How long did it take for your cycles to return?

DianaT

Title pretty much says it all.  I had my last cycle the day I started chemo (2/14) and have not started it again (stopped chemo 5/22).  My GYN said he doesn't think it will come back if it stopped during chemo.  Is this true? I have an appt with my oncologist 11/6, so I will ask him too, but figured you all could help me in the meantime. 

Thanks! 

SueTacoma

Diana,

 My onc told me it depends on how old you are at the time of your chemo.  I was 42, and my period came back 4 months after I stopped my chemo.  Some women this age will not have their period back at all.

Sue

lilsuebee

Well, I was quite surprised this week when, after 5 and 1/2 YEARS my period came back.  I have not had a period since my first round of chemo in March of 2003.  I did chemo, rads and 5 years of Tamoxifen.  Finished Tamoxifen last month and was waiting on Femara prescription to come back b/c my onc said I was definitely in menopause. 

I had an endometrial biopsy to be sure nothing is wrong, but it's definitely a period.  So confusing.  Vaginal ultrasound shows I have eggs and functioning ovaries.  I was 30 when I was diagnosed and had 3 children, but I was divorced from their father.  I married my husband the week before starting chemo and wouldn't mind having more children....  but who knows what is the right thing?  I've read about oophs and I don't know what I should do.  I think I'll just take a deep breath and enjoy the fact that my body is trying to find homeostasis after all these years.

nash

Wow, lilsuebee, that must have been quite a surprise! Welcome to the boards, BTW--glad you found us.

I was 39 while on chemo, have since turned 40. Had a few periods on chemo, then they stopped. All the docs told me I was firmly in menopause. I had horrendous hot flashes, the whole nine yards. Then last month, nine months after finishing chemo, I had a period. I'm late for my cycle this month, so it looks like I'll be irregular now, but the hot flashes have stopped, and I'm obviously not in menopause.

DianaT

Praise God ~ Thank you so much!! You ladies are giving me HOPE too!!  I was 30 at diagnosis, 31 now.  I know that we will wait till after my 3rd year of being cancer free before we try but when the GYN said he is pretty sure I won't have periods again, I was crushed.  We were trying to conceive when I found the lump. I had irregular periods most of the time except after my 2nd daughter was born they came like clockwork and then again after my 3rd daughter my periods came back.  I still have hot flashes, but every now and then I get the 'crampy' feelings.

Thanks again! 

lisettemac

My periods returned almost exactly a year after they stopped from the chemopause.  Of course, then the onc said he wanted to suppress them further because I'd "get more benefit" from the chemo and because I'm ER+.  He recommended Lupron, but I opted for an ooph.

Anonymous

My wife has gone through 5 chemos (of 6) so far. She was diagnosed at the age of 31 (we have 2 kids). The period didn't go anywhere. In fact, it even became more stable. Surprise, yeah... I guess it very much depends on the age and overall health of the person. And of course, the type of the chemo drug always matters.

lisettemac

Meant to add that there's a very good chance your periods will return.  The younger you are, the more likely they are to return.  I was 39 at dx and mine came back.  Don't give up!!

Anonymous

Raye99

Wow, Lilsuebee - what a shocker that must have been!

Diana - My period returned approximately six months after my chemo treatment was complete. I was so relieved that it came back - a sense of normalcy per se. I was 39 at diagnosis and through chemo.

Take care,

Raye  

BethNY

I was 26 at dx.  Stopped periods on my third round of chemo.  Then about 6 weeks after finishing chemo, the day I decided to ditch my wig and go to Target (very brave step I thought) I came home, and there she was...has been back every 28 days since....

DianaT

I guess it all just depends!!  I was given Epirubicin, Cytoxen, Taxotere and Herceptin (still on herceptin). 

 Thanks!

DianaT

ok ~ out of 10 of my friends, 7 of them are pregnant!! Oh  well...

texrn

I am 47 & was in chemical menopause for 9 1/2 months - last cycle was Christmas of last year

 followed by chemo (TC) from end of Dec. to end of Feb....then,  lo & behold, on my birthday this month (10/3) my period returns.  My onc had told my I had a 50/50 chance of permanent menopause - but b/c I am er/pr negative he wasn't too concerned either way. I had a lot of hot flashes during chemo & for 3-4 months afterward, than they stopped abruptly at the beginning of summer. So I'm here to tell you, don't give up hope if you wish for your reproductive system to start working again.

I have a good friend who was dx w/ bc at 31 (stg III), went through surgery, chemo & rads, then waited the requisite 3 years & went on to have 2 beautiful children...who are now 10 & 12 yrs old!

There is definitely NO reason for you to give up hope, especially at your age.

Therese

lilsuebee

Wow!  Thanks for all the posts!  The biopsy was negative so I was right, it was a regular period, almost 7 days exactly and pretty normal.  So, my gyn is sending the results to my onc and then I'll talk with her about what to do.  Are there more drugs to prevent recurrence when you are premenopausal?  My gyn said my FSH was 5 which is low, so I am premenopausal. 

My poor husband and children had to suffer through this with me.  I don't know if the period coming back is a good idea, cause I was a witch with a capital B!  Thank God they love me!  I quickly made up for 5 years without it...

Thanks again for all your posts.  I am really enjoying having others who know where I am.

melly

I had my last period June 5th finished Chemo July 24, and am still waiting to get my period and hoping it comes back because I'd like to get pregnant.  (I am 27 and do not have kids of my own.)  My hot flashes have almost disappeared, and I do sorta get crampy.  Was wondering if any of you had noticed these "symptoms" before gettting your period.  Guess I am wondering if this could possibly be a positive sign that my ovaries are recovering.  Thanks 

BethNY

melly, I absolutely felt the same.  The hot flashes which were HELL during tx started to subside, and I got crampy, almost as if I was getting my period.  Although it didn't come when I had those crampy feelings- 4 weeks later there it was!  Are you taking tamox?

melly

BethNY, Those hot flashes... started after my last treatment and were almost absolutely unbearable at the beginning, slowly dissipating with time.  I am taking tamox, since the first week of Septmeber,  and this adds to my confusion as to whether the hot flashes (or lack of) could be in part caused by the tamox...it is very frustrating when it all seems to be a guessing game...I had my FSH and LH checked at the beginning of Septmeber and they were high, as in menopause high, but the doctors tell me that, given my age, my period will probably come back.  "Probably"...when you were trying to get pregnant before your diagnoses..."probably" just doesn't seem to cut it.  But you are giving me hope!

nash

Melly, my hot flashes (which were horrendous) abruptly stopped about a month before I got my period. I'm on Tamoxifen, so the hot flashes don't seem to be related to it. My estriadol levels were in the menopausal range in January, and I got my period back in September. I'm 40, so you're much younger than I am--I bet your cycle will start back up any day now.

lilsuebee

Melly,

I too had cramps and went in to GYN for that reason in September.  Almost exactly a month later, the cramps came back, but this time WITH my period.  This was also a month after stopping the Tam.  I was 30 when my periods stopped and 36 when they came back.  It can happen!

DianaT

Thank you all for your responses.  I am getting so hopeful!  My hot flashes are really subsiding and I have been having cramps.  I am so confused though about how to feel, maybe you wonderful women can help me get thru this.  I have been blessed with four children, more than most.  We were trying to conceive another when we found the lump.  We had planned for six kids (Yes, I know that is a lot) and I am devestated that the 'plan' has been changed.  I know that I may get my cycles back and the possibility of more children is not totally lost, so I don't know how to feel.  I have about 10 friends, and 7 are pregnant.  How much more in your face can you get?? I am so happy for each and every one of them, but cry whenever I think about how unfair it all seems.  Do you think I should have the oncologist do a sort of hormonal test, or should I just leave it alone?

lisa39

Hi Diana, I hope you don't take this the wrong way... but personally, I'd do more research into my prognosis before considering another child.  You have four kids already and judging from your avatar, they look beautiful and happy.  I see from your bio that you had quite a few positive nodes and that you were young when dx'ed. Have you asked your doctor what your chances for recurrence are?  I was 38 at dianosis and told I had a 25% chance of mortality - not just recurrence, but of dying - within 10 years - and this is with no positive nodes (although HER 2+, like you).  That totally freaked me out because my kids were 5 and 7 at the time.  I thought about the chance that they would be left without a mom as teenagers and how devastating that would be for them.  It's something I still struggle with.  I try to keep it at bay, but it's always there. As a mom, the thought of not being there to see my kids grow up has been my biggest fear since finding out I had BC.  I don't want to scare you, or sound too harsh, but you may want to ask your doctor the tough questions about your chances of recurrence and really think about your situation before you decide to have more kids. 

All the best to you and your family,

DianaT

Thanks Lisa ~ I have spoken with my oncologist about this, in fact it was one of the first questions he asked me, where we were at with children.  I wanted to move forward with treatment so we did nothing as far as fertility preservation.  I agree, the diagnosis of BC doesn't scare me, it is the possiblity of leaving the children motherless.  My oncologist did not give me the same statistics yours did as far as mortality, he did say that there was a 25% chance of recurrence based on the latest statistics at the time, which where were/are outdated and we spoke in great lengths about this.  The oncologist also told me two of his other patients with my staging, a little older than myself, have gone on to have more children without recurrence.  I am not even sure I want more children because of breast cancer, but I am struggling with the fact that the possiblity might have been taken away from me.  So that would be another loss due to breast cancer.

BethNY

I'm getting my period tomorrow, so this is me trying to pass my aunt FLO vibes to all you girls.

Who knew that anyone out there would actually look forward to the day they buy tampons again.

Oh and here's a fun fact.  My periods came back like high school all over again. I'm not kidding-- I get a zit here and there (like I need a zit at my age?) terrible cramps, and crazy PMS.  This was what started me on the pill at age 17, which I continued for 9 years only missing two pills... up until the day I was dx (um, ya think it was related to the BC dx?? we'll never know, but I think about it)

Don't lose sight of HOPE. What is meant to be will be. Diana, I think it's beautiful that you want to have more children.  My mom raised four of us alone, and I don't know how she did it-- and did it so well!! The world needs more loving moms! And who knows, maybe child number 5 and 6 will come into your life through another vessel. 

Anything is possible.

nash

Diana--you asked if you should have your onc run some sort of hormonal test on you. I'd say don't bother--my onc ran estriadol in January and it showed me firmly in menopause. Every doc I saw said I was in permanent menopause. Got my period back in September.

lisettemac

I'll give you all my secret tip for getting your period back ... worked like a charm for me.  Are you ready?

Schedule a romantic weekend getaway with your husband!!  That's right.  After 1 year of no periods, we scheduled a wonderful weekend away in SF.  My period returned that night. 

nash

OMG, listtemac, that's funny. Although I'm sure it wasn't too amusing at the time!

BethNY

lisette thanks for the laugh...

I got my period in the hospital the day after my mastectomies and reconstruction... then I got it again the morning of my surgery for nipples. NOT FUN.

lisettemac

The real funny part was sending my DH out from our fancy-schmancy hotel for tampons at 7 in the morning!!    Being inexperienced in these matters, he thought we would just leisurely get dressed and head out for breakfast and pick some up along the way.  Um, no, not with blood gushing out of me.  Then, after giving him *strict* instructions on what to buy, the name, the color of the box, etc, he came back with .... are you ready for this? ... GENERICS.  Yeah, generic tampons.  Um, yeah, no.  You should have heard me berate him!  "What are you trying to save a buck?"  "Do you understand that this goes INTO MY BODY?"  LOL!!  Not one of my finer moments (or his, for that matter).  Good thing we are still in love. 

BethNY

I sent my fiance out to make the purchase, and ripped off the tab on the box so he got the right one. Of course I was informing him to look for the yellow color, and don't get the combination pack...

then one day he came home from BJ's (in case you don't have BJ's its like costco sams club type store) and he exclaimed proudly--

Babe I found an 88 pack!  (i love this guy so much)

Gotta tell ya, the price is such a steal it blows my mind. 

lilsuebee

How about having to ask your 14 year old daughter to get you a tampon out of her stash?  That was weird!

Speaking as one who has 3 children, a stepson, and has partial custody of a 9 month old with friends from church, I still sometimes want to have more children.  I, too, have been angry for years that the decision was taken away from me when I did chemo.  Now that I have my period back, it's up for discussion and I am happy about that.