How to know if chemopause is permanent?

knittingPT

Hello All! I was premenopausal when diagnosed last September with ER/PR+ Her2- cancer. Chemotherapy stopped my periods. I will begin hormonal therapies after radiation is done. I have heard that people can return to a normal cycle after chemotherapy. I went to see gyno and he did a blood test that said my body was "post-menopausal" How do I know if this is permanent?

Nancy2581

hi knitting - I don't know that you do know if it's permanent until after a year???? I also read 2 years for chemo patients. I am in the same situation. All of my bloodwork in March said I was postmenopausal but I believe my onc is checking me again in June.

Nancy

knittingPT

Thanks, Nancy! So, in that case, do you do ovarian suppression during your hormonal therapies or just keep checking the blood levels? I guess the main thing I worry about is that I would think I'm menopausal and then end up pregnant. The gynecologist said that sometimes people can have just enough hormonal activity to get pregnant but not enough to cause a period. So, period or lack thereof is not a definite sign. I was deciding between chemical ovarian suppression vs. oophorectomy. I will talk to gyno and onco some more but was curious to hear what others have been through

ElaineTherese

Hi knitting PT!

I was premenopausal until chemo, which sent me into chemopause (no periods, some warm flushes). After chemo and surgery, my MO has me on Zoladex for ovarian suppression and prescribed me an AI (Aromasin). She didn't bother to check my blood levels; she just assumed I was premenopausal.

RainDew

Hi Knitting - this happened to me (not pregnant tho!) basically a few months after chemo I had an estradiol test which showed pre-meno levels, but still no periods.

I started zoladex shots to shut down ovaries and switched from tamoxifen to aromasin following SOFT results. Doing great! Might consider ooph, but am kind of done with surgery for a while at least.

Good luck!

Rain

Nancy2581

hi knitting - I think ovarian suppression might depend on your age. I am 52 so I only take tamoxifen for now.

I worry too about the pregnancy thing. I am too old at this point to end up pregnant lol

Nancy

Lolis197138

I thought I was in permanent menopause. Last period was in august 2014 (my second last chemo). I had a lot of menopausal side effects and I seriously thought I was in menopause. I did FSH test in March and it showed menopausal. I have been on Tamoxifen since September. This past weekend my period showed up. 

I have read that young women can have their period back up to two years after treatments. 

knittingPT

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories. It sounds like I could maybe have blood work saying "menopause" right now but then have things turn back on later. So, I do probably still have to consider chemical or surgical ovarian suppression. Did any of you have oophorectomy? Ive talked to several people who say it is super easy surgery.