Zoladex & Tibolone before Hysterectomy

[subolooo]

I've been having Zoladex injections since December last year to start early menopause due to needing a full hysterectomy later this year. The menopause symptoms hit me like a truck and I have since been put on Tibolone HRT to help with this. I saw my consultant yesterday and have been told that I need to have a hysterectomy and bowel resection due to my uterus been stuck to my bowel and also other issues in that area and this will be done in approx 6 months time unless they have a cancellation.

My question is has anyone else struggled with their mental health and physical pain while on these hormones? And do you have any advice on how to cope please? I am in constant pain and my mental health and relationship with my fiance are fractured.

My partner is very supportive but is also struggling so much with what I'm going through as he cannot help as much as he would like. Any advice would be much appreciated.

I think we need to know a bit more to help.

Zoladex- is that to shrink a fibroid? If not, what's it for?

Why are you on Tibolone rather than normal HRT? Tibolone is for specific meno issues.

Finally, have you discussed how you feel with the consultant managing this?

I was put on the Zoladex to bring on early menopause ready for my surgery. The Tibolone HRT was to combat the symptoms of menopause and prescribed by my consultant as a combined HRT as the best one to help with the symptoms due to me getting everything removed in the next 6 months or so.

Yes I have, I saw them yesterday and was told that I'm on the correct meds and I'm also taking antidepressants along with anxiety medication.

Is your surgery for a fibroid?

If you are happy to share, it's important.

The thing is, you will find as many options for treatment as there are consultants. Tibolone is a synthetic mix of estrogen, progestin and a type of testosterone.

Other drs might suggest body-identical estrogen, micronised progesterone and testosterone. I assume your dr is suggesting Tibolone as it's sometimes supposed to help with libido, but now, many women are being given testosterone along with more standard types of HRT.

It's up to you, but depending on the reason for your surgery, some drs would put you on 'normal' HRT and testosterone.

It sounds as if whatever you are on isn't working well, and you are needing other meds to top it up.

Estrogen is prescribed to help with anxiety and depression that occur with menopause, rather than other drugs.

I can't offer any other advice, apart from seeing someone else for another opinion. You'd probably have to pay for a private meno consultant, if you are currently under the NHS.

Sorry for late reply, I was at work last night.

My surgery is for multiple things: its a full hysterectomy to remove endo, adenomyosis, fibroids, cysts etc. Theres a lot going on and my uterus is fused to my bowel also.

Thank you for the advice, its much appreciated. I just feel a bit lost at the moment as theres so many clinicians involved with my care and they are all contradicting each other. I have to stop the zoladex after my next injection then start it up again in 3 months time but continue taking the HRT to combat the menopausal side effects. I'm a bit all over the place right now.

I just feel a bit lost at the moment as theres so many clinicians involved with my care and they are all contradicting each other.

It must be very hard for you but it does sound as if you aren't getting very good care.

Is there not just one or two consultants at most? Other women I've known who have had drug treatment before surgery were under the care of one gynaecologist.

You can always ask for a 2nd opinion, especially as the op is not going to happen for 6 months, and seeing a consultant privately for a one-off appt is also an option. I think if I were you, I'd try to see someone else, just to compare what you are being told.

Really sorry to hear you are suffering. I was put on zoladex for 6 months due to endo following a second op to clear up some of the adhesions, this was over 25 years ago but I hated it both physically and mentally. In those days there were no hormones added back so it was awful, it convinced me not to have a hysterectomy as I didn't want to be in menopause in my 20s. All these years later, I have suffered with an endocrine disorder and osteoporosis, which I don't know if related to the zoladex, but I had no idea back then what this drug was or did, I was just told to have the injections. Knowing what I do know, I wish I'd never had them. But it is so difficult when you have endo and the way it massively affects your life, there are no easy wins.

So, it is a horrible drug to be on as it affects your entire body, so don't let that be dismissed by the medical professionals and I hope that you get the help you need.

i was initially referred and seen by the cancer specialist due to high CA125 and the GP thought it might have been ovarian cancer, which thankfully it wasn't. He then referred me to the gynae consultant and also requested input from my GP and nurse practitioner who have all contradicted one another with what meds I need, when I need them etc. I'm just hoping my operation happened sooner rather than later so I can get back to normality and live my life.

I was also told by the gynae consultant that I cannot go privately as the operation I need is only done on the NHS due to 2 consultants from different specialists needing to be present (Gynae and bowel).

@sarvangasana I'm sorry you've gone through that. Its such a shame you weren't given the information you needed to make up your own mind on taking it :(

I was also told by the gynae consultant that I cannot go privately as the operation I need is only done on the NHS due to 2 consultants from different specialists needing to be present (Gynae and bowel)

There are many excellent private hospitals in big cities where consultants work as a team.

I was suggesting you looked further into the Tibolone as from the way you described your symptoms, my guess is it's not suiting you and you may feel much better on standard HRT plus perhaps testosterone.

You can consult a private specialist for that and travel, if necessary for another opinion.

I had a surgical hysterectomy 8 years ago for the same reasons as you @subolooo .(endometriosis,adenoydosis,chocolate cysts,cysts,fibroids,.multi organ adhesions etc etc
I was on zoladex injections for 9 months before hand and was started on Kliofem Hrt at the same time by my private gynaecologist to help with the immediate effects of zoladex.
I was 41 at the time and was told it was to shut down the endometriosis etc in order to make surgery easier.
It was the best thing I've ever had done and has helped no end.
My bowel,bladder etc are still adhered to other organs but the surgery was a great success although they couldn't remove my cervix as it was too adhered and I was haemorrhaging.
I have stayed on Kliofem since as I still have the endometriosis adhesions so need progesterone to keep it from
reoccurring any more which would
happen on just estrogen Hrt.
I'm in the south east and had a fantastic surgeon in a private hospital.