Re: Does any one know what to do about this?
From: anonymous (anonymous@obgyn.net)
Fri Dec 8 04:23:41 2006
Um, great - but it's okay for you to handle weapons while having
uncontrollable mood swings? Sorry, but don't you see the irony?
Lupron is a "band-aid" approach, anyway. You can't take it forever,
then what will you do? Maybe it's time to rethink the medication?
I hope you will seek out treatment with an endo specialist - thorough
excision of the disease gives 80% of women lasting relief. (5+ years,
according to studies.)
At Fri, 8 Dec 2006, Marie wrote:
>
>The reason I say I can not Physically do my job while on anitdepressants
>is because i am a cop. I wear a gun every day and you can not handle
>weapons while on antidepressants. Is it worth being out of a job in
>order to control my mood swings? And I definately have the heat
>flashes...
>
>At Thu, 7 Dec 2006, anonymous@obgyn.net wrote:
>>
>>Marie, I would like to share what I went through while on Lupron. It
>>was intended for my Lupron treatment to only last 6 months, the doctor
>>persuaded me to continue another 4 months beyond that to ensure I would
>>obtain the most benefit. At the point I decided to try Lupron, the endo
>>was inoperable. It had attached to my nerve endings and caused a
>>burning sensation down both legs along with the joy of pain we all get.
>>The shots didn't fully take effect for about 3 months after they began.
>>I too began to get frustrated thinking this may never work. Some
>>symptoms I experienced were severe night sweats and the occasional
>>severe hot flash. However, my mood swings were the greatest side effect
>>I had. I was married at the time and it was extremely detrimental to
>>our marriage. He couldn't understand why I went from a good natured
>>person to evil in a matter of minutes. I talked to the doctor and began
>>taking a birth control medication (the name slips my mind at this point)
>>and an antidepressant Effexor. Now keep in mind, I have never needed
>>antidepressants in my life, but the effects were not only to curb the
>>mental issues I was experiencing it also helps with the physical as
>>well. I will warn, the longer you are on the Lupron the more prominent
>>your symptoms will become. Once the treatment was over I did not talk
>>to my doctor about how quit the medications I was taking, I just quit
>>and that was a big mistake. Anti-depressants are very difficult to stop
>>and there is a major withdrawal period where you must slowly decrease
>>your levels until you are off of it completely. I agree with Tara that
>>you should first talk with your doctor and see what medications you
>>could take to counter the symptoms and then research each of those drugs
>>on your own. Be aware to look at both side effects and withdrawal
>>symptoms. Your statement that you can not physically do your job on
>>antidepressants confused me, since the drugs used to counter mental
>>incapacities rather than have physical side effects. I only mention it
>>because you may want to bring that concern to your doctor as well.
>>Communication with your doctor in this case if very very important.
>>Please remember they should not ever think you're a whiner or be
>>intolerant of your concerns if they are, change doctors. This isn't a
>>treatment that is easy on the body and you should be able to voice your
>>concerns, questions, and fears without reservation.
>>I would like to end with... It took my period 6 months to return.
>>Before Lupron I had to take narcotics for the pain and like I said a
>>constant burning sensation would radiate through my legs. I have been
>>off Lupron for a year now and have had regular periods for the last 6
>>months. I've not been on birth control and they are regular down to the
>>day. I will not lie, I still have very painful periods, but I can
>>usually take acetaminophen or ibuprophen to curb the pain. A rarity to
>>me since it's been 10 years or more since I was able to deaden the pain
>>with OTC drugs. Lupron was worth the suffering for me since now I have
>>the benefit of not taking Hydrocodone or Vicadin and the burning
>>sensation is gone.
>>I hope this helps and again please take time to talk to your doctor.
>>They are going to be your best ally in the defense of this problem for
>>you. Good luck!
>>
>>At Thu, 7 Dec 2006, Tara wrote:
>>>
>>>All I can say is that I completely understand the mood swings from
>>>Lupron. It definitely played a huge part in my (at the time) long term
>>>relationship. He too had been there with me pre-endo and through my
>>>diagnosis. Unfortunately for me I wasn't given anything that really
>>>helped much, but at the same time I wasnt so happy with Lupron to begin
>>>with and what it was doing to me...so I really didn't want to mix in any
>>>more meds with it. I can say however the BEST thing you can do is maybe
>>>some research and print the stuff out, ask your boyfriend to read up on
>>>it. Let him know exactly how you feel, how this is just a temporary
>>>thing to help lessen the pain from a endo. I must say that the Lupron
>>>took about 2-3 months to begin helping me at all. My pain never fully
>>>subsided but it did help a little. Hang in there. Just make sure to
>>>keep your communication open. Afterall my "long term boyfriend" is now
>>>my husband :-)
>>>
>>>At Wed, 6 Dec 2006, Marie wrote:
>>>>
>>>>I am taking Lupron right now. I am up for my second shot next week. I
>>>>am still having pain, not excuciating like normal, but enough to make me
>>>>miserable. Nothing except percocet seems to have touched the pain at
>>>>all. The part I need the post help with is, I think the lupron is
>>>>making me have mood swings. I cry for no reason at all, and the
>>>>smallest things seem huge to me. I get mad easily. It is really
>>>>hurting my long term relationship with my boyfriend. (who has been with
>>>>me since the endo started) Has any one else on lupron experienced this?
>>>>What helped? Should I just try a Anti-depressant? The only problem if I
>>>>should use an anti-depressant is that it will effect my job. I can not
>>>>Physically DO my job if I am on anti-depressants. Please help me...
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