Lumps from fulvestrant shots

[JoeyCallie]

I still have lumps from the past 4 months. How do I get them to go away? It is getting harder for the nurse to find a spot to inject and it is painful when she does.

Thank you.

[hopehope67]

I have a similar problem, but acceptable for now. I read the old posts of our brave warriors on this page and I quote their advices:

- Nurse have to warm the injection to body temperature, make sure your muscles are relaxed, get the nurse to inject slowly, massage the injection area well after the shot and if you can apply some heat - I used the heated car seat on the way home!

- Try apply warm compress because Faslodex is thick and “oily” so with warm compresses the lumps can melt

- I find walking after the shots helps. Also my heated seats in the car helps. Yes massage help a lot. For me the massage is most effective .

- My best experience with the shot has been by relaxing, warming the shot, having the nurse grab the area where the shot is given and believe it or not she actually measured where to inject the shots! No pain or lump!

I agree with all the above experiences and I can only add that I have excellent nurses in my hospital. They all give me pre-warmed injections very slowly, constantly asking if I feel pain. In that case, they stop and continue even more slowly... So far, we are doing well

I hope these advices will help you.

[JoeyCallie in reply to hopehope67]

Hello hopehope67. Thank you for your response. When I posted this, I found a link to a page written by a nurse with many initials after her name. In her article, she gave step by step instructions. I printed it and took it to my appointment. The nurse was very gracious, and very good, and said she would make certain all the nurses in the clinic read it. She hasn't given me a shot for a very long time. She is excellent. It didn't hurt and I don't feel that big lump but since I have lump upon lump, can't be certain.

Do you think that a heating pad and then a hand held massager would help?

Again, thank you for your help.

[hopehope67 in reply to JoeyCallie]

Faslodex is thick and “oily” I think the heat really helps. Unfortunately, from the beginning (3 years ago), I did not take a/m advices more seriously and over time I faced with lumps. Now I'm trying to get rid of them but it's very difficult and I have to be persistent with warm compresses and massage (I massage the painful places myself) and I try to walk very aggressively in the hope that I will at least reduce the lumps. I think that I will soon seek the help of a professional massage therapist. Good luck!

[Nocillo]

I went to a physical therapist to get the lumps massaged. I took Fulvestrant for 5 1/2 years and the lumps were getting painful. Their massage and whatever machine they used helped. I realize now that I should have massaged myself starting day one. Good luck!

[fancydog]

Headed to my deep tissue massage therapist today. Wish I had started this earlier over 7 yrs of Faslodex shots. She is gradually reducing the hard scarred areas, I'm thinking it MAY help keep the Faslodex working longer because it will get absorbed better, scar tissue is not very vascular. I also have a mix of Castor Oil, Frankincense and Myrrh essential oils that I am supposed to be massaging in then sitting on a hot pad.

[JoeyCallie in reply to fancydog]

Hi fancydog,

Thanks for responding. I'm going to have to try heat & massage.

[TammyCross]

Yup, all the above, as we have written many times: you can warm the stuff between your thighs or under your armpits -- the nurses appreciate how much easier it is to inject; it should take at least a minute to inject. The only thing not mentioned here is that it is supposed to be given in the hip, not the buttock. I brought diagrams I had downloaded to show the nurse on where to give intramuscular injections.

[Best521 in reply to TammyCross]

You are right about the hip area. Just had my first two shots of Fulvestrant Sandoz. Easy peasy. The Fulvestrant was brought to room temperature. The nurse told me she would use the hip bone as a guide and the shots were given in the upper quadrant near the hip. She had me relax, bend my right leg at the knee, put my weight on my left leg and place my right knee on the infusion chair and then the same with the other leg. The shots felt no different than when blood is drawn. Barely felt the shots. The nurse brought hot and cold packs to try, however the heated infusion chair is just fine. As part of the Monarch trial, after the shots, I took 3 pills, either Verzenio or a Placebo. They will draw my blood once the hour is up. They gave me a tuna fish sandwich and some chips for lunch. Once everything is completed I will be on my way. Imagine, all that and a bag of chips 😄

[Gingerann1]

I have gotten the shots for 2 1/2 years now and it seems to be getting easier to tolerate. I asked about massage after and was told that it is preferred for the med to be absorbed naturally so they don’t do it. After 50+ shots I am a bit lumpy but they are not too bothersome. Guess I should count my blessings. I take Tylenol when I get home for the first night and have used a heating pad which definitely helps.

[JoeyCallie in reply to Gingerann1]

Hi Gingerann!

Thanks for responding, as so many have. I am reading all. I asked

[Eliactida1955]

I was getting those lumps and hurt so bad with bruises in the areas. I even lifted weight off my leg when she gave the shots! The last time I had another nurse give the shots higher up and I used a heating pad and my whirlpool and I massaged the areas. It helped a little with pain meds but he stopped them bec didn’t work I was only on that and the tumor markers doubled in 2months. I wish you the best and maybe it will be better for you. All in all about 6 months treatment that did not work. I now started xeloda 4 days ago so far no side effects.🤞🙏✝️ I wish you the best outcome.

[JoeyCallie in reply to Eliactida1955]

Hi Eliactida1955;

Thanks for responding. I guess my idea of heating pad and hand held massager may not work. I will be certain to ask the nurse next Tim.

[Eliactida1955 in reply to JoeyCallie]

well it’s worth a try but idk what’re your dr says. I am a nurse and really I’m glad I’m off of it.

[HoneyBadgerLady]

Yes, those injection sites can hurt...ouch! I find that it helps if I leave the infusion center and immediately walk for at least 20 minutes. Moving the muscles apparently helps the drug be absorbed. If I get in my car and drive home right away, I am much more sore later (I have about a 30 minute drive home). So I walk first...around the med center, or on neighboring streets, or even up and down the ramps in the parking garage.

Hope you find something that works for you.

[JoeyCallie in reply to HoneyBadgerLady]

Hi HoneyBadgerLady;

Thanks for responding. Due to other health problems, I am unable to walk that long.

[HoneyBadgerLady in reply to JoeyCallie]

Hope you can find something that helps. Perhaps some mild exercises that move the gluteal muscles?

[LadyKatarina]

Do you keep track of which generic fulvestrant they are giving you--or if you are getting the brand name of Faslodex? It can make a big difference. We should all make a log of what brands we are getting--and see how different the side effects are.

[JoeyCallie in reply to LadyKatarina]

Hi LadyKatarina;

I am taking Falsodex. Do you know of any particular side effect re the lumps? When I read through the list of side effects, I was shocked to see so many!

[LadyKatarina in reply to JoeyCallie]

Are you actualy getting AstraZeneca's brand name of Faslodex? It is more expensive then the generic fulvestrants. I have been getting Faslodex since January--and previolsy got generic fulvestrant for about 2 years in 2019 and 2020. My onc at that time wanted me to try something else--so tried Letrozole back then. Horrible stuff. I have gotten fewer lumps being on the brand name of Faslodex. So far the only lumps I have gotten might have been caused by the injection being given too fast. They should inject into the ventrogluteal--look it up on-line and it gives directions for finding the muscle. From Google: "The ventrogluteal injection site is an area on the most prominent part of the hip that's considered the preferred site for intramuscular injections. Experts say it's one of the safest areas for such injections because of the thick thigh muscles in the area. There are also fewer blood vessels and nerves in that area. Jun 7, 2021 Best to you!

[Rbeth]

yea to all the comments. Just to add:

The nurse puts lidocaine on where I will get the shot and waits about 30-45 minutes before I get the shot. I take off my shoes to relax my leg. I use the same nurse each time. I have been getting the shots for 5 1/2 years. I weigh 130 lbs. small butt. Lots of scar tissue. I walk with ice packs on my butt for 30 minutes, then the heated car seat. I take two Tylenol 650 an hour before the shots. All worked fine until last time I have one side sore and an egg shape bump on the other side. But I’m here to complain and keep going as long as I can.

Oh yea Lidocaine on your sore spot afterwards works too. Bless all the oncology staff that care for us and I do mean CARE in the big way. Reenie

[JoeyCallie in reply to Rbeth]

Hi Reenie;

Thanks for your comments. I will start taking the Tylenol and doing the ice packs and the heated seats. I'm will to try anything. I go to the VA and I am so grateful for their care. I was diagnosed Jan 2015 and started Ibrance and Fulvestrant about 3 years ago. I had to go to the VA after my husband retired and I was not yet 65. (I'm the vet.) They want to rotate me amongst all the nurses. I imagine they don't have that many females with breast cancer. The one who gave me the injection on Wed is the best. I gave her a printout of step by step instructions that I got from this website. She said she would make sure the other nurses read it. Thanks again

[MettavivorDS]

If you sit, rather than stand for the injections, it takes pressure off the leg and will hurt less. It's more trouble for the nurse to do it this way, so you have to insist. I learned this trick from getting monthly Lupron injections. I ask when the fulvestrant was taken out of the refridgerator. If it was less than an hour ago, I'll wait for it to warm up before getting the shot. l so massage the injection site immediately after the nurse administers the shots. I've been told it helps the drug absorb into your body better and also helps or prevents lumps.

[JoeyCallie in reply to MettavivorDS]

Hi MettavivorDS.

I had to skip an appt because I was sick, so when we got to the VA, my husband went to the infusion clinic to make sure they knew I was there. The nurse told him she would take the drug out of the refrigerator immediately. Since that worked so well, giving them over an hour, I am going to continue that. I will talk to them re: sitting.

Thanks so much for answering me. I really know that anyone would.

[PJBinMI]

I was on it for over 9 years and while there was a very occasional "lump", those never lasted long (maybe 2-3 days). At the cancer center where I'm treated, the pharmacist always (!!!) removes all the fulvestrant to be given that day first thing in the morning, and if was still at all cold, the nurse would warm it in her hands (or my armpit) before giving the shots. Also, I'd been told early on to take my weight off my leg on the side the shot was being given and I always did that--just by leaning a tiny bit, bending my knee on the shot side, and lifting my foot so only the tips of the toes touched the floor. I loved being on that--no daily pill as a reminder of cancer plus time to chat with the nurse. (onc nurses are often full of great little tips about coping with this lousy rotten cancer!

[JoeyCallie in reply to PJBinMI]

PJBinMI;

Thanks for responding. I appreciate all tips from all of you!!!