Delaying Treatment for Fertility Presevation

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EJean
EJean Member Posts: 16
edited December 2017 in Just Diagnosed

I’d like to pursue fertility preservation before my chemo, which sets treatment back about 3 weeks. Does anyone have experience with this?

The oncologist feels I have the time to do so if I wish to take it though it feels like flirting with disaster. Chemo would be scheduled first, surgery would be next year and followed by hormone therapy.

There’s no sign of the cancer having spread yet but it is aggressive. My husband and I still hope to have a family. I’m trying to weigh all the risks - I want to do what’s best for my health but I also hope I can still have the life we dreamed of. We were going to start our family this year but all that is off the table, at least for now.

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  • SpecialK
    SpecialK Member Posts: 16,486
    edited December 2017

    I can't advise you as I was diagnosed at a later age, but I had previously linked this info for another young woman newly diagnosed asking the same questions. Hope it is useful and I wish you the best.

    http://haveababy.com/infertility-treatments/fertility-preservation/fertility-rescue

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2017

    Hi EJean,

    In addition to the helpful link SpecialK provided, you may find some helpful info on the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Fertility Issues to Discuss Before Treatment.

    Also, the Young With Breast Cancer forum may provide some helpful insight from others considering similar issues.

    We hope this helps!

    --The Mods

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  • Kat1984
    Kat1984 Member Posts: 47
    edited December 2017

    hi there, I'm so sorry to hear if your recent diagnosis, it's such a hard time! I was diagnosed at 30 with TNBC and underwent fertility preservation prior to chemo. I too wanted a family and hadn't quite gotten around to it when I was diagnosed. I had 6 weeks between diagnosis and chemo starting, due to the fertility treatment needing to start at the correct time in my cycle. Unfortunately my egg harvest only got 3 eggs which was disappointing but still worth while. My MO said whilst I had an aggressive cancer he thought the fertility treatment was important and 6 weeks wouldn't make a difference. He was right! I went onto have a complete response to the chemo, finishing up in June 2016. I'm now 18 months out of treatment and 15 weeks pregnant with our first baby! I fell pregnant naturally but am happy I did the fertility treatment anyway. I hope this gives you some hope for the future! Best of luck with your treatments. Xx Kat

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  • EJean
    EJean Member Posts: 16
    edited December 2017

    thank you all for the helpful links. Kat, that’s wonderful news, congratulations! I’m glad to know that good things might still be waitingon the other side of this journey!

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