Did your period come back after chemo?

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  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited December 2008

    Trace--great news from the onc! That's exciting. Keep us posted on how things go.

  • healed
    healed Member Posts: 1
    edited January 2009

    KP1970 I AM 37 YEARS OLD AND I WAS DIAGNOSED WITH BC IN JAN 2007 STARTED CHEMO JAN O7 LAST PERIOD AFTER 2 CHEMO. ON JAN 30 09 IT WILL ABOUT 2 YEARS SINCE MY LAST PERIOD AND TODAY 1/12/09 MY PERIOD HAS RETURNED, OH MY GOD WAS'NT READY FOR THAT ONE.  MY DOC TOLD ME MINE WOULD'NT POSSIBLY RETURN BUT IT'S BACK.

  • cnoel
    cnoel Member Posts: 8
    edited January 2009

    Great Topic

    I was DX in 2/06 at 34yrs and had my last period right after first chemo (April 2006). TX included 4adr/cyt, 12 Taxol/Hercept followed y 34 Rad and 13 more hercpt. They told me I was post menopausal. In August of 08 I had one day spot, very light. Then in Nov.08 I had two days little darker still spoting. So I followed up with all the tests: FSH, LH, TSH, CA125, Pap and ultrasounds of ALL my lady parts! My FSH was 168.0 which ment it doubled since 1/16/2007. They all but said I was OUt-of-the game! I was very sad and had to accept my fate all over again even though I felt like something was happening :( THEN......Saturday January 24th 2009 I was spotting and sunday january 25th began a FuLL period!  Its like it never left!:)

      Of course my GYN & Onc Doc are freaked out because they can't explain it. So tomorrow I have to get more blood work to be sure.  But in my heart I know everything is okay.    Not to offend anyone----God takes care of us ladies (and gents )I know that no amount of chemo can do for me the great wonders HE has!!!   I believe that God blessed my Docs, gave them the wisdom and drive to work for me and countless others!! Yet some stuff just is! NoONE can dictate what your ovaries will or wont do!  

    On most days I have unwavering faith!!! and from my second round of chemo I realized I NEEDED  to if I was gonna make it!!!   I'm only 1 1/2 yers out, 37years old and understand my reality Yet... I press on...YAHOO!!!!

     Bless Ya!

    Crissta---DX 2/2006- InvasiveDC-Her2Nue +, ER+/PR+

  • 1234Manu5
    1234Manu5 Member Posts: 7
    edited January 2009

    I was DX 03/10/2007, my last period was 03/07.

    Chemo was finish 09/07 and the period came back 01/2008

  • StaceyR
    StaceyR Member Posts: 136
    edited January 2009

    I am 34.  My period stayed pretty regular until the end of chemo (last infusion on Sept 18, last period on Sept 7).  And then it only stayed away for 3 months, came back January 4.

  • Nisa
    Nisa Member Posts: 17
    edited February 2009

    Hello all,

     I am happy to let you all know, my period returned 2 hours ago.

    I had my last chemo. April 2008 and last Lupron shot October 2008. (So basically 3 months and 3 weeks after Lupron....here it is...

    We are trying to conceive as of now.....I prayed daily for the return of Aunt Flo

    I thank all of you for your support and love

    Nisa...

  • nash
    nash Member Posts: 2,600
    edited February 2009

    Yay, Nisa! That's exciting news!

  • melly
    melly Member Posts: 12
    edited February 2009
    Mine as well came back, january 14th, 2009...and I am so happy....  I think I even enjoyed my cramps  Surprised or maybe that was just my sense of relief... Came back after 7 months, I had my last chemo treatment on July 24th.  Aunt flow had been missing in action since June.  I am also on tamoxifen and didn't know whether that would have an impact on aunt  flow...so now Ill wait to see if I am regular.  we should begin to try to conceive later this year!
  • lisamed123
    lisamed123 Member Posts: 186
    edited February 2009

    Hi Girls,

    I am 43 and I think my period is coming back.  I have been spotting for a few days now, which was my normal MO.  I finished chemo July 17 and my last period was in May.  My hot flashes stopped mid-December.  I was kinda hoping to be done.  My rads onc said she thought 98 percent that I was done.  I did do a hormone blood test a few weeks ago and it did indicate peri-menopausal.  I am curious about others around my age.

    Lisa

  • Vinogal
    Vinogal Member Posts: 439
    edited February 2009

    Hey ladies....

    Aunt Flow showed up last night........I am 37 had my last Taxol on October 1st......am continuing on with Herceptin and Tamoxifen.........about a month ago......hot flashes all but stopped.......2 weeks ago.....I got that feeling I get when I am ovulating.......didn't recognize it at first as I had missed it for 7 months......but then said to my husband.......get ready for PMS in a couple of weeks........I think aunt flow is coming back.......and low and behold.........here she is.......not sure how I feel about her return.......I already have my family complete.......but I suppose I am too young for menopause!.........just wish she would have stayed away until I was done dealing with this damn seroma I got after bilat with TE placement......oh well.

    Cheers

    Jax

  • bundles75
    bundles75 Member Posts: 1
    edited April 2009

    thanks so much for your story. i was doing a search in google because i was dx with lymphoma 6/08 and concerned about cycle.still hasn't returned i'm 33 and no children.according to my onc r-chop isn't as severe chemo as with breast cancer pts.god luck to you all.    wenona

  • Renata
    Renata Member Posts: 172
    edited April 2009

    I had 4 A/C chemo treatments and never lost my period but as soon as I began with Tamoxifen in mid August 08 it stopped. I had just turn 38 when I was diagnosed. I know many women are happy to stop their periods but I wasn't, I felt it was one more thing being taken away from me: my health, my breast, my hair, my fertility...and then last week, 7 months later my period came back and I'm happy, it makes me feel young and normal, I'm just a little apprehensive to tell my onc but I definitely don't want to enter menopause before I'm due.

  • navygirl
    navygirl Member Posts: 886
    edited April 2009

    It's interesting reading all the different reactions on this. My period came back in February - 3 months after my last chemo. I had been sitting on the fence about getting my ovaries out (can't and wouldn't do tamoxifen) but after about 4 hours of cramps and flo'ing, I called and scheduled my surgery. The grass is always greener...I hated it before bc, missed it when I was in chemopause, then remembered how much I hated it as soon as it was back. Seems like double jeapordy to me that we have both PMS and menopause....seems to me one or the other should belong to the male species so that we get a BREAK.

  • Bethie1
    Bethie1 Member Posts: 393
    edited April 2009

    I'm through my 5th chemo, (1st one on Taxol) and I'm 38.  Period stopped in between 3rd and 4th chemo on AC. Added blessing through all this mess!!!!

  • gldouglas
    gldouglas Member Posts: 11
    edited April 2009

    I was diagnosed in May 2008 and I haven't had a period since April 2008. Had chemo Jul 08-Dec08, then some WBR and now on Tykerb and Xeloda and haven't seen a period since last year. And I am 29 years old so the docs say its a guessing game whether I will actually get a period again or not. I really don't miss it though.  They use to be pretty rough!

  • Reni
    Reni Member Posts: 81
    edited April 2009

    I was dx 8yrs ago at 35 and did Ad/Cy/Tax (noTamoxifen)  and my periods not only came back but I also got pregnant 4yrs later and now have a 3yr old..

     I didnt freeze eggs as noone mentioned that to me at the time. Got pregnant on my wedding nite too 

     Laughing

  • Leonor1022
    Leonor1022 Member Posts: 3
    edited May 2009

    Hi everyone,

    I was diagnosed June 05 (25 years old) - 4 cycles of a/c and one year of Herceptin - I've been on tamoxifen for about 3.5 years and am patiently waiting for my period to come back.  I got married right after chemo.  My husband has been great and for all those concerned women - I have beautiful 11 month old baby girl with the middle name HOPE.  We adopted her from birth in the USA.  So regardless if you are childbearing or not there are other options... Please don't get me wrong I too am waiting for my cycle to return so that my daughter can have a sibling or more!Smile

  • sagit
    sagit Member Posts: 28
    edited June 2009

    hi everyone,

    unfortunately, my period got more frequent after the chemo, so abselutely nothing good came out of it.

  • Wlima
    Wlima Member Posts: 1
    edited June 2009

    I was diagnoised with node negative, estrogen postitive bc. at age 43  But because of a "slight" problem" with my orginal doctor/hospital, and some further testing by the new doctor/hospital I did not do chemo (4 rounds of Taxotere and Cytoscin) and shot until Septmeber. Right after my first cycle,  my period came, and lasted for at least 4 days, but following month it did not.  My Oncologist took it as a good sign that it would return.  But it has been 8 months since my last chemo/shot, and now I am on Tamoxflin for 5 years and of course a year older, 44!  Before getting diagnoised my peorids started to act funny, it would either be VERY light, or I would skip!  I did'nt mind though, I thought it was just what was suppossed to happen until of course I got diagnoised.  But now  I  feel like Aunt  Flow is on her way back!  I am getting  symptoms but still no sign of" her"!  Do you think good old Aunt Flow will be reserected?  Not sure.

  • cruznorth
    cruznorth Member Posts: 4
    edited June 2009

    Thanks to everyone for their stories.  I was diagnosed in May 07 at 43 and finished chemo Oct 07.  Herceptin was finished in July 08.  My period stopped after the second chemo.  Had hot flashes and loss of libido.  About a year later,  October 08,  I had what I thought was a period, 5 days of bleeding and some cramps to go with it, but my gyn thought it was because of a biopsy sample they took to check the uterine lining.  Took the FSH tests and said that I was in menopause.  My Onc said it showed very little estrogen.  They were pretty confident that I was in menopause, but wanted to wait for the two year mark.   So, then in March 09 age 45, got another period that lasted 5 days just like the one before.  They took all the FSH tests again and said that my levels had increased and it was definitely an inidication that my ovaries turned back on.  Just saw my onco last week and shes sending me back to the gyn to do some follow up because she said it was unusual to have a period return after that amount of time.  After reading the different posts, I felt relieved to see that many of you had your periods return after a longer time.  Guess they really don't know what the chemo does to those little ovaries.  Cnoel said it best that .....GOD sure does takes care of us ladies!   Thanks to everyone for the support.  Laughing

  • cruznorth
    cruznorth Member Posts: 4
    edited June 2009

    Oh, just a note that I haven't had hot flashes for a while and the libido has definitely increased so something must have changed. 

  • natalieco
    natalieco Member Posts: 1
    edited February 2010

    Hi ladies, well, I know some won't want to hear this.....

    I was diagnosed in jan 07, bi-lateral mastectomy in mar 07, periods stopped may 07, finished chemo aug 07, finished radiation nov 07, started tamoxifen jan 08.  Personal choice, I stopped tamoxifen oct 09 because of side effects.  Period returned feb 10, been going for 14 days now.  Will update in the next few months on what my body does.

    41 at dx, 44 now.

  • LouLou40
    LouLou40 Member Posts: 180
    edited February 2010

    I"m 39, period stopped after 3rd AC April last year, finished Taxol Aug last year and still waiting for period.

    I am on Arimidex so Onc hoping I'm in permenant Menopause, although he thinks there is still a 50/50 chance my ovaries will start working again. Did have a couple weeks in Dec that the hot flushes stopped and had a tiny bit of spotting, but no period and the hot flushes started again.

    I have my hormone levels checked every 12 weeks as I'm on Arimidex.

  • sakura73
    sakura73 Member Posts: 467
    edited February 2010

    I did chemo from March-September last year and also had monthly Zoladex injections during that time. Had no period from late March until 2 weeks ago when it made a sudden reappearence. For the few months before then I could feel my body waking up. I'm glad it is back because I haven't had my children yet.

  • angelsabove
    angelsabove Member Posts: 363
    edited February 2010

    I am 37....was dx at 36. I had period after my second chemo.....Then NOTHING....Completed chemo 11/16/2009....two weeks later....period came on like a flood....went for like 10-12 days. That has been 3.5 months.....NO PERIOD....Oh yea I am hormone negative....UGGHHH the whole triple negative thing.....

    May God Bless Us All 

  • bridetobe
    bridetobe Member Posts: 50
    edited March 2010

    I am 30 years old and am about to start chemo next week. Don't have children yet but hope to God that I get that chance. Just wondering if anyone on TCH regimen has had any luck getting their periods back, or even better getting pregnant? There really isn't much in the scientific litterature on the subject...

  • TreadSoftly
    TreadSoftly Member Posts: 192
    edited March 2010

    Hi bridetobe,

    Im 12 weeks post 4 cycles of TC (finished dec 30th 09) and still nothing...!  Had last period on 1st Dec, halfway through chemo and nothing since....

    I had dreadful hot flashes and night sweats in Jan / Feb but they have greatly subsided in recent weeks, so Im hoping my body is re-awakening!

    Like yourself, Im 29, and no children yet but hoping!  My onc said it can take up to 1 year for period to return, and be patient....He also said that with TC, it is MUCH less toxic on fertility than the more old-fashioned chemos and was over 90% confident that I would not have fertility issues in the future...

    Hope that helps!

  • TreadSoftly
    TreadSoftly Member Posts: 192
    edited March 2010

    Hi again!

    My period returned today!  Im delighted that Im feeling 'normal' and 'womanly' again...those hot flashes and night sweats were NOT pleasant!

    Im trying to organise an apt with my med-onc now - he had me on femara for the past 2 months but wanted to change me over to tamoxifen once my period returned...

  • Hoolianama0508
    Hoolianama0508 Member Posts: 162
    edited March 2010

    Mine returned 2 months after chemotherapy finished. What I did notice was that the first day's flow was very dark and then it would lighten up in color. Now I am noticing that I will get it 2X for the month. Bummer!

  • gcpommom
    gcpommom Member Posts: 883
    edited May 2010

    Mine just started this week after 13 months of no periods!!  And I'm 46, so go figure.  Hot flashes ended a couple of months ago, so I was wondering....then spotted for almost a week, then bam!  Full out, horrible cramps, period!  Who'd've thunk it?

    Did anyone who started their periods notice a weight loss?  I couldn't lose weight after chemo, but now it's just dropping...

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