Had my after rads follow-up with oncology today. Saw a registrar which was fine - as someone else said recently they tend to keep the oncologists busy seeing the poorly ppl. She did comment on my ‘unusual’ positive intermammory node - it seems I was well discussed at their meeting and I am a bit of a stange case … well nothing new there then!
She asked how my rads went and I said they were fine but got boring after a while.
Asked if I was still having periods - told her I was and elaborated by giving her the details of the nasty swelling/blisters/itch in the nether regions when I get a bleed … poor woman, I think she was sorry she asked! Said that I must continue with the tamoxifen and if periods have not stopped in 2 months they will need to start injecting me each month to stop them … I presume this is arimidex. Was told I was borderline er+ at just 5%, didn’t think to ask if this was a good thing or a bad thing … will look it up at some point but any1 with knowledge please feel free to chip in.
Had a prod of my boobs and told me all the new lumpy bits in the poorly one and the slight swelling in my armpit are to be expected after surgery and rads … keep up with the exercises.
She must think I am behaving cos she didn’t decide to send me for any scans or further tests at this point.
Hi lilacblushes.Glad your appointment went well.I had my after rads folow up yesterday and it sounds like it was pretty much the same as yours.She had a prod and told me that it was all normal(even the lumpy bits i was worried about) I do take tamoxifen but i have monthly injections to stop my periods.The injection i have is Zoladex.Not sure what Armidex is but it may be the same thing! told me they will see me in january.Seems a long way away.Scarey really.Feel like a nervous wreck at the thought of being left alone for that long but at least the breast care nurses are their incase we need them. gill x
Hello lilac blushes, Arimidex is a tablet, an aromatase inhibitor but similar effect to Tamoxifen, so I guess the injection your onc means is Zoladex to stop the period.
Ahhh - there you go - someone who knows what they are talking about - it will probably be Zoladex they give me if my monthly’s don’t stop. See that’s what I get for posting without reading up on stuff 1st!
Wow - you really must have proved that you can behave if your lot don’t want to see you until January. I am back to see onc in 2 months (but probably just because of the period thing) and see my surgeon again in Sept. I’ve got lumpy bits too and they are quite happy with them too.
Oh the other thing she stressed … again … is that I really must be careful not to get pregnant whilst on tamoxifen … I assured her that I honestly can’t see that happening, my partner doesn’t live with me and he works funny shifts so we don’t get to see each other too often … and unless I’m mistaken it’s not easy to get pregnant via email and phone calls! She was quite a comical registrar cos she told me to keep my anti-virus updated!
Makes a change to find a registrar with a sense of humour doesn’t it.Find it strange they all do things differently.To me why not just give you the injections and be done with it instead of waiting to see if your periods stop.They just said that at my age(39) Tamoxifen alone would not be enough to stop my periods.What i did find strange is that she said in 2 years time they would stop the injections and my periods can return to normal.I told her that concerns me and mentally i would keep thinking the cancer will come back because of my hormones.My only other option is to have ovary removal at the end of it all !!
I’m 40 and they are said that the tamoxifen should have stopped my periods … mine are clearly very stubborn cos they are defeating the tam and the mirena coil! They said it is too early to start giving the injections at this stage … this was after she checked the er+ percentage so perhaps that has a bearing on it.
I was also told previously that after 5 years on tam - by which time I will be 45 - it would be highly unlikely that I will resume having periods.
All very confusing
Hi
I’ve been wondering about this one ! I’ve not had a period since my 2nd chemo. Is this normal ?. I have probably asked my oncologist this question but cant remember ! I’m on tamoxifen now too. I turned 42 in December . Does this mean I’m menopausal ? maybe the fact I cant remember means I am …
Cally x
Hi Lilac
Glad all was ok for you today
Cally I have not had a period since starting chemo last November.I am 46 and was told that this may happen and because of my age it may kick in menopause chemo ended mid march and no signs of returning yet so will wait and see
Mary
xx