Tamoxifen and uterine lining thickening

Dovely
Dovely Member Posts: 91
edited March 2021 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi ladies,


I just found out yesterday after an ultrasound that my uterine lining is thickening. She said it did not show any signs of malignancy. I will know more next week, I could only talk to my doc's nurse who couldn't answer too many questions. I'm assuming it's from Tamoxifen at this point. I have been on it for two years and neither my MO or my GP had suggested a baseline ultrasound until this past month when I had a particularly painful ovulation (no spotting though). My periods have been very regular and the flow is the same as they were before. I don't like Tamoxefin and have a few side effects, none are unbearable. She said if I have extreme pain or abnormal bleeding it will be treated otherwise we just “watch it". This is unsettling to me. So if I do have increased pain I may have cancer again? Or I may have to have my uterus removed? Or a D&C? Ugh. So I'm taking a medication to prevent cancer that may also give me cancer. Anyone else dealt with this? Also- that mid cycle pain was pretty bad. I was stranded on the couch with a heating pad for two days, but after that, it totally went away.

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  • Ladyc2020
    Ladyc2020 Member Posts: 197
    edited March 2021

    hi! Can you tell me what the outcome was? I just found out I have a thickened lining after just 2 months of tamoxifen. Will be having a hysteroscopy and d&c to rule out cancer.

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  • Dovely
    Dovely Member Posts: 91
    edited March 2021

    I ended up having a hysterectomy two months ago, laparoscopic, kept my ovaries. It was the right decision for me, I feel much better afterwards. I also had fibroids.

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  • Ladyc2020
    Ladyc2020 Member Posts: 197
    edited March 2021

    ok, good to know. Can you tell me how thick your lining was? Mine is 18mm right now. ThNk you

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  • Dovely
    Dovely Member Posts: 91
    edited March 2021

    I’m not sure exactly, but it was diagnosed as adenomyosis and I was in a lot of pain. I also had a fibroid pressing on my bladder which added to my discomfort.I’m 45 so done having kids and so we moved pretty quickly towards hysterectomy. No regrets.

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  • Ladyc2020
    Ladyc2020 Member Posts: 197
    edited March 2021

    ok thank you.

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  • Shad
    Shad Member Posts: 3
    edited March 2021

    I joined this forum just now to post about my 42F wife's considerable stomach pain during her period for a few days each month after having been on Tamoxifen for six months. Some of the comments here seem to be a lead with what she is dealing with. Her ultrasound only shows her fibroids which she had issues with when she was pregnant. She has pressure/pain when peeing during these few days. It becomes very bad for one day, and then 2-3 days of moderate pain, then goes away completely until the next month. She barely has any period to speak of now that she has been on tamoxifen. She has had a colonoscopy and ultrasound so far.

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  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited March 2021

    Shad, Did she have the transvaginal ultrasound lately? I'm postmenopausal, but had a history of fibroids and Tamoxifen increased their size. My Gyn said depending on where they are located they can cause lower abdominal pressure. So can a thicker uterine lining. Hormones play a big part in how you feel and progesterone helps keep them in line. My daughter also has this issue and birth control pills are helping, but not a choice for us with BC. I finally had a total hysterectomy and wish I could have done it sooner. Maybe your wife's Gyn could do a D&C and get rid of some of those fibroids that are giving her trouble. Best wishes.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited March 2021

    Shad, great feedback from Flashlight! The only thing we would add is that we suggest, if she hasn't already, that she mentions this to her oncologist. They may want to look into it further.

    Keep us posted, The Mods


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  • Ladyc2020
    Ladyc2020 Member Posts: 197
    edited March 2021

    I’m wondering if anyone else who took tamoxifen for just a couple of months had uterine thickening like this? It doesn’t seem typical, getting more concerned that this is not side effects.

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  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited March 2021

    Ladyc2020, Are you postmenopausal? Do you have bleeding? My MO said a thickened uterine lining is a common side effect of Tamoxifen. 16mm lining is common before your egg drops in premenopausal women. If you have fibroids, like I did, it can give a false reading on how thick your lining is. Tamoxifen acts like estrogen in the uterus. I never had bleeding and my biopsy was negative. I started having lower abdominal pressure about 2 months after starting Tamoxifen and a D&C 4-months after starting. Fibroids growing were my problem not my thickened lining. I had an amazing GYN.

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  • Ladyc2020
    Ladyc2020 Member Posts: 197
    edited March 2021

    flashlight - thanks for your response! I am premenopausal- almost 45. I noticed odd pelvic discomfort about 6 weeks ago... so probably about 4 weeks after starting tamoxifen. I guess I am just overthinking. Maybe those dates are wrong too.

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  • flashlight
    flashlight Member Posts: 698
    edited March 2021

    Ladyc2020, Do you have a history of fibroids? They were my main issue for most of my life. Who knew they would bother me after I went through menopause! Thinking of you and wishing you the best.

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  • Ladyc2020
    Ladyc2020 Member Posts: 197
    edited March 2021

    flashlight - no history of fibroids. Thank you for your kind words 🙏🏼

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