DiRi Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Hi- my hubby has been having Zolodex injections - he finds the injections into the stomach muscle quite painful and is going to ask the Onc if there is any other way of having it (tablet form?). The Onc reasoning for the 3 monthly rather than 6 monthly is to ensure maximum efficacy. I would be interested to know if anyone else has 3 monthly injections or if they receive ADT in any other form than injection? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Claude Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 My husbands has had zoladex injections for a few years now and he does not find them painfulll, he has them every 3 months. I think your husband can Ask to have the site anaesthesied if he does not feel confortable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LennyJoe Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 DiRi I have been having three monthly injections of Zoladex for a year or so. The oncologist's nursing staff inject it into the fat tissue around the stomach. The injection tickles a bit and leaves a slight hole, but I have not had any real discomfort. I was of the belief that three monthly injection of Zoladex was the norm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieflicker Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I recently changed to ANDROCUR in bum - OK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curro Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I have been having them for 4 yrs with no problems but if the doctor dont aim shallow into fatty tissue i would get a new doctor ...Into stomach muscle must be painfull and not the right way to do it ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Bradfield Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 injection needs to be given shallow into fatty layer of stomach wall. When patient complains of pain they could be given a local anaesthetic first.. Note that androcur is not the same treatment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevecavill Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I've been having the 3 month injections for 5 years. my GP does it. Hurts for about a minute. I think I'd find a different doc to do the injection! Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sisira Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Hi DiRi, I took Zoladex 10.8mg 3 months injection for 2 years without experiencing any pain or problems. Definitely you can have problems if it is not given properly. My urologist surgeon himself did the job for me. So nice! First he gives a small Lidocaine injection to make the spot locally numb and then the Zoladex deeper with the bigger needle. I didn't feel any pan at all. Get it done by an experienced doctor. It is not a simple injection that all nurses can handle. Sisira Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougie Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I started 3 monthly injection of Zoladex Injection in October 2015. Injection administered by nursing staff in Oncology unit was painful as no local anaesthetic was administered to the injection site. From January 2017 I started having injection by my GP who had more compassion that the Oncology Specialist as he always anaesthetises before injection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chalkie Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I have been having Zolodex injections for the last 8 years - Initially my GP gave me a local prior. Since then nurses at Peter Mac CCC give it to me in the fatty belly tissue. The local hurt more than the Horse Needle. No pain no gain. Three months is the standard - I believe Elegard is a six monthly slow release implant option. The nurses try to alternate sides - and more recently have been noting which side they do the implant. I have not experience any ongoing issues from the implant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I had my third Zoladex implant this morning and also a blood sample taken for my next PSA test. I had a local anesthetic before the implant and had no problems or pain. I had more discomfort with the blood test. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whatmeworry1941 Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 My Dad's had 3. Only 2 I've seen. Injection @ every 3 months. 1st I saw, GP said Dad had little belly fat which the made injecting hard. He has gained 6 kilos in the last 2 months, so the 2nd was easier but still was a little discomfiting for him. Last a month ago, PSA now @ 0.57 at nearly 84. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kezza2 Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I had Lucrin Depot rather than Zolodex. Lucrin worked well for me keeping my PSA under 1 for 15 years post External Beam Radiation. I still have Lucrin every three months to support Enzalutimide which I am now on. I tried Zolodex after the Lucrin became ineffective and hated it, and it didn't work for me either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardee Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 Try a LHRH that can be given in the hip/buttock .... Lucrin (Lupron) or Androcur. I think Eligard may be given in the rear too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles (Chuck) Maack Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I note the reply that Androcur/Cyproterone Acetate was mention as replacement, but Androcur is an antiandrogen to hopefully block the multitude of androgen receptors on cancer cells from testosterone access; it is not a LHRH agonist to shut down testicular/leydig cell production of testosterone. Many men complain about Zoladex and its usual injection site being the abdomen. You should likely have your hubby request that his LHRH agonist be changed to Lupron – or I believe known as Lucrin in Australia – since this medication is injected into muscle rather than the fatty area of the stomach. It is most often injected in the upper buttocks area below the hip with the patient placing his weight on the opposite leg to soften the muscle for injection on the opposite side. Usually the administering facility keeps track of which side was administered so when returning for the next scheduled injection (in your hubby’s case every three months) the injection will be administered to the opposite buttocks muscle area below the hip. If your hubby’s administering physician only stocks Zoladex and refuses to provide Lucrin, you may want to seek another physician who’s choice is Lucrin for his/her patients. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chask Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I attend a husband and wife GP practice. My first few Zoladex injections were given by the wife and I found these quite painful, but only for a few seconds and I have a reasonably good pain threshold, so was happy to put up with it for the benefits gained. Then on one occasion the wife was away and the injection was administered by the husband. What a difference, no pain at all. He did not use anesthetic, just a different technique. When I mentioned to him that his technique was much better, he laughed and said he hates getting injections from his wife! So it is all in the technique. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aussieflicker Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 I got confused, Diphereline 11.25 injection in bum and Androcur tablets to reduce hot flushes which is working sorry for confusion ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin w Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 In my experience with Zoladex injection. Find a GP that will give you a local anaesthetic first. No local No injection. They will hurt you. Colin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John44 Posted March 7, 2018 Share Posted March 7, 2018 And my GP, he to gives me a local anaesthetic first. So, no pain. And as he bulk bills no financial pain either! My comment ; ask your Oncologist to either give you an anaesthetic or refer you back to your GP for this 3 monthly injection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charles (Chuck) Maack Posted March 8, 2018 Share Posted March 8, 2018 For Aussieflicker: Diphereline, better known as triptorelin w/brand name Trelstar, is another of the LHRH agonists. If what you posted is in the form of a question, or even if as a statement as to working, while prescribed "diphereline" and Androcur/cyproterone (an antiandrogen), and assuming your question (or statement) is more regarding prostate cancer management, difficult to determine whether one is being more effective then the other. Your PSA level would best determine if the two are both playing a role in significant lowering of your PSA. If you were only prescribed one or the other, then one could determine if that one, alone is being effective on its own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sean Posted March 9, 2018 Share Posted March 9, 2018 I go back to Oncologist office every 3 months and get one of the nurses to administer as they do it every day. My GP did it once and never again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colin w Posted March 10, 2018 Share Posted March 10, 2018 I guess it's how you get. It was the opposite for me the oncology nurse just stabbed me in the side, she seemed quite shocked when i voiced my displeasure. Luckily I now have a GP who is very good. Just stick with who you trust I guess. In the early day's I had some really bad experiences with inexperienced people who had no idea how to get that large needle in. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DiRi Posted March 12, 2018 Author Share Posted March 12, 2018 Thanks for all the advice - much appreciated. He did ask for a local last time and it wasn't so bad (or so he tells me). I think we will ask the oncologist if we can have a nurse do the injection next time. It seems to me some have the knack of injecting so that it causes minimal pain and others just aren't so great at it! BTW - my hubby is doing really well considering his psa was 100+ this time last year. PSA was 3 at last test, his hair has grown back after chemo - his energy levels are pretty good and now we just hope the last 5 hits of radium will get rid of his pain in his sit bones. All the best and thanks for your input/advice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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