Hi Mancsteve,
I can talk to the first part of your question, but not, yet the second.
I've been on Zoladex for 12 months now, and Bical for 6 months ( which is way longer than you will have to deal with). The Bical was prescribed to provide a bit of belt and braces tumour bashing prior to RT, expected last autumn. In the event, that wasn't to be, and the meds have been continued pending a new treatment strategy.
The Zoladex brought its usual friends- a bit of weight gain; hot flushes- but that has been pretty consistent. Everyone is different, but I have found the side effects to be inconvenient rather than life changing.
I have had Bical twice. The first was- like you- a 4 week stint to accompany my main HT ( at that time, Prostap). I had no notable effects that I couldn't ascribe to the Prostap.
This time round, the Bical has noticeably increased the muscle loss; I have lost a bit more pace and stamina on long runs; and my boobs have grown a bit ( and become a bit painful). But I have been on it a while. Again, nothing I can't live with, but as you will see from another current thread I am looking to see when I can sensibly start the process of getting off the hormones prior to an RP.
I am working on the assumption that it will take several months for the effects to work their way out of the system. If you dig around on here, you will find a few references to that, though there is not much hard data on decay rates.
The initial 4 week burst of Bical which you are on is intended to be a short term thing, both in the duration of the dosing and its retention in the body- it is there to protect against any flare which can sometimes occur in the early stages of treatment with the Prostaps and Zoladexes of this world . As Lyn says, you probably won't notice the Bical element of the medication.
One tip- if you have not already done so, get a testosterone check alongside your PSA tests. I wasted 6 months finding out that the Prostap was not doing its job on inhibiting testosterone production
Best of luck