tamoxifin and endometrial cancer

Juli50

Congrats Aggiecat!

Sue - I had no idea either. Can't wait to hear your results.

Pam - Wow! 2 weeks for results. That sounds crazy. Good Luck tomorrow!

LaLisa - Tamox seems to cause lots of issues. I heard it can even affect your liver.

Juli

LivingLifeNow

Just returned from my early morning D&C. This was the first day everyone (including the doctors) were using a new computer program. It was a bit hectic there. All went well. Interestingly enough my period started a few days ago, so still had some flow. Great fun without a tampon while waiting for surgery. However, flow was light enough that the hysteroscopy went well. Doc told my husband things looked fine from the scope. Now just waiting for pathology results.

I will be flying out on Wednesday to attend my father's funeral. He passed away last week when I was up visiting, so between flights and surgeries I am a bit out of it. I feel like there are way too many curve balls coming my way right now.

One "good" thing did happen yesterday. A pipe blew out on our well system. Fortunately we caught it right away and got it fixed before we'd run through thousands of gallons of water. So I am seeing this as a good sign.

Thanks for all the well wishes. Will keep you all posted.

Pam

Aggiecat52

Pam, glad to hear that things went well for you today. Very sorry to hear about your father passing away. I lost my dad to prostate cancer in 2001.



Wishing you benign results from your biopsy. Please let us know when you get your results. Take care.



Aggiecat

Juli50

Pam -  Sorry about your dad. I lost mine in 2003 to a ruptured aortic aneurism. I miss him so much. I am glad your doc gave encouraging words to your husband. 2 weeks is a long time to worry.

Juli

perky

Thank you all so much for this thread. My doctor called me last week to tell me that I flunked my ultrasound and that they found a polyp, cysts on both ovaries and I am very iron anemic and that I could have a bleed. So I am getting an iron infusion on Friday and will have another ultrasound and MRI in 2 weeks. I'm scared but after reading your stories, I am a lot less scared. I already knew a hysterectomy would probably happen at some point but facing another cancer is too much!



So very sorry about losing your parent. Nothing hurts like that.

Juli50

Perky - Sorry you are going through all that. Did they take you off the Tamox?

perky

I need to email my onco and ask... The funny thing is I thought I was handling it pretty well.

lovetosail

My endometrial bx came back B9!  Nice to have good news.  I have another repeat TVUS in 2 weeks to re-assess the cysts in the ovaries.

Pam - sorry about your father!

Perky - hope the iron infusion helps with energy levels.

NormaJean65

Juli50

No a pelvic US is NOT the same as TVUS.   Have had both and just this week I had another TVUS for a baseline for docs & myself to work from.  Usually TVUS can be done in an OB-GYN's office.

knowledgeforpower

I just returned from having an endometrial biopsy.  An ultrasound showed I had a small amount of fluid in my uterus.  I have no bleeding or other symptoms and the lining is not thickened.  I have been  post-menopausal for 10 years. The ultrasound was done in follow-up for the fluid finding on a CT scan of my abodmen done when I had a C Diff colitis.  Dr. seemed as confident as she could without the path report that the biopsy will be B9.  I will be happy to receive the phone call confirming her thought!  When I got home my husband asked what they did and I described in detail how to do the biopsy.  His comment was," and I thought a prostate exam was bad." .  Hope everone has a great week-end.

Juli50

love-to-sail - great news! congrats!

Norma Jean - thanks for the explanation!

knowledgeforpower - love your husband's comment. Ask him what has he had that compares to childbirth.

Have a great weekend everyone!

Juli

Pegs

I too had a endometrial biopsy today, my period came back in april, chemo put a stop to it which was nice, but since the end of july i have bled most of august, i sure hope it comes back ok i don't know how i would react to another cancer.  i am already tired.....

Nad66

well I have been reading everyone's post and I thought I was ok by getting TUS and pap tests. But by the look of it I should too require some biopsies as I have been on tamoxifen for nearly 3 years, had some bleeding twice after sex and a bit of spotting one or tow days after my periods. The first TUS I had they did talk about endometrial liquid but they did not do anything else given I did not have any heavy bleeding. Now I am just so worried as I am waiting for the results. On top of that tomorrow I am going in for reconstruction surgery part 2... just want to be well like all of you I am tired of all the worries. Am considering getting a hysterestomy so that I stop worrying.

perky

I'm right there with you on the worrying but the odds are still in our favor. Good luck with your surgery. I was OK with my reconstruction after the exchange surgery. Beggars can't be choosers right? Totally different after the second recon surgery. I'm happy with the outcome, hope you get a good result too.

Pegs

finally, good news to report, biopsy came back B9, yahoo!!  i guess its just menopause . thank god!!!

lovetosail

great news Pegs!

Juli50

Yay! for B9! Congrats!

LivingLifeNow

Well, tomorrow is the day. I see my GYN for the results of my D&C, followed by an appointment with my breast specialist for my 2 year post-mastectomy check-up. Will find out the results of my LFTs and CA 27, 29 blood tests. Always makes me a bit nervous at these 6-month check-ups. Hope all is well. Am keeping my fingers crossed.

Pam

newbe6

I had a pelvic, ovarian and uterine US about 2 weeks ago, and my endometrium was 4mm thick (which the onc described as a little more thick than normal) with some fluid.  I have been on AL (aridemex) for the the past 4 months.  So onc wanted to do a uterine biopsy, but when I returned to his office for the biopsy, he couldn't get into my uterus.  The opening from my cervex was too small.  He said he wouldn't be able to do it with a D & C either, for the same reason.  So he is recommending intravaginal US every 3 months to watch for changes or that I have complete hysterectomy.  I am going to get a second opinion 9/16.  Does anyone have information that might be helpful to me?  I am trying not to get anxious, and am telling myself he is just doing defensive medicine.  I am scheduled for surgery 10/14 to have the tissue expander but back in my breast after it was removed due to an infection in relation to BMX, and want to move forward with that too.  Hopefully that will not be a big deal.

rgiuff

Newbe6, at it's thickest, my uterine lining went up to 10mm and Gyn said it wasn't necessary to do a biopsy,  I had been on tamoxifen for a year at that point.  I ended up changing my Gyn for other reasons.  With the new Gyn, a year later, it was about 6mm, and recently 5mm.  With the new Gyn, also I was told no biopsy needed.  I have become postmenopausal since last period was 18 months ago. 

So hearing that your doctor is doing a biopsy for something that small seems surprising to me.  The recommendation for possible hysterectomy seems just crazy.  Good idea to go for a second opinion. Usually if there is uterine cancer,one of the first signs would be bleeding.  Thickening of the walls is very common on tamoxifen, and usually not a big problem.

perky

Finally heard from my oncologist and I am to stop taking the Tamoxifen until we know what is going in. My 2nd US and an MRI are this Friday but my appt with the Gyno isn't until the end of October. Hope I don't implode from the waiting!

LivingLifeNow

Just got the results of my D&C today. B-9! Yeah.

Newbe6: I've been on tamoxifen for 19 months and my lining was 23mm. Even though my oncologist said it's probably nothing, I had the D&C because 23mm is very thick. 4mm is not very thick at all. However, the fluid might be more of an issue. Don't know.

I also have a cyst on an ovary that needs to be monitored. This all just takes up so much time and money and worry! AARRGH!

I also saw my breast specialist today for my 6 month check-up. Everything looked fine. However, my onc had not yet sent over the results of my blood tests from last week, so don't know what those are yet. Do you ever feel totally out of control?

Newbe6, hope your second opinion is more sensible. Good luck!

Pam

lovetosail

Great news on the biopsy Pam!

 I also have a couple of ovarian cysts that need to be monitored.  My CA125 is normal, but my estrogen levels are quite high (~300) - he said this is consistent with tamoxifen induced follicular cysts - but I haven't had a period in 1.5 years (since I started chemo) so that is a bit confusing.

LivingLifeNow

Lovetosail,

It is all so very confusing. I hadn't had a period for 6 months, then got one right before I saw my GYN for annual when the lining was thickened. Then had another one a few days before the D&C. Still had the D&C, though after the 2nd period, the lining may have thinned down enough not to be of concern. Could I have any worse timing?

Think I'll do some research on cysts. Can't wait to be done with tamoxifen!

Pam

newbe6

rgluff:  thanks for the help.  Reassuring.

 LivingLifeNow:  I am so happy for you that you got B9 results.  I am upset that there are so many medical issues to emotionally control.  I am not too worried at the current time, but DO attribute poor sleep to this new uterine development.   The gyne was recommending the hysterectomy as an alternative if either the ovaries or uterine had to be watched closely-- I think offering an option to avoid not only the tests but the worry. I am 61 and therefore postmenopausal.  I am hoping that the second opinion clarifies a comfortable direction that allows me to feel "safe" and move on with completing the reconstruction and them moving on from bc

LivingLifeNow

Newbe6,

I sometimes think a complete hysterectomy might be the answer, too. Especially to stop the worry and also to stop all of the tests. It's very overwhelming.

Do keep us posted on your second opinion. Good luck!

Pam

lovetosail

Saw my onc yesterday, and since I seem to be having tamoxifen-related issues (uterine thickening, ovarian cysts, high estrogen levels but no period), they are taking me off tamoxifen.  I'll be getting Lupron to shut down the ovaries, and then an AI.  Anyone else have tx like this?

cp418

A bit off topic but I always wondered if there are statistics tracking the number of women who take/took Tamoxifen and had hysterectomy due to issues.  It is typically reported how minimal the risk is for uterine cancer with Tamox ---- but how much is actually avoided - prevented through surgery?  It just seems as breast cancer patients we go through so much treatments and surgery...... just pondering.

perky

Good question! I'm assuming that when all of this testing us done I will be getting a hysterectomy too.

voraciousreader

I had a history of polyps before taking tamoxifen. Had them removed via D&C. Before beginning Tamoxifen I had a baseline transvaginal ultrasound which identified a new polyp. After being on Tamoxifen for 15 months I finally became symptomatic from the polyp and had an endometrial thickening (9mm). So I had another D &C and am now waiting for the pathology report. Not expecting any surprises. Will assess whether to continue taking Tamoxifen in a few months after another ultrasound. To be continued.....