I wonder if anybody can give me some advice. I finished chemo and rads in october and have been taking tamoxifen since then. I haven’t had a period since July. My oestrogen levels were checked a few weeks ago and my consultant said it was raised and warned me that I might have a period. He also said in a letter to my g.pthat although I’m not having periods “i am making oestrogen and tamoxifen is interfering with the way oestrogen is binding and working”. today I have started to bleed quite a lot and I am assuming this is the beginning of a period. my question is does this mean that tamoxifen isn’t working as well now? I’m confused, and starting to worry…thanks Michelle xx
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Go to your GP. I have just fnished chemo and haven’t yet started Tamoxifen, but will do in a couple of weeks. My Onc said that you don’t usually have periods (music to my ears as I suffer badly) whilst on tamoxifen. It might be nothing but it may not, so get to your GP on Monday. Better to get it checked rather than let it run.
There may be other girls on here who have been on Tamoxifen for a while, so they may be better placed to tell you what is normal and what is not.
Sorry I’m not really answering your question.
Dyane
Hi, Im premenopausal and have ben taking tamoxifen since March 2011.
I didnt have chemo though but my periods have continued and been more regular than before diagnosis.
They are heavier but much shorter. hope that helps a little!
Hi,
i am the same has mummy’sboob, mine last for three days and are very light. I think some woman will continue with periods and some won’t depending on how near you are to menopause. I worried also but spoke to my onc who told me that it was normal for some woman to have periods while taking tamoxifen, funny isn’t how we are all told different things, xx
Hi Michelle. I can’t help with your post but it is interesting. I will be on Tamo after chemo and rads and I was under the impression it brings on early menopause. This I thought was because it stops the body producing the Er hormones that feed the cancer cells, therefore stopping the ovaries producing eggs. I know woman that are peri menopausal whose periods start again after coming off tamo But thought whilst on it you wouldn’t have periods. A friend of mine had to have monthly injections to stop hers as well.
I hope you get some answers. It’ll be interesting to see what others say.
Take care.
Emma xx
I am premenopausal but my periods stopped after chemo 1, so in my case this may be why my Onc said they should not return while on tamoxifen. My Onc was surprised that although my periods have stopped I haven’t had the normal menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes. I am also under the impression that after my 5 years of Tamox is up my periods could return, who knows, by then it could be the norm for premenopausal women to stay on Tamox for ten years …
Personally my understanding is that once on tamox any bleeding should be checked out, but I haven’t started it yet so some of you ladies with tamox experience probably know better. Everyone is different, no two bodies are the same, and no two people’s circumstances are the same which is why different Oncs offer dfferent advice as it could well be specific to EACH individual patient.
Good luck
Hi Michelle
Sorry I can’t help, i’ve known a few ladies this has happened to, and their oncs have all treated it differently with some saying it’s absolutely fine. Please try not to worry, easier said than done I know, i’d be the same. i’d suggest giving your BCN a ring for some clarity.
Melrose15 - for info, Tamoxifen doesn’t stop the body producing oestrogen and wont bring on early menopause, your body still produces oestrogen as normal, but Tamoxifen stops it binding to cells, good cells as well as bad, hence, you will probably get menopausal symptoms, your periods could return when you stop taking it and you could still then have to go through a natural menopause. I’m hoping i go through mine naturally whilst taking Tamoxifen, can’t bear the thought of putting up with these symptoms twice!
Take care all
Lydia x
Hi Michelle I would see your gp .I started tamoxifen in October and had regular periods before that although I was just 50.I had surgery and radiotherapy.I didn’t bleed for 4 months when started to heavily.I rang gp who sent me for a pelvic ultrasound.it showed a polyp and some lining thickening.I had them removed this week under General anaesthetic.the gynaecologist said tamoxifen makes it more likely I could get more.bleeding is the only symptom so to go back if bleed again.he tried to reassure me that the polyps cause you to bleed early so the chances of them turning nasty aren’t too high.they do test them to make sure .Hope this helps.take care Denise
Thanks for the info Lydia. I’ve just had my 1st Chemo so a while till I start Tamox But I will research it more before I start. I’ll be 52 by time I finish so knowing my luck my periods will return and I’ll go through the menopausal symptoms all over again 
x
Thankyou ladies for your replies. This has now turned into the heaviest , most painful period I have ever had in my life! I’ll spare you the details but lets just say I can’t go anywhere…it’s horrible! I’m going to call my breast cancer nurse first thing tomorrow. I’m worrying about all of the oestrogen in my body especially as my tumour was 8/8 oestrogen positive. im wondering if anybody has had zoladex injections alongside tamoxifen? or has anybody had their ovaries removed due to high levels of oestrogen? Thanks again Michelle xx
Michelle,
I have my first onc check up tomorrow afternoon since finishing treatment and one of the things on my list is having my ovaries removed as I was also 8/8 ER+, i’ll let you know what she says.
Take care
Lydia x
Michelle I’m sending you a virtual hug <<>> Hope you get a quick response from the bcn xx
Hi Michelle
I have been on tamoxifen for nearly 2 years now. Back in Nov last year I had a very heavy bleed that lasted a few days, it was constant. Contacted my Breast cancer nurse who arranged for me to to see a gynae. the upshot was I went for a vaginal ultrasound which found a thickening of the womb lining, I then had a couple of other tests, which for the life of me I can’t remember what they were called one was biopsy of the cervix and the other where they used water to get a good look at the womb, which all came back clear. It was suggested that I went on the Mirena coil, which I did (after a lot of thought and consideration I might add, as I was concerned about the tiny amount of proestrogen that is in the coil). I now have regular womb check up’s but the thickening has gone and not had any more bleeding. I would recommend that you get it checked out. All the best Jan x
Hi there
I was 33 when diagnosed last year and had 3 Fec and 3 Tax chemo. My periods stopped after the 1st Tax last September. I had a mx in Dec, started Tamoxifen in January then suddenly after 5 months they came back. The 1st period i had was the most painful i think i’ve ever had so it certainly made up for it! Now my periods are fairly regular (every 4-5 weeks) lasting around 5 days and seem to start off heavy then fade away towards the end. When i told my onc my periods had come back she wasnt bothered at all even though i had been on Tamoxifen for a few weeks by then.
HiMichelle
I have been on tamoxifen for 4 years. Periods stopped on chemo, ( was 36) I did have some bleeding after starting tamoxifen, which was quite on and off. I just kept my bcn informed and for a while just kept an eye on it, then was sent for a couple of scans to check for thickened womb lining. Mine settled down, now have a period about e very 6 months. I’d let your bcn or team know and keep on eye on when, how often the bleeding happens. wishing you well.
c
Thanks everyone for your comments. I had an ultrasound yesterday which shows a thickened lining and polyp! Booked in for a hysteroscopy in 4 weeks time. she also found a large cyst on my ovary which she is hoping will have disappeared by the time I have the op, but if not I will have to have that removed too. oh joy!! I did ask about having my ovaries removed but she absolutely won’t do it as thinks I am too young (46!).
For anyone that’s interested, I also had a letter from my consultant who has says that many patients still have periods on tamoxifen, and although the ovaries are still making oestrogen, it can’t do what it would normally do because the tamoxifen is sitting where it would be sitting. He has also consulted the world expert on this subject at the Royal Marsden, and he has reassured him that this in no way interferes with the way tamoxifen is preventing cancer growth.
If anyone else has/had athickened lining on tamoxifen I would be really interested to hear from you.
thanks Michelle xx
Hi Michelle. I’m glad you now know what’s causing the bleeding, hopefully you’re feeling much better. Good luck with the op in 4 weeks Xx
Hi Michelle…
Im from the ‘starting chemo in october’ thread & am so glad i read your posts!
I am 40 & was diagnosed & mx July 2012 (i was 39), started chemo in october (6 x FEC), then 15 x rads. Periods stopped after #3 chemo. Started taking tamoxifen March 2013. Had few hot flashes, mood swings, slight weight gain. So assumed i was going through the menopause…
However, on Friday i had severe abdominal pain then started really heavy bleeding. Rang BCN who didnt say much apart from see your GP. Managed to get emergency appt later that afternoon.
Saw GP & the first thing she mentioned was uterine cancer!! Of course i burst into tears… Anyway, she then proceeded to talk about endemotrosis (sic), ‘whipping the uterus &/or ovaries out’ (her words) but said it could just be the tamoxifen didnt agree with me. I asked if it IS the latter, then does it mean the tamox isnt working. She didnt/couldnt answer me.
Understandably, i was worried sick. Its been 12 months since my diagnosis & i was just beginning to feel ‘normal’ again. I know they have to tell you the worst case scenarios but she was very matter of fact & abrupt with it so it was a huge shock. She knows my situation (im recently divorced & have a 9 yr old daughter) so i feel she could have been more ‘tactful’!
I came on here & after reading your post & the replies of others, it has made me more positive that it could just be a period.
I have appt at gynae for ultrasound & internal scan next Thursday (11th July) so am keeping fingers x’d until then.
I do wonder if i am NOT going through the menopause, does that mean the mood swings are just because i am a moody cow??? Ive been blaming the menopause all along! 
I am sure it will be a period I went through the menopause many years ago and heavy spasmotic periods were part of the course these are sometimes aggravated by fibroids or polyps which are not cancer. I had my periods investigated i had both fibroids and polyps had polyp removed during day surgery. uterine cancer takes some time to develop and if it is it is easily treated. Your symptoms are every day occurrences for gynaecologists and they will be able to give you a very quick diagnosis probably on the day. I really would not worry your symptoms are very typical of a normal menopause whatever that might be. Many of my friends had similar symptoms going for a year without a period.Best wishes pam