Lupron Side Effects – Treating Endometriosis with Lupron
October 28th, 2009 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Uncategorized
Lupron is one of the new drugs that is used to treat endometriosis a condition that previously had been treated by surgery only now all but the most extreme cases can be treated with medications such as Lupron that can help relieve symptoms and stop the progression of the endometriosis. Before we talk about the Lupron side effects it is important to review just how Lupron works and what its benefits are to those that take it.
First of all endometriosis is a condition where the lining of the uterus begins to grow outside the uterus and then begins to attach itself to other regions in the pelvic area. Endometriosis is progressive and gets worse over time, and can be very painful, cause infertility and be dangerous. Several drugs have been developed over the years to treat endometriosis and Lupron is one of the more successful of those.
Lupron is a hormone that has two different jobs in treating endometriosis; first it stimulates the ovaries to produce more estradiol, then the hormones send a message to the ovaries to reduce the amount of estrogen produced. So it is the primary job of Lupron to decrease the amount of estrogen the body produces, Lupron side effect come from this fact in that it mimics the onset of menopause.
This can make Lupron a difficult choice for many women however for those that are painfully afflicted by endometriosis this drug works very well and makes the Lupron side effects well worth it. Side effects can include; hot flashes, night sweats, palpitations, syncope, tachycardia, headache, depression, nervousness, vaginitis, loss of libido, breast tenderness, acne and weight gain. These symptoms are very similar to the onset of menopause because of the crash in estrogen levels in the body.
Many women will also no longer have a period or may have very light periods. These are the good side effects of this drug, but there are also Lupron side effects that may be more severe than many women can deal with. Many women have reported cardiac arrhythmias, chest pain, confusion, depression, bone pain, loss of vision, extreme fatigue and high blood pressure.
Despite all the drawbacks of Lupron side effect for most people the drug has changed their life for the better as it has reduced or eliminated the crippling effects of endometriosis, and allowed them get on with their life. Many women will tell you that the minor side effects are a small price to pay to be pain free for the first time in a long time.