Help - period from hell on tamoxifin

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1

Hi all

Hope someone can help with this one please.

Finished chemo in April of this year. Haven’t had a period since Feb.

Been on tamox for five months…Saturday night, period - heavy and painful…

What is happening? I am 39, have my periods returned, or this a one off…do i need to see the doc?

Thanks.

Nasreen x

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Hi Nazreen,

Could I suggest that you give the helpline here a ring and have a chat with one of the nurses. The lines are open now until 5pm today.

Take care,
Jo, Facilitator

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Thanks.

Just rung my BCN, she said it may be periods returning, keep an eye on it and if anything abnormal, like for example prolonged bleeding, to get back to her.

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Not looking 4ward to that day either i finished chemo in august im 43 and hoping they wont return take care

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Hi Nasreen
Yes I’ve had similar-chemo stopped periods,on tamoxifen, had very long heavy bleed 2 years later. Thought they must be starting again, but that was several months ago and nothing. Advice from my onc was to keep an eye, let them know if I have more bleeding-in which case they may investigate further, but told me this often happens.

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Thanks for that
Yes this is a bit of a heavy bleed i have to say, and caught me out completely.
Nurse has spoken to oncology and they do not seem worried at this stage- just said if it becomes prolonged to go and see GP…

So with any luck, it will go away in a few days.

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Hi Naz,Iam Sam dont want to scare you,but iam just answering your question.I had such a bad period on tamoxifin and also very painful.It turned out after a scan that i had cysts and a polyp caused from this drug.So they changed me straight away to Zoladex injection.I had been on tamoxifin since January this year,i have been on Zoladex since August.Everything has settled down and i will not get a period now on this.
Like i said dont want to freak you out,but i think its better to know what could happen so you are aware,also you dont have to suffer.Defo speak to your doc though just to let them know.Good luck Sam xx

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Thanks Sam
Never thought of cysts…god why is everything so complicated.
Well the ‘period’ has settled down now and is almost over.
No idea whether i will get another one or not…i really hope not!

BCN told onclogist and she does not seem worried, so we will have to see what happens i guess…

Thanks once again.

xx

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Hi Naz I started tamoxifen in March 2008 and then in the early months of 2009(cant remember exact month) I had a massive period and thought they had come back but I have not had another one since then.Hope yours is the same.
best wishes Melxx

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Thanks Mel

Okay, can you just remind me, what is the tamoxifin doing to that part of the body?
Can periods return if you are on tamoxifin and not yet menopausal?

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Naz i started tamoxifen in june 2006… periods were fine at first but about october onward i stated having really heavy prolong frequent bleeding with clots…

was referred to gynae… had scan show endometrial thickening and had pipelle taken which was fine but in jan 2007 i was booked in for hysteroscopy, d and c with endo biopsy just to make sure all was ok… got mirena coil inserted at the same time as it thins the endometrum and after a month or so of light irreg bleeding and spotting i rarely had a period.

with 2nd cancer in 2009 i needed chemo and had to stop tamox in june09 and about 2 months later i had one period again it was really heavy. restarted tamoxifen about april 2010 and in aug i had very heavy frequent bleeding again with increasing ca125 (im brca 2 pos) and endometrial thickening so instead of prophylactic BSO i opted for a full hysterectomy too.

path results said the uterus showed tamoxifen induced thickening but all normal.

Lulu x