Prostrap injections

[Cat35]

Hi ladies I've had my lap not good news it's everywhere bowels bladder ovaries drain a chocolate cyst find it hard to see my Fallopian tubes because I was a right mess, now they want me to start these menopause injections right after op I said I would think abt it what's everyone's experiences with them pls x

[Evezy]

I had 'Prostap' for 4 months. (4 injections over 4 months). The only problems I had with it was the hot flushes after the second injection and each month thereafter, which really didn't bother me. - All I used was cold packs on my chest and upper back if I got too hot. I had the jabs over the summer months - great timing!

The main side effect and I think you will find this with everyone is the 'Flare Up' after each injection for a few days. ( I also had this a few days before jab was due) the only way that I can describe my own personal experience of this is agony! Worst endo pain ever. Check out 'Impatient' members posts, she gives an excellent description as to why it happens. Because of these painful 'flare ups' I looked into the 'Prostap' that can be given as 1 dose that lasts for 3 months, therefore you should only get one 'Flare Up'.

However, I did get pain relief from it, but I couldn't over do things as I would aggravate the pain. I didn't realise how much relief it gave me until the course finished! I'm now really suffering and waiting for surgery. I had mine for

Check out my post that I did 15 days ago as I asked about Prostap monthly injections vs the 3 month one. It gave me the answers that I was hoping for.

I wasn't warned of this pain so it was a real shock. If you were to follow this route I would strongly recommend you getting some serious painkillers to cover you over those few days after the jab.

Also from what I understand it is only your gynaecologist that can prescribe the 3 monthly jab, as the GP's are restricted to only prescribing the monthly one.

[Impatient]

Use the search box and type in Lupron or Prostap (not Prostrap.) Or GnRH.

Lupron and Prostap are the same drug. Prostap is the name for Lupron in the UK.

There are heaps and heaps of ladies experiences of these drugs on this forum.

it depends what you are being given the drug for. If you have fibroids then it will cause them to shrink, if you have any endo left after your surgery - all it will do is put that to sleep for a while delaying any endo regrowth and adhesion regrowth fro the endo that remains.

But it is only a temporary pause and it will all start up again and reactivate when the pituitary gland in the brain starts to work again once you stop the drugs.

They are prescribed to make your quality of life a little easier - but the side effects for some indeed many ladies can be very grim. and there are risks of long term side effects that don't sort them selvs out when you stop.

My advice is read the patient advice leaflet for lupron, look on the lupron victims hub - because it actually has links to all manner of info about these drugs.

Write down a long list of side effects and discuss that with your carers, make sure you arrange help for looking after pets and children if you have either and you have a bad spell with side effects.

If you are being prescribed it for endo only (not for fibroids or cancer) then it is not an essential medication. You do not need to have it, and any decision to take it must be an informed one and remember you can stop and quit and not have the next dose at any time, but it does take 3-4 months to get completely out of your system when you do decide to quit.

There is so much info available online about men and women's experiences on Lupron Prostap and the other GnRh drugs. not just on this website but many many others.

It does help though to use the correct spelling when searching.

[sunflower4]

Hi Cat35, I have just finished a 6 month course of prostap injections. I had them every 4 weeks. Right from the start I ended up with a lot of side effects. The flushes, endo pains where unbearable and the headaches were the worst. I ended up in hospital with the headaches. I did read some of the posts by Impatient and they helped (thanks Impatient for the help) I do know of some ladies that it really helped so I think it is different for each person. It is however just a pause button for endo as when it is out of your system you are back to square one. I personally won't be having any more injections as I can't handle the side effects. However I tried because it may have helped just like it might for you.

If you try it and have a bad experience after the first one you can at any point stop having any more that is your decision.

What ever you decide I hope you start to feel better and I am sorry to hear what you are going through.

Take care x

[heatherec]

Hi Cat35,

I was on prostrap (zoldex) for six months and didn't experience any of the pain that the other ladies have in terms of flare ups so I was quite lucky!

I had quite a few other side effects though, the hot flushes, entire lack of libido, acne break out (when I never suffered from spots as a teen) and the headaches were awful for 3-4 days after the injection. Sometimes to the point of having to sit in a dark room and try to sleep just for a relief.

The problem is, is that for some the treatment is really effective and gives some women years of rest bite. For me I had to have another operation at the end of my treatment as it hadn't affected my regrowth at all.

I don't know how old you are but I think that there is so little they can do in theory and I am now at the point of being refused surgery for certain lengths of time because the risks are getting higher each time that you should give everything a go. Just be informed that it isn't plain sailing but try it anyway. After all we know how to deal with a lot already.

Take care x

[had-enough10]

Hi, I have just had a prostap injection 6 days ago to stop menstrual excessive bleeding and to induce menopause. I also have been prescribed 30mg micro contraceptive pill which I am to take one a day continuously. This is totally ineffective and doesn't even have I believe a placebo effect. Since having had the injection the bleeding has become worse (I didn't even think that was possible) as I have been admitted into hospital for an iron infusion because of the continual blood loss. With immediate effect I started to loose even more blood and it is still getting worse by the day! I could have done with a heads up on this effect as I had walked quite a distance to the hospital from my car.

I was so concerned I asked the pharmacist when was this supposed to improve things instead of making them worse? She contacted the drug company and they said that the bleeding would get worse between 7 - 14 days before it starts to ebb or stop the bleeding completely. I am contacting my consultant first thing tomorrow to check if this is normal for any of her other patients because I can't cope with this for anything like another 7 days!

I feel let down that she didn't give me any information about what to expect or when. She did mention all the other potential side effects sweating, mood swings, headaches etc all of which hasn't affected me at all. In fact, I would gladly swap my symptoms for all of those instead. She did say it might not work at all but she didn't say it might just make things worse.

I feel desperate as this was the last chance saloon before surgery of full furniture removal which is not an option for me as I am about to move house and have a child with profound special needs and his full time carer.