Did your period come back after chemo?

KP1970 · April 2008

KP1970 · April 2008

I was diagnosed 10/06. Chemo ended 4/07. The last period I had was 1/07. The only good thing to come out of all this, LOL

I take Tamoxifen. I've heard Tamoxifen and/or chemo can stop periods (menopause). I am just curious...how long before your period returned (if it did)? BTW, I am 37.

TIA!

unlimited · April 2008

I was dx - 11/2006 ... my last period was 12/2006 when I stopped taking the PILL ....started chemo 1/2007 ....... and now taking Tamoxifen since late July 2007 -- and STILL NO PERIOD woooooooooo hoooooooooooo -- and I am 43

I see the onclolgist in July 2008 -- seems he has plans to check my levels at that time .... but I haven't had any issues (se's) with the Tamox -- making me want to take it the full 5 years ---

LorenaB · April 2008

Well, I'm in the midst of chemo now (I've had 2 out of 4 A/C treatments) and my period arrived yesterday. It's interesting, my whole life I had a completely irregular cycle, but since I got my dx in December and stopped the birth control pills, it's been coming every 4-5 weeks. I wonder what the tamoxifen is going to do? I'm 41 by the way.

my3girls · April 2008

I was dx 3/07, finished chemo 8/07, started tamoxifin 10/07 and I have not had a period since 4/07. Can't say I miss it!

bluesky · April 2008

kp- we have the same timeline, i am 43, dx october/06, ended chemo april/07, last period january 07, started tamoxifen may/07, still no period, the doctor told me it can take up to 18 months to return, but given my age he said it most likely will not return. because you are younger, there still is a possibility of it returning.

kitkat04 · April 2008

mine stopped after one month of chemo, (back in sept 04) and never returned, I have been on tamoxifen for almost 3 years. My doc says typically if after treatment it stays away for a year that you can be fairly confident it will not come back. The longest time a patient of his went was 2 though that was flukey.

Ulla · April 2008

dear tia..

i was diagnosed in 14th august 2007 ended chemo in 25th jan 2008..i kept having my periods all along with chemo,,the last period was in 6th jan, then it disappeared,,i finished my rads in 26th march.

the period came back 2 days ago in 16th april..

but i didnt start my tamoxifin yet,,i may start it in May,,

but i am curiouse ,,will i lose my periods during all the 5 years of chemo ,,or wat?

by the way i was 34 wen first diagnosed

much love,,hoping that i was some help..

mplscello · April 2008

Hello Tia,

I was 35 when diagnosed, stopped having my period during chemo and it didn't come back for almost 5 years!

Meanwhile I took tamoxifen and then aromasin. When it did come back they weren't sure if it was a period or bleeding because of uterine polyps (my FSH test was borderline for menopause).

Well, we realized it was a period when I got pregnant 2 months later at the age of 40. Laughing I had just gone off Aromasin a few months before and switched back to Tamoxifen.. luckily I had a good pregnancy and a healthy baby. She is almost 10 months old now! I feel very blessed.

Anyway, just wanted to let you know that it can come back, even after several years!

take care,

LeeAnn

joykeeperorg · May 2008

Was dx at 23 started chemo 09/07 ended 12/07 did AC & T dose dense, period came back 2 wks ago Cry

I was having a BLAST without it!

BethNY · May 2008

My period stopped after the 3rd round of chemo. Then about 8 weeks after chemo ended, it came back full force. It's been clockwork for the last 3 years- every 28 days. It feels like high school again... the pain is awful, and I even get a pimple here and there. UGH. But, it means I can still have kids, so I can't complain.

Midol has become a new staple in my medicine cabinet.

Ulla · May 2008

oh god dear LeeAnn

ur story gave me great hope..

i was 10weeks pregnant in my 1st baby wen 1st diagnosed last august and was aborted in the same mastectomy day and insertion of venouse port as my surgeon is a gynicological in the same time..

i really was feeling so depressed that i thought i would never been able to have my own babies any more as i must start the tamoxifin this week for 5 years wen i will fifnish that i will be 39 years old..which is not a good age for having babies as my dr told me..

ur story made me feel that am alive again,,,

thanks alot for sharing it with us..

i have a q??regarding to the tamoxifin..will my periods dissappear all the 5 years??or just for some time in the 1st year of taking it then they came back??i would love to know from u sisters???

much love..

Dallasgirl · June 2008

I was diagnosed June of 2005. My period stopped after my 1st round of Chemo. I was 39 at the time. Well (to my great surprise) my period started again last month. You could have knocked me over with a feather.I have begun getting my period w/ regularity after all this time.I am now 43.

nash · July 2008

Dallasgirl--wow. I was 39 on my chemo, too, just turned 40. No periods since the middle of chemo. Thought they're gone for good, but guess they may come back! Did your onc ever test your estriadol levels while you were in chemopause? My levels are very low, but I wonder if they'll come back up. And are you on Tamoxifen?

patiche · July 2008

I am 26, but before chemo to have my periods regulary, just with the pill, and now there i can not take it.

I was very worry about that but 2 or 3 months after chemo itt came back and it has been "regular" ever since.

Ohbother · July 2008

Diagnosed at 40 - premenopausal...Began chemo Dec 05 - last period Jan 06 UNTIL LAST WEEK... Now 42 (almost 43)...Taking Tamoxifen...had to see Gyn because of bleeding.. Now GYN is recommending that I have out the ovaries...So, moving on to the next procedure....The only bright spot of this trauma was the absence of my period...Having it return hastened my desire to say:

Out w/ the Ovaries!

Good Luck..

syren3340 · July 2008

On tamoxifen I have about 4 periods a year. My Estridol levels are still very high so period will likely return to normal after I stop tamox this fall. I've been enjoying not having it. Though I still do the PMS & crave insane amounts of chocolate! Wink

hezzy · July 2008

I started chemo 7-07. I was first on A/C, than taxol, w/ herceptin, now abraxene and herceptin.

After my first few few rounds of chemo I no longer had a cycle. My ONC says that I am now going threw menapause which is rough. Chemo has its up and downs. This is probably one of the only things I am happy that I no longer have

irish4 · July 2008

Hi Kim,

I am 35 and was diagnosed and finished chemo exactly when you did. My period stopped after my first chemo in 1/07. It returned in 3/08 then didn't come for again for 2 months. Then it came 3 weeks apart! Who knows what will happen next, seem a little sporadic now. I was somewhat glad to have it back because it stopped all my hot flashes

Margie

Forgot to add that I did AC and Taxol and now on Tamox for 1 yr

lisettemac · July 2008

Mine did. I was diagnosed 1/07. Chemo from 3/07 until 6/07. Tamox beginning sometime in 07. Last period was 4/07 until ..... 3/08.

If you want to get your period back, just do what I did ... plan a romantic weekend getaway with your husband or partner!! My showed up unannounced as soon as we checked into a fancy-schmancy hotel. LOL.

lisettemac · July 2008

Oh yeah, I should add I was 39 when diagnosed. Just had an ooph in 4/08 (for endometriosis -- not really for the bc).

Methusala · July 2008

I'm 38.5

Mine came back , chemo was over in Dec. then radiation, then more surgery...came back with a vengeance at the end of June.

Even after menopause.

pinoideae · July 2008

I wish mine came back. I am too young to be in menopause.

mistikal · July 2008

Hi there,

I was 34 when diagnosed in Nov 07. Completed AC chemo in May and 5 weeks of radiation in June 08. I have started Tamoxifen in June. My last period was Apr 08. I understand that what I have is "medical menopause" because it was brought on from chemo and there is a chance my period can return within the year. Menopause is when you have not had a period for at least 1 year.

sdrayton · July 2008

Hi ladies.

I'm "remaining curious" about the return of my periods. I was 31 at diagnosis, now 36 and haven't had a regular period since the second round of chemo in 2004. I've been on tamoxifen for 3.5 years and have had two bouts of heavy bleeding, but I certainly don't feel like I'm cycling.

My oncologist is convinced, though, that tamoxifen is simply suppressing the periods and they will return when I complete the 5 years of the drug, but my gynocologist disagrees. I've had 4 FSH test and all have been post-menopausal. So, who knows?

It's all a big guessing game, methinks.

All the best.

drgnfly · July 2008

Does anyone know how reliable the FSH and estrodiol tests are at determining TRUE menopause? I will be having my regular appt with my onc in a few weeks. He will have the latest results of these tests and based on them I may be switched from tamoxifen to femara. By the way, I was 46 when dx, regular periods...had two almost solid months of non-stop period during my chemo (boy that was bad!) and then, wahlah, it was GONE and it hasn't come back. It is the only thing that I have lost during this whole deal that I don't miss! It will be one year with no period in August!! Surprised

lisettemac · July 2008

drgnfly -- don't know how reliable the tests are, but I can tell you my experience. After about 5-6 mos of no period, my OB/GYN ran my estradiol and pronounced me "firmly in menopause." Period came back about 8 mos later.

drgnfly · July 2008

Nooo...how old are you mac? Are you on hormone therapy and did your onc change you based on the test? This is what I am afraid of. I have not had too bad SE on tamoxifen (other than hottttt flashes and weight gain), I would gladly stay on it for longer rather than switching to an AI. Maybe I will ask to be retested again prior to the next appt, and if it is still in the meno range then I can switch.

bonny1963 · July 2008

Let me throw my two cents in to the mix. I was like a lot of you. Dx 09/06 finished chemo 2/07 finished rads 05/07 and finished Herceptin 01/08. Had my last period in 12/06. I was 43 at Dx. Had my yearly exam last year and my pcp told me I was in menopause. Like some of you, this was the only high point of this whole journey. HOWEVER, around the second week of July I had a brown discharge for wbout two weeks. During those two weeks I had a few hours of pink. I was horrified. I do not want my period back. I am not sure if this was a fluke or what. I hope so. I do not want it back. Did I already say that? Wink

I will let you know what happens next month. Good luck to those of you who are wanting yours to come back. Not me. I am loving this freedom. Bonny

mistikal · July 2008

I'm with Summer, I'm too young to be in menopause. I have chemopause just now. I would like to be able to have children rather than that choice be taken away from me.

lisettemac · August 2008

drgnfly -- was dx at 39 and am now 41 (gulp). Had chemo pause for about a year, then period returned. I am also on Tamox, but will probably make the switch to an aromatase inhibitor since I recently had an ooph. I chose the ooph because I had a HUGE endometriosis on one ovary that needed to come out anyway and Onc wanted to give me Lupron.

Did your period come back after chemo?

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