Brief health summary and other important info before I get into my Lupron symptoms

Symptoms I already have from hypothyroidism and/or anemia

Lupron Depot symptom journal (by week)

Background info:

Why am I taking Lupron Depot? I have a huge fibroid that can not be safely removed surgically. It causes a massive amount of blood loss each month, and even with taking progesterone and iron supplements, I have anemia. I had part of the fibroid removed on January 20, 2020, before my doctor decided it was too large. Since then, I still have had bleeding issues. I was given a choice between a hysterectomy and trying to shrink it with a hormone blocker before more surgery. We have decided to try to shrink the fibroid with Lupron before going in and trying to remove it again, in order to preserve fertility. I am 39 years old, and never have been pregnant. I’m not sure if I will ever have children, but I did not want to give that part of me up yet.

Also good to know about me before getting into the symptoms while on Lupron:

I have Hashimoto’s (an autoimmune disease that attacked my thyroid). I had my thyroid surgically removed in 2018 (in two surgeries). After the first surgery, a thyroid lobectomy for a potentially cancerous nodule, they discovered thyoid cancer and I had the rest removed. I had some hypothyroidism symptoms for years before the surgery, but since the second surgery in August 2018, I have experienced severe hypothyroidism symptoms with the worst being very heavy and prolonged periods (this is also a fibroid symptom, and I’m not sure if the fibroid was there all along or if the same estrogen dominance that causes heavy and prolonged menstruation in women with hypothyroidism also fueled the fibroid growth). I also experience afternoon fatigue to a crippling level. My endocrinologist refuses to adjust my thyroid medication based on my hypothyroidism symptoms, and while most of my hypo symptoms have gotten better after the inital very hypo period in August-December 2018, I still experience extreme fatigue on a daily basis. I need a new endo, but I decided to get the massive amount of bleeding checked out first.

Also good to know about me:

I am a distance runner. I’ve been running half marathons since 2003 and full marathons since 2012 (I took a 6 year break from marathons 2013-2019, gained 35 pounds in 2015-2016 while still running, lost 35-40 pounds in 2017, then found out I had a major thyroid problem in 2018 (I’ve probably had the problem for decades, but most of the 2010s I had many symptoms). All this time I’ve kept running, and I plan to run throughout the Lupron treatment. Running keeps my mood stabilized in a way anti-anxiety medication (which I’ve taken) does not.

Symptoms I already have before taking Lupron, which Lupron also might cause:

(As I noted above, I have anemia and many hypothyroidism symptoms – my experience with Lupron will probably be different because of that, and for many of these I might not notice a change or might notice an increase in severity.)

Tiredness (I have extreme afternoon fatigue pretty much every day, unless I do a very long run that morning)

Joint/muscle aches (my left shoulder has been sore since late 2018/early 2019 – I injured it in 2017, it healed, but when I was very hypo it started being achy and hasn’t stopped. I don’t think it is inured though, just sore)

Decreased libido (I have had pretty much zero libido for years, so I don’t think it can go down from there)

Hair loss (my hair started falling out at an increased rate in July 2018 after my first thyroid surgery and never stopped falling out at an increased rate. Anemia also causes hair to fall out. I have thick, coarse hair, and no one can tell but me, but it is annoying to collect the hair in my shower, in my brush, on my clothes, on my floor, and I need to keep my hair pulled back in a braid at all times when I’m not showering – I used to wear ponytails but even that sheds too much these days).

Weight gain/bloating – I am frequently bloated throughout the month. So many things cause bloating, including hypothyroidism. I run frequently and keep track of my calories, so if the 4 pounds I put on from January 1-February 12th are all fat, it would be a big surprise to me.

Mood swings – What triggered going to the gynecologist in the first place was actually a huge anxiety attack in November 2019. I assumed this was triggered by my hormones. I only started bleeding a lot more heavily in December after that visit.

Thoughts about the potential side effects Lupron Depot is know to cause:

Well, I’ve already been through quite a lot in the last two years. My hormones are already pretty screwed up. I know how hard mood swings can be, but I also know what the potential benefit of the hormone blocking treatment will be. I’m not sure how bad it will get for me, but if I can keep running, I’m hoping I can keep my mood stabilized. Hot flashes, bloating, mood swings, being tired, hair falling out, dizziness, sweating, headaches, I will just have to take it one day at a time and see how it all goes.

Lupron Depot Journal

Week 1 (February 12 -18)

February 12, 202, I received my first Lupron Depot 3.75 mg intramuscular injection.

Symptoms/side effects during the first week:

Dizziness (1st few days, although occasionally persists especially after walking up stairs)

Headache (off and on for 1st few days)

Increased bloating/weight gain (The day after, less than 24 hours after injection, I noticed my feet and fingers were swollen. My weight went up from 155.1 on Feb. 11 to 158.5 on Feb. 18)

Sluggish on runs (this is not commonly documented by Lupron users, but my first 5 days on Lupron, my average running speed decreased from about 11:00 min/mile before Lupron to 12:15 min/mile after Lupron. Last two days seem to be improving. This all might be from the extreme bloating going on.)

Increased hair loss (starting on Day 4 – I already have increased hair loss, but surprisingly it is now even more. My brush is filling up faster, my shower drain is clogging faster. It is not a “worry” but it is very annoying).

Cold flash (Day 4. I get cold frequently, but this felt like a sudden immersion in ice all over my body, and then it was gone.)

Night sweats (Night 4/Day 5)

Increased sweatiness while running (ok, this might be specific to me, but I noticed my fingers getting very sweaty on some very cold runs. February 14, 15-18 deg F, I had to take my gloves off any my hands were dripping. Same thing February 15, temperatures in the 20s deg F, hands very sweaty. I’ve stopped wearing gloves running and now dress like it is warmer outside, and this seems to be helping.)

Increased fatigue (Day 5 – I already have crippling afternoon fatigue every day, but it was even worse)

Strange food cravings (Day 5 was craving butter)

Weird dreams (Night 5/Day 6 – I think this just means my sleep is interrupted. Have not been sleeping well since).

Lost running motivation (Day 6 and Day 7- probably because I did not sleep well. I still ran, because it is a huge part of my life, but getting out the door was a lot harder than usual)

Huge bags under my eyes – not normal

Poor quality sleep? I am sleeping, but I am tired all the time, having weird dreams, and clearly not getting the type of sleep I need.

Other notables from this week:

I had virtually no pain at the injection shot. Immediately after it was a little sore, but I guess I don’t use my gluteus medius running all that much because no issues at all. I’m not sure if they numbed the site first because I barely felt the needle go in. It also might be an area that I’m just not sensitive.

Summary of week 1 (February 12-18, 2020)

Looking at the list it seems like a lot. It is nothing compared to the hypothyroidism symptoms I had after my thyroid surgeries in 2018, and nothing compared to November and December 2019 and January 2020 where my hormones have gone amok and my body has decided to just keep bleeding so much to the point where I am now terrified to get my period in case it is as bad as December.