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Topic: Lupron...Has anyone taken it, good and bad side effects? (Female problems

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Subject: Lupron...Has anyone taken it, good and bad side effects? (Female problems
Date Posted: 10/8/2007 3:06 PM ET
Member Since: 7/28/2007
Posts: 487
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Has anyone here ever taken Lupron for endometriosis?  I am going to the doc tomorrow, because I am pretty sure my time is up on my last laparoscopy 2.5 years ago.  I am having pain that feels like endo again and it is getting progressively worse fairly quickly.

I have had one friend who took Lupron and had few side effects, but everything I have read concerning it is one horror story after another.  My doc and I discussed me taking it following my laparoscopy in 2005, but we together decided against it.  I am not sure what she will recommend tomorrow, but I want as much info as possible.

I am willing to have another laparoscopy, the benefits of the last one far outweighed the week of discomfort and hassle, but Lupron has me scared to death.

Any thoughts?

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Date Posted: 10/10/2007 4:14 AM ET
Member Since: 9/30/2006
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I have not taken Lupron, but I did take two other medications of the same type several years ago when I first developed endometriosis. I wish I could remember the name of the medications, but it was almost 20 years ago and since I often have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast, I just can't bring the names to mind.  Anyway, they worked pretty much the same way as Lupron but in pill form.  It sounds as though Lupron may be stronger.  I geuss one of the things that scare me about the Lupron is that you can't control the dosage quickly if you have side effects.  With pills, you can just stop them if something develops, but if you have just had your injection of Lupron I'm not sure what could be done to reverse the side effects.  Maybe adding estrogen to counter the affects?   Another issue in that same line is the potential for bone loss while taking it.  If you loose too much bone while taking Lupron, do you have to then start taking a medication to treat osteoporosis?  

Obviously the intent of this medication is to put you into a short, drug induced menopause so that the endometriosis, which feeds on estrogen, will, medically speaking, fizzle up and die.  :)   If you have really resistant endometriosis, which I did, it may not help much at all.  As it didn't with me. 

I am really sorry I did not get back to you sooner on this, and I imagine you and your doctor have discussed this thoroughly already.  But my short advice to you is that if you are having such reservations about taking it, I would err on the side of caution and not take it.  Ask your doctor about the pill forms of this type of drug. 

Please let me know what you decide, I'm really hoping that whatever you decide to do helps you.  I'm an old hand at laparoscopies, too, and I know that periodically having one to laser off the endometriosis is one of your options. 

Take care!

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Date Posted: 10/11/2007 4:25 PM ET
Member Since: 7/28/2007
Posts: 487
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thank you!

I pmed a response!