tamoxifen and periods

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Polyana
Polyana Member Posts: 200
edited June 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

has any one lost their periods as a result of treatment. But then came back after a while. Has tamoxifen affected your periods. And did you experience any of it's side affects such as hot flashes. Irregular periods. Discharge or bleeding.

another question do you take tamoxifen with aspirin. And does it reduce your stroke risk

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  • peggy_j
    peggy_j Member Posts: 1,700
    edited April 2014

    I've heard that chemo can cause you to lose your period. I didn't have chemo but FYI. I also didn't have the other side effects you mentioned, but I had irregular periods while I was on tamox. My MO and I thought I was peri-meno pausal (I was in my late 40s) but when I stopped taking tamox, but periods returned like clockwork. So I asked my MO and she said something confusing, like tamox doesn't stop your periods but can interfere with the "signalling." (I don't know what this means. My guess is that my ovaries are still producing eggs but the "signalling" to tell my uterus to slough off cells might have been interfered with).  I also chose to take a baby aspirin due to stroke risk. My MO is also a hematologist. She said that the aspirin doesn't completely mitigate the risk of DVT/clots; but she also said that for most patients (in general, not just BC) the downside risk of aspirin is small. Of course, you should ask your doctors.

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  • hope70
    hope70 Member Posts: 47
    edited May 2014

    I lost my period during chemo. On Tamoxifen for 2 months now. Still no period. I am 43.  I do feel similar sensations as I had during ovulation.  

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  • Natters
    Natters Member Posts: 361
    edited May 2014

    My periods went from being regular as clockwork to now being unpredictable, but still usually getting one very 20-40 days. My periods are heavier and I get hot flashes. I used to sometimes get night sweats but they went away.my MO said if the night swears come back bad enough to interrupt my sleep, he can prescribe Effexor. I do not take aspirin. It was never recommended to me ( but I'm at low-risk of stroke). I will be 45 in July.

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  • Txgal748
    Txgal748 Member Posts: 21
    edited May 2014

    My periods were normal for the first few months.  Then they became irregular.  I have gone two months without a period to having a period three weeks apart.  The other side effects I've had are cramps in my feet and some joint pain.  I did take a baby aspirin for a while because I was told I might have some genetic mutation which increases my risk of stroke.  This was never conclusively confirmed, so I don't worry about it.  Plus I now take fish oil everyday.

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  • rozem
    rozem Member Posts: 1,375
    edited May 2014

    I lost my period during chemo and for a year after treatment...exactly a year after my last chemo rx my period returned.  Heavy/clotting/crampy it was so bad I ended up in the ER bc I was concerned with the amount of blood I was losing (sorry if this is TMI) .  My onc shut me down using Lupron, was on that for almost a year and decided to go off (SE's plus I wanted to see if it was gone for good) came back again after 5 months...back on Lupron.  I am hanging in until the SOFT study results are in   My ovaries are strong little buggers.  Going to see my gyn at the end of the month because I am now developing complex cysts on one of my ovaries

    never ending!

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  • ycats70
    ycats70 Member Posts: 36
    edited May 2014

    rozem, do you mind me asking what were your side effects of Lupron?  I finished chemo in Oct, my period returned in Jan (REALLY heavy too!), which is when I started tamoxifen.  I had no period Feb thru May, but it returned this month, and I haven't had a hot flash or night sweat in over a month.  My MO said if it comes back again next month she wants to start Lupron and I'm nervous about it. I have a friend who experienced edema, high blood pressure, nausea, migraines and hair loss (thinning, not like chemo) on it.  It got so bad she finally did an ooph and feels so much better.  I don't know anyone else who took it and I've done research but it seems to really vary.

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