Tamoxifen--how long before your period stopped?

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breastquest
breastquest Member Posts: 52
edited January 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

For those with regular periods, how long after you started Tamoxifen--did your periods stop or get irregular???

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  • etnasgrl
    etnasgrl Member Posts: 650
    edited December 2015

    I just asked my medical oncologist this yesterday, at my appointment. I'm not on Tamoxifen yet, but will start after radiation. He told me that Tamoxifen will NOT stop my periods.

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  • ShetlandPony
    ShetlandPony Member Posts: 4,924
    edited December 2015

    I think menstrual irregularities are common with tamoxifen. Tamoxifen isn't expected to stop periods, although sometimes it does. When it does, one reason can be because the ovaries are hyperstimulated, and estradiol levels are high. When this happens, it is not menopause, even though it looks the same on the surface, i.e. no periods. In my own case, the timing of periods became unpredictable, then they became scant, and then they eventually ceased, but my hormone levels were still pre-menopausal.

    Here is one article that shows how things can vary from woman to woman. "Tamoxifen and Ovarian Function"

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC369599...

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  • Bounce
    Bounce Member Posts: 574
    edited December 2015

    It might be helpful for people to post their age.

    Age 48 at start of Tamoxifen. 4 periods the first year on Tamoxifen (instead of the regular 12) then stopped altogether.


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  • SweetThing
    SweetThing Member Posts: 18
    edited December 2015

    I started on Tamoxifen at 48, almost 49 ( 1 1/2 years ago) with regular periods. Now they are irregular anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks between and lighter than before. My age probably has something to do with it, my Mom went through menopause at 50.

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  • have2laugh
    have2laugh Member Posts: 132
    edited December 2015

    I was 44 by the time I started Tamoxifen after surgeries and radiation. I have been on year and a half-taking a month off for other reasons right now-but I have had no changes in period. Maybe different for those who have also had chemo or are closer to menopause.

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  • Juliecc
    Juliecc Member Posts: 4,868
    edited December 2015

    I started tamoxifen at 46. I never lost my periods but they are more spaced out...every 45-57 days. This happened after a couple of months. I've been on it for over a year and a half. I wish I would lose my periods!

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  • Unbreakable01
    Unbreakable01 Member Posts: 153
    edited December 2015

    I'm 35 and have been on Tamoxifen for 3 months. I know it's still early, but I still have my period.

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  • Julesraf
    Julesraf Member Posts: 1
    edited December 2015

    I'm 45, started tamoxifen Nov 11, 2015. My period was due right around that time. I have not had a period on tamoxifen yet.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2015

    Hi Julesraf,

    Welcome to the BCO Community.

    'Bumping' this thread to hear more from those who are taking Tamoxifen and having irregular periods.


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  • Annette47
    Annette47 Member Posts: 957
    edited December 2015

    Started Tamoxifen at 45, still having regular periods now at 48, although they are spaced further apart than they used to be. This is happening to many of my friends my age though who aren’t on Tamoxifen, so I can’t be sure that it is due to the Tamoxifen, LOL ... might just be plain old peri-menopause. According to my oncologist, Tamoxifen won’t actually put me into menopause, but it might speed up the process by a year or two.

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  • katcar0001
    katcar0001 Member Posts: 621
    edited December 2015

    I had my last period early Dec. '14. I was regular before that. Started Tamoxifen in early Jan. and not period sense. Recent FSH levels show menopause but not estradiol, which is still quite high. Had a follicle on my ovary back in June, but it is gone now.

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  • odie16
    odie16 Member Posts: 1,882
    edited December 2015

    Started Tamoxifen at age 40, now 4 years later I rarely have periods. Was previously regular prior to starting the meds. Now might have 2 or 3 a year..

    Can't say that I miss them.

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  • shelleym1
    shelleym1 Member Posts: 298
    edited January 2016

    I've been on tamoxifen for seven months and still get a period like clockwork. However they only last about a day and a half now. My friend only gets a period every other month now. She is in her 40s.

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  • Englishmummy
    Englishmummy Member Posts: 337
    edited January 2016

    I started Tamox at the end of June 2015, I'm 41. Nothing the first month, but since then my monthly has been bang on time and last the same as usual.

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  • ccristee
    ccristee Member Posts: 9
    edited January 2016

    I'm 36 and have been on Tamoxifen since August 2015. Didn't have a period for 5 months prior to starting Tamoxifen because of chemo, and thought that since I started Tamoxifen directly after chemo, I just wouldn't have a period anymore. No such luck - period came back this month - very heavy with cramping.

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