Menopause or not?

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2curvy
2curvy Member Posts: 183
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
Menopause or not?
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  • 2curvy
    2curvy Member Posts: 183
    edited January 2008

    Hi ladies:  I don't really know which board to post this on, but I'm going to try here.  I am 49, was in perimenopause before cancer, finished chemo June '07, period never came back.  Had hot flashes and memory loss, and was tested for estrogen levels.  Tests came back with basically no estrogen and was told I was in menopause. 

    This morning I wake up with a little bit of blood and cramping.  Have any of you had this experience?  Thank you!

    Colleen

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  • NoH8
    NoH8 Member Posts: 2,726
    edited January 2008

    I haven't had the experience, but  I know those blood tests aren't that reliable (from people I've known who were told wrong). I have a friend who was told the same thing and got her period and one of her friends was told she was in menopause (not peri) and she  actually got pregnant.

    If it feels different than a regular period, I'd make a gyn appointment. 

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited January 2008

    Colleen -

    Technically, you're not considered post-menopausal until you have been without ANY bleeding/periods for one+ years.

    Chemo put me into menopause, at age 45 (I've been without a period for almost 2 years now). 

    Are you taking Tamoxifen or an AI?

    The reason I ask, is because my Onc and Gyn both told me that since I am post-menopausal and I am taking Tamoxifen, I need to let them know if I have any bleeding. (I got the impression that if I ever do get a period or bleeding, I would have to switch to an AI.)

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  • Jaybird627
    Jaybird627 Member Posts: 2,144
    edited January 2008

    Yep, my onc (well, the nurse actually) told me I was post-menopausal a few months after ending chemo but lo and behold my periods came back 8 months after going into chemopause. The blood tests (FSH, etc.) are NOT reliable if you were put into chemopause.

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  • carolsd
    carolsd Member Posts: 358
    edited January 2008

    I was pre-menopausal before chemo (age 41). After chemo, I went through menopause symptoms: hot flashes, no periods. Then I started cycling again about 9 months later. Six months later I went back into menopause for 6 months, went back out 6 months later... I seem to be on a 6-months on/6-months off pattern. No blood tests have ever been done so I can't speak about that. They say I'm peri-menopausal; I wish my body would just make up its mind.

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  • juanita63
    juanita63 Member Posts: 171
    edited January 2008

    I was in perimenopause before chemo.  And it has almost been 3 years since chemo put me into menopause.

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