depression during those 6 months. The thing that bothers me the most is that 11 years later, I still have memory issues. I wish I had known back then that the medication was not even FDA approved for infertility.

I wish I would have read these comments prior to my injection two weeks ago today. I would never have had agreed to this treatment. I have had hot flashes almost every half hour of each day. I am tired and have no energy at all. They started me on norethindrone three days ago for the hot flashes. What a waste that is. I had severe pain in my jaw the second day. Regardless of what my dr says I should do or not do, no more lupron injections. I would rather have a 6th surgery to remove the endo than to endure another month of hot flashes and sweating, and not to forget the mood swings, depression, and body aches. I wish I would have researched the medication before taking it.

Hi All,

I have experienced all the side effects that you are going through. I think i may have had a stroke from this medication at the age of 31. That is certainly not normal. I would say to anyone going on this med. DONT AND IF YOU ARE STOP TAKING IT. Dont let doctors tell you its your only choice. There are alternatives. Acupunture has done wonders for me, she also gives me Moxa Rolls which have been known to eliminate the disease. Also find a local support group for Endo. They are in most City's. Ladies we must stick together on this becuase no one seems to care about this disease. Thier is also an alternitve doctor his name is DR. Redwine. Have not met him but he has some different theorys on the disease. Lets also put some pressure on Issurance Co. to cover more alterntive treatments such as acupunture and massage therepy which have proven to work. After these treatmenst my pain is now minumal.

Good Luck,
Erica

I am 27 years old and have just recently completed six months of lupron. I had my last shot in January 2006. The treatment was for endometriosis. I had been in pain for over 10 years when I finally had a laporoscopy to diagnose the endo. I also experienced "mild" side effects from the lupron. But, let me state first that I CANNOT take any sort of hormonal birth control because of the estrogen. Everytime I have tried BC I have had mini strokes. During my pregnancy I also had a mini stroke due to the increase in estrogen.
While on the lupron, I actually felt better than I have felt in a long time. I had the occassional hot flashes, night sweats, and a lot of weight gain. I gained around 25 pounds in four months. I don't recall any other severe side effects. However, I was also on Elavil (anti-depressant) the entire treatment. So I'm not sure if that helped or not. My problem is that now after being off of lupron, I am having horrible feelings of nausea, dizziness, fatigue and horrible headaches. I went to the doctor today because of an excrutiating headache I have had for three days now. It is a weird headache. It only hurts in one spot on the top right side of my head and hurts when I move my head quickly or move my eyes. The doctor did blood work to check my thyroid and has scheduled a CT scan for next week.
Has anyone ever experienced severe side effects after completing lupron? I am wondering if it is the estrogen coming back. Am I better off to be on the lupron? If anyone has any comments or suggestions, please reply.

I wasn't due for my second shot until Dec. 1st and not sure if I was going to get it. I decided to get it and got the second and last shot on Nov. 17th (my bday) Yeah happy bday to me. Once again I have really bad hot flashes all day and night long. The anxiety was severe again too. I was put on medication for the anxiety back in September after the first shot, so I just started taking it again. I didn't have any weight gain from the Lupron, but I did from anxiety meds. My migraines were really bad for the first month of both shots, but after that they went away. Almost done with Lupron thank god. Good luck to all who are on it or who are going to start it.

Its been a little over a year since my first injection. Two weeks after my first injection I started having severe pain in my bones. It progressivley got worse. I went through with one more shot a month later becayse my Gyno said it wasnt from the lUpron. Its been a yr now and I've seen every specialist out there. No one can give me answer as to why A 19 yr old is suffering so much. I can barley walk in the morning. I'm lucky if I get out of bed. The leg, joint, bone pain has ruined my life. I've been on evry medication. Narcotics don't even help. I would suggest that any one who is thinking of taking Lupron should think twice.

Jessica

I have been using Lupron for 10 days in preparation for IVF. I am so relieved to see that others have experienced similar side effects. I have had a constant nagging headache since starting the medication - not severe like a migraine, just highly annoying. I have had a few hot flashes, mostly during the night but also some during the day, which leave me feeling overall tired and "sick". The worst is the insomnia. While the hot flashes do wake me up, that is not the reason for the insomnia - it occurs every night regardless of hot flash. I can't sleep at all. Have tried benadryl but did not work at all - this is odd because it has always made me sleep any other time. Ativan does work, it's almost as if the insomnia is related to a jittery or panicked feeling. The nagging headache also seems to contribute to the insomnia. I am due to start ovarian stimulation drugs in another week, and I have read that this may alleviate the Lupron side effects. I hope so. I feel crazy and not at all like myself. I have been having horrible thoughts at night as I lie awake.

I have been on Lupron for a year (I receive the lowest dose in a monthly injection) for treatment of endometriosis of the sciatic nerve. I also take add back therapy, daily dose of norethindrone 5mg. I am told that I will have to take Lupron for the rest of my life because my case is so severe. You can't surgically remove endometriosis on the sciatic nerve because it feeds the blood supply of the nerve. The add back therapy eliminated the hot flashes but otherwise I'm MISERABLE. I have extreme fatigue, 10 lb weight gain, complete short term memory loss, very irritable and very on the edge. Lately, I have also been experiencing episodes where I feel like I am going to faint. I am grateful that I am no longer crippled with pain but I just can't take this drug anymore. I am scheduled for another monthly dose next week but have decided that I am not going to take this medication anymore. My doctor and I are discussing what my options are.

lupron has me, a 20 year old female, going through physical therapy 3 days a week now. I lost energy and slept nonstop, i am not getting my next 3 month shot, I have 1 week left of this horrible drug. I have 4 doctors and my PT that have written letters stating that lupron has made a severe traumatizing impact on my body, and will be taking it, as well as the doctor who lied to me to get me to take the drug to court...so that all of you know, nothing has been proved to help with infertility, in fact, it makes it harder to concieve, and it does not make miscarraige less likely. (those were the lies I was told) god bless all you women who it affects as it has done me...
please email me at desiredeffektz@aol.com if you have had any of the same problems I have with the lies, and trauma this medication cost.