AFRAID I HAVE MISSED THE CHANCE OF BECOMING A MOTHER

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Aseye
Aseye Member Posts: 37
edited September 2019 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)

I was diagnosed at 36 years

Diagnosed 14/4/19 size 4.3cm 17/20 nodes ER+PR+HER2-(FISH)

Chemotherapy AC+T started 24/5/19

Radiation yet to start

Hormonal therapy yet to start

Any advise from people in my situation?

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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2019

    Not in your situation but just wanted to say that I am sorry you got this and young too. I would discuss this with your oncologist perhaps they can recommend someone who specialises in fertility and cancer. I remember hearing about a woman who had eggs preserved and was planning on becoming pregnant after cancer treatment. Good luck to you.

    https://www.self.com/story/cancer-and-ivf-mothers-...


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  • Aseye
    Aseye Member Posts: 37
    edited June 2019

    Thanks for your feedback but in my case my oncologist and breast surgeon wouldn't wait for me to preserve my eggs before chemotherapy as a delay would make my masectomy useless.

    I was rather assured my menstruation will come back after treatment but will also be having hormonal treat for 5 years after radiation how then do I stop treatment to freeze my eggs with continues treatment plan?


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  • Meow13
    Meow13 Member Posts: 4,859
    edited June 2019

    I didn't see you have started chemo. If I were you I would ask just how beneficial is hormone therapy for your case. I was shocked when I discovered that in my case statistically it was reducing my risk of recurrence by 1%, I was er+ but pr-. There is a thread on coming off tamoxifen to have a baby. I will see if I can find it. There might be some contacts and go info there.

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/27/topics...

    It is under young woman subject.

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  • Aseye
    Aseye Member Posts: 37
    edited June 2019

    Hi Meow13 thanks so much for the link it's been very helpful to my situation. I'm most greatful I'm seeing a fertility doctor asap

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  • Salamandra
    Salamandra Member Posts: 1,444
    edited June 2019

    Hey Aseye,

    I'm in a similar boat - well on my way to miss the chance to be a mother (due to life circumstances - single and financially unstable during fertility years) before cancer, pretty much sealed it with the cancer.

    It's not the easiest thing to live with. But I'm trying to build a fulfilled and meaningful life and find outlets for parenting and nurturing impulses via my work (teaching) and the children in my community. I try to count my blessings and there are plenty of them. And I remind myself that in the end, people with and without children end up about the same amount of happy with their lives.

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  • Lolis197138
    Lolis197138 Member Posts: 512
    edited June 2019

    Hi Aseye,

    I was in a similar situation as uoh5. Dx at 33 IDC 5.4cm and Insitu DC 5.8cm and 8/24 nodes positive. I had mastectomy and did a round of egg harvesting right after it. MO was on board as I had to wait for my body to recover before chemo. if you cannot wait then ask for shots of Lupron to be given to preserve your ovaries' health. there have been women who have gotten pregnant after chemo. there is a thread on pregnancy on this board. check it out.

    don't lose hope.

    hugs.

    Lolis

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  • Pessa
    Pessa Member Posts: 519
    edited June 2019

    I adopted both of my sons as newborns (was present at their births). I was (and am) a single mother. I developed breast cancer after their adoption. I am definitely a mother, even though I did not give birth to my children

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  • Aseye
    Aseye Member Posts: 37
    edited September 2019

    Hello everyone so I saw the fertility doctor about taking shots during chemo to preserve my eggs but he said once I'm having my periods during chemo it's a good sign. Also the zoladex or lupron have their own side effects, combining those effects with chemo is a lot

    MY question is I finish chemo in mid October with radiotherapy after. I wasn't able to freeze my eggs before chemotherapy is is advisable to wait and freeze before hormonal therapy?

    Dx 36

    IDC April 14 2019 PR+ ER+ HE2- Nodes 20/21

    Surgery 29th April 2019

    Chemo May 2019 AC4+T4


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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited September 2019

    You can still freeze your eggs after chemo. It might be harder to get as many viable eggs, but it can be done. You can also talk to your doctors about interrupting hormone therapy for a short time to do egg retrieval. If children are important to you, find an onco-fertility doctor who can coordinate with your MO.

    I'm sorry you're in this situation. I met with all the fertility doctors early on, but didn't go through with it. That's okay with me, but sometimes I'm still sad about that door probably being closed.

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  • Aseye
    Aseye Member Posts: 37
    edited September 2019

    Thank you I want to know should I start the hormonal treatment and stop to harvest or just after chemo before hormonal treatment?

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  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited September 2019

    Aseye, it depends on which chemo and hormone medications you are taking. You usually have to wait a while for the drugs to get out of your system, but that varies for different drugs.

    You should check with your doctors about when it's safe. Some people do a couple years of hormone medicine before trying, but that's not set in stone. I hope that helps, best wishes.

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