Lupron after TAH

Just passed my one-year hysterversary and STILL having problems. Stopped Premarin in April, but continue to have pain. Doctor thinks part of it is from adhesions/scarring, part from lingering endo. She is putting me on Lupron for three months to try and get rid of anything still hanging around. Just wondering if anyone out there received Lupron shots after a total hysterectomy, and if so if the menopause symptoms worsened. Taking Black Cohosh and Effexor currently for menopause symptoms since can't take hormones.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

I'm sorry I don't have any personal experience to share with you, but you might want to consider posting this in the Hormone Jungle. The ladies there might be able to help you out more.

Hope it all works out for you soon! I had endo too, so I'm hoping mine stays gone for good after my hyster.

Rita

Thanks for the suggestion...I'll post it over in the Hormone Jungle. Hope you don't have any reoccuring problems like I have!

I havent had my surgery yet, so I can not relate to the symptoms afterwards, but I did have the Lupron shot for 2 months, and I felt awful. Everything hurt, my joints were swollen, headaches, dry skin and hair. I know everyone is different, but I have heard some others talk of bad side effects after Lupron. I am not sure how the herbal remedies you are taking are working for you, as far as the menapause side effects? If they seem to work for you, maybe they can counteract each other, and things will run smoothly. Make sure and ask your doctor about all of your concerns..If you go to the website Lupronvictims.com, it has some interesting information you may want to ask your doctor also. My best to you in finding your answers, and making a full recovery!

Hi Fiddlin Deb,

You didn't say if you still have your ovaries -- and if you are on HRT now.

I know a good deal about Lupron -- took it before my Hyst, and suffered from long term side effects (arthritis) from it. However, it was worth it.

If you do not have your ovaries and are not on HRT -- Lupron should not make the symptoms worse. Zero hormones is zero hormones! LOL!! In fact, without ovaries, I can't think of a reason to do Lupron. It works on the pituitary gland -- and so would have no effect on Estrogen produced in fat tissue, etc...

If you do have your ovaries -- then yes, Lupron will shut them down completely, and you will be in chemical menopause. Today most Lupron treatments are accompanied by low-dose HRT to relieve the Menopause symptoms, while not interferring with the treatment.

Now ... when I did the treatment it was to quiet fibroid and endo pain -- and see what was due to adhesions. The Dr's told me that if the Lupron helped the pain, then it was probably from the fibroids and endo -- and therefore a hysterectomy would likely fix the problem. If Lupron didn't affect the pain, then it was adhesions causing pain -- and even a Hyst probably wouldn't help the adhesions and could make them worse.

The Lupron made my abdominal pain disappear! (All except for one little pulling pain -- an adhesion I now know). I did 5 injections (once a month -- ONLY do the once a month). Because I had been on fertility drugs prior to doing Lupron (and made my fibroids and endo much worse) my body was also used to the higher level of hormones. Dropping to zero on Lupron was a shock, and triggered an hereditary arthritis. (Which I still have).

Lurpon can cause other side effects (related to the chemical menopause) such as joint pain, headaches etc... The add-back HRT should help, and the symptoms are supposed to stop when you stop Lupron. However, in some women it seems to cause the ovaries to STAY shut down -- even after treatment. And so the side effects can linger.

In your case -- this could be a good way to determine if you pain is from the endo or from adhesions. If Lupron helps -- then you will know it is recurring endo. (And remember ... after the first injection you usually feel worse for the first two-weeks, as it stimulates your ovaries -- then when it shuts them down the pain relief begins.

If you want to read up on Lupron, I have a lot of information posted at http://ice.ucdavis.edu/~robyn/healthjourney.html

Best of luck with your decision.

:Hug:s,

Robyn

Thanks for your info...I had a TAH/BSO a year ago, so I do not have ovaries. I did take hormone therapy for about six months but started having pain so I stopped taking it. My gyn seems to think that the pain I have is partially due to adhesions and scarring (from the endo, three surgeries for endo, a c-section and the total hysterectomy) and possibly endo remaining on my bowel, bladder, etc. Have not heard that lupron only affects the pituatary gland. . . . I cannot take any HRT so am a little concerned the menopause symptoms will get pretty bad.