Did your period return after chemo?

cheryl58

I was also diagnosed in May 2006.  I was premenopausal and 48 years old.  I guess some could argue I was perimenopausal but my periods were very regular every single month.  Anyway, after my 4 AC treatments, I did not have any more periods.  My oncologist did bloodwork which was slowly creeping down to menopausal levels and after a time, she deemed me in menopause.  I was on tamoxifen for 2-1/2 years and just went off of it this spring due to uterine lining thickening.  My oncologist (after uterine biopsies every six months by my GYN for the thickening) finally said this spring that the risks outweighed the benefits, and I should come off the tamox.  Well, four months later, I now have my period back.  I am now 52 years old!! 

I just had a checkup this past month.  I thought for sure she was going to tell me to see the GYN and that I should have a hysterectomy or something.  Nope -- she says, "well, that is okay because I think you could use a bit of estrogen".  Since chemo, I have osteoporosis, have never slept a whole night through without waking up all night long, and have terrible memory problems (I won't get into all the nutty things I have done in the past four years--!!)  My cancer was ER+ but more so PR++ and HER2-. 

My doctor has taken such great care of me that I want to trust this judgment she has made, but it kind of scares me too.  She said that "my ovaries woke up".  Jeepers -- all of my close friends are naturally menopausal or at least very close to it.  I just don't know what to think about this at all

riley702

I was 49 and pre-menopausal when I was diagnosed in late January. I had had my period about 10 days prior to dx and was on chemo by the time I was due again, but it didn't happen. I finished chemo July 8, and still haven't gotten them back, which is fine with me!!

Fearless_One

No.   It stopped after about my 2nd treatment of A/C and never came back.   That was 1 year ago.   I am 45.

liz19

HEY GIRLS:

MY PERIOD RETURNED THIS PASSED WEEK AFTER 2 YRS  I WAS SO SURPRISED!!!!!

STILL ON FOR 5 -6 DAYS NOW SO I AM HOPING IT SYOPS SOON CHILLIN WITH THE WINE

HAVE A GREAT DECEMBER AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!!

                                                                                       I MUST STILL BE YOUNG!!!!

greenacres

Hello!  My period stopped January 2010, went through 6 cycles of Chemotherapy (Carboplatin and Taxol), and Herceptin, last one on 12/1/2010 and I jsut got my period today.  MERRY FRICKEN CHRISTMAST LOL!  Nice!  I had to call my sister at Walmart and have her pick up some pads for me.  I figured it was coming because I no longer had hot flasthes over the last month or so and I was getting much more "abundant" down there in terms of dryness (or not dry).  So, I am 41 now and I'm actually glad their back (I honestly hope they continue) because I will feel back to normal in that area in my life.  GOODBYE HOT FLASHES WOO HOO! 

Tabbymom

No.   I was 44.

Drim

bump

pitanga

My periods continued throughout chemo (A/C then Taxol). I was 39. My onc was shocked because she had given me the "hard stuff" and another woman who was dying to have a baby had opted for the weaker stuff, CMF ( Fluoracil and I forget what else) so as not to jeopardize her fertility but her periods stopped.

Mine were weaker than normal and I had hot flashes while I was on tamoxifen (4 yrs) then went back to normal.

Lozza10

Hi Faithful and all you beautiful souls (); I'm a newbie at this. I was diagnosed at 28, filthy gene in the family. Had the double mastectomy in September 2004, then chemo for three months, Tamoxifin followed for about eight months, sorry peeps but that's all I could handle, that's one full on narcotic. Period stopped second month into Tamoxifin.  So from mid 2005 to the very end of 2010, I have had no period and no relapse.  I am lucky I KNOW.  Though just had mother nature visit me for five days so am quietly stoked but still knocking on wood, as I am well aware of all ramifications.  My point, don't get discouraged (); We will kick it's arse!

SuzCA

Yes.  I was 47 and pre-menopausal when Dx'd.  Did 8 rounds of chemo,  4 Epirubicin, 4 Abraxane. My periods stopped when I took Abraxane.  My periods showed up about 9 mos later.  Now at 53 I am in perimenopause.  I don't take tamoxifien as I don't have enough E2 receptors for it to be protective.

shelby-1966

Before chemo my period was very regular.....but after chemo finished it returned irregular. I did not get period when receiving my chemo treatment though.   

Cynthia1962

I was 44 and pre-menopausal when I began chemo.  My periods stopped after 2 cycles of AC and stayed away until one year later when I had one short period while on Tamoxifen.  A few months later, my hormone leveles indicated that I was menopausal.  Then, in Nov. of last year, I was dx'd with mets and switched to Arimidex.  Two weeks ago, I experienced bleeding for just one day, but I have no doubt it was a period.  I felt "things" changing about two weeks before then and wasn't too shocked when it happened.  So, it was 3 years between this period and the last one.  I see my onc next week and we'll see where my estradiol levels are.  If they've gone up, then I'm pretty sure I'm having my ovaries taken out.  I can't go back to Tamoxifen, and I don't know if I would want to rely on chemical suppression.  I wish I'd just have my ovaries removed years ago, but there was no way to know the way things would turn out. 

shadow2356

I  was 44 when I started chemo and premenopausal. I did TCH x 6 and then a year of herceptin. My period never came back after the first chemo in Dec of 2009. Well, came back today at age 46. The cramps are a killer. I also gave away my huge box of feminine products.

Glad it came back because I feel more normal. But I guess now I will have to do menopause a second time in the future.

Psal70

I was diagnosed when I turned 39 (41 now) and my period stopped after the first AC, 6 months after chemo I got my period back, it was regular for a couple of months and I would miss a month after that it became regular.

Patricia

MizMarie

It's too early to say, but I haven't had a period since the week before my first treatment (will have #3 tomorrow).  My onc told me at my first visit that I would go into menopause, and that it likely would be a forever thing.  He didn't say it would happen so quickly, though.  I'm 48, had been perimenopausal before dx with miserable night sweats at least a couple times a week.  Frankly, this is much easier to deal with.  The hot flashes are tolerable, and I've had no night sweats at all. 

shadow2356

I had the chemo (TCH) at age 44 and never had a period after the first one. My doctor drew blood to run my hormone levels about a year after I finished the chemo. He said I was firmly in menopause and it would stay that way. I was getting used to the flashes and other symptoms. Slowly the symptoms went away but I really didn't notice too much.

So my period came back even after all that, at age 46. I must say it was the worst one I ever had. Super heavy and very bad cramps. I went to the onc and he said it is all normal because the estrogen builds slowly over time.

I had an estrogen negative cancer so it shouldn't effect my treatment.

Good luck to everyone.

dollydidit

I was 39 when I was diagnosed and throughout 6 months of chemo.  I turned 40 back in April 2011 and am 9 months through 12 months of herceptin and 6 months into 5 years of tamoxifen.  I had my period for the first couple of months after chemotherapy started.  Since then absolutely no sign.  I have hot flushes all day and all night long.  I am unsure if I am in chemopause or menopause and to be honest am a bit scared to find out it could be the later.  I feel too young to go through this.  I also haven't had kids and because of that the topic is more emotional, I feel robbed (even though I left my run very late).  I'm also not happy with the decline in sex drive that I've noticed (not that I have a partner - luckily haha).  Anyway, its been really interesting reading this thread, as it seems it might still be too early to tell for sure.  Go away hot flushes!!!

faithfulc

Hi, everyone! Well my chemo ended last year (in May 2010) so it's been a year and a half of period-free days.



This afternoon I felt bloated and heavy in my lower tummy, and sure enough, I had some spotting. Very light pink and very little, but is this a sign of my period coming back? I've been on Fareston (similar to Tamox) for just a little over a year now. Weird... Will see what happens next.

LouLou40

I was dx just after I turned 40, period stopped after 3rd AC, blood tests evey 3 -6 months indicated I was in menopause, a bit over 2 years since I started chemotherapy my periods returned. That was 6 months ago and they have been irregular, light, lot's of spotting in between and last a couple of weeks. My bloods indicate I'm premenopausal again but the breakthrough and spotting is driving me crazy.

Onc said I may now have polycyctic ovaries, he didn't seem concerned about it but will refer me to a gynae and do a pelvic ultrasound to see what's going on, I'm not on tamoxifen my Onc doesn't like it for her2 BC he is now talking about zoladex but I already have osteoporosis from menopause so waiting for him to get back to me with a plan

faithfulc

Oh, yeah. The period is definitely back. With a vengeance, like it's been saving it all along (someone else said this, too.) Pretty heavy flow today (day 2). This 18 months after my last chemo. I'm 42... Sigh.



Now I have to see if it will be regular from this point on. I don't know for sure if I like to have it back. I do feel that it's too early for me to be in menopause, but I sure didn't miss my period at all during this past year and half. Does this mean I have to go through menopausal symptoms AGAIN? Geez!

Carrol2

I was 45 when diagnosed. I had my last period the week before my first tx of TC x 4. It's now almost a year since my last infusion. I have been taking tamoxifen for 9 months. Still no sign of my period. My doctor said that most women in there 40s don't get it back but some do.

kathleen1966

I was diagnosed at 44.  Though I was told I would go into instant menopause as soon as chemo started, what happened was I bleed for the first two months of treatment.  Then my period went away for 10 months, during which I had many symptoms of menopause...hot flashes, dry wrinkly skin, other areas "dry", then I noticed the hot flashes stopped and my skin started to look nicer again.  I knew the period was trying to make a come back. For the two months before it made its return I had a lot of discharge. Then after 10 months it returned. The first period was a period from hell with very, very heavy bleeding.  I was soaking a full size purple OB tambon every fifteen minutes for about nine hours (sorry to be soo graphic). I took some vitamin C and this helped stop the bleeding. The next month it was not quite as heavy but still very heavy.  I ended up having a uterine ablation as this made sense for me.  My periods had been heavy before chemo as well and I would bleed for 10 days (this held true for the two come back periods I had only the bleeding was more heavy). I am glad it came back though.  I am happier with my skin and I just feel better. I hope to now have lighter periods without losing the hormones. I was very surprised that my period came back being 45 years old. But am happy I will have more years before entering into true menopause.  I also don't think it should be a problem for me as I was hormone negative.

Sugar77

Hi ladies...quick question.  Have any of you had your periods return long after chemo ended?  I'm 47 and finished chemo in Feb. of 2010 (almost two years ago).  I was 45 at the time and I had my last period during my second of four rounds of TC.  Anyway, when I had my physical this past October, my GP told me I was in menopause and to call her right away if I have any bleeding.  Today I noticed some spotting and I've been feeling a bit crampy like when I used to get my periods.  I called my GP right away like she recommended and she wants me to have a pelvic ultrasound so I'm going next Tuesday for that.  I recall my onc saying my periods could return but wanted to get feedback from you gals.

rachelvk

Kathleen - Thanks for weighing in on the side of wanting to get your period back. I'm in no rush to hit menopause at age 42; I've always looked 5+ years younger than my age and don't want that to change, and my family has a history of osteoporosis (and I'm really short to begin with). I've had just a few weeks to weigh the option of freezing eggs, which would be financially difficult and I have reservations about sending a kid off to college when I'm 63. Part of me wants to leave it up to nature - if I'm supposed to have kids, I can hope that my body kicks back into gear in the next 2-3 years.

comingtoterms

I too, am one of the lucky ones who got her period back 10 months after chemo ended. I was 48 when diagnosed. Through the almost two years I was on Tamox., I had irregular heavy bleeding and one period that was practically a hemmorage. After two histosonograms and two uterine biopsies, I decided I couldn't take it any more. I am no longer taking Tamox. My periods continue irregularly, but are no where as heavy as they were on Tamox. I am now 51. I have no medical evidence for anything I say here, but I am convinced that Tamox. was not working for me. I never had a hot flash or night sweat, my Gyn told me my internal tissues were not those of a menopausal woman. I never had any of these symptoms while going through chemo, either, and I did A/C/T. I believe that my body will continue to do as it is doing until the eggs run out. It simply isn't ready. If most women in their late thirties and early forties don't regain menstrual function, doesn't it seem a bit bizarre that women in their fifties are still menstruating? How can that not indicate something? Does it increase the recurrence rate? My Onc. keeps telling me that it's unusual, but not unheard of. Secret: I feel good when I get my period. It reminds me I am still a woman, even though I lost a breast and my sex drive! Please don't tell anyone....... it probably sounds like I am insane to say that.  Tammy

Sugar77

Hi, further to my post above, I should note that I'm triple negative and therefore am not on any type of hormonal therapy.

rachelvk

Same here - I'm TN, so no tamox for me.

nsvv

I was 2 months short of 40 when dx for BC....with having periods every 28days by the clock.Had surgery and after 2 cycles of chemo, periods stopped for 2 months and again started after 5th cycle . During radiation they again stopped only to come back after 1 month. May 2008 I started  tamoxifen . Since my cancer was E+P+ and I was having periods regularly,in May 2009, my onc gave me 8 shots of zolodex 10.3mg ....one every 3 month ..for 2 years.June 2009 I had one period and now, when least wanted ---at age 44 and half ,4 days back started again. I have 3 benign non palpable lumps in the other breast which are being closely monitored by annual breast MRI and  ultrasound every 3 months. Appointed with onc is next week...I'm scared.

annie1623

Hi, I had my chemo nearly 2 years ago and one month in my period stopped I was 49 and classed as pre menopausal have been on Tamoxifen for about 18 months now and have just started spotting over the last 2 months the last time was much more than before and yes now I think about it I had , had some cramping but didn't think anything of it 12 months ago my blood tests showed that I was post menopausal,

hwhranch

Mine stopped after my first 2 chemo treatments.  Chemo started in March and I never got a period, I was 48 at the time and totally regular.  I had a total hysterectomy in December and the periods had still not come back.  Of course they are totally gone now.