Tamoxifen and Lower Abdominal Pain

Hello to you

I had a diep flap surgery in January following a right breast mastectomy. I have had 6 months of chemo and am now on Herceptin and Tamoxifen. In the last week I have experienced what I can only describe as dull waves of pain below the area of my diep scar, quite low down. I am experiencing other side effects but am more concerned about this pain. I hope it isn’t the womb lining. Sorry to ramble, but has anybody else experienced any pain. I am due to see my onc in November so if it continues I will ask.

Any thoughts or help would be much appreciated. Hope you are all enjoying your weekend so far.

Lisa

I saw my G.P just this week with similar problems have had this on and off for the last two months. Gp explained that even though I am not as yet experiencing periods my hormones may still be affecting the uterus and I may experience these symptoms and possible menstruate again. I am peri-menopausel apparently. I am 50 and had surgey last November followed by chemo and now Tam and Herceptin. I thought that at my age once periods stopped that would be it. Hope this helps. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Hello Lisa,

 

I tend to agree - I had period type pain pretty much every month for the first year I was on Tamoxifen and put it down to my body being not quite ready to give up on that yet.  In August 2012 I had some bleeding and saw my GP - it turned out I had thickening of my womb, so I had a hyteroscopy (camera inside the womb) and removal of polyp and biopsies which showed it all to be normal.  The same happened this August, and I am going for another hysteroscopy this week, having been told there is thickening and ‘something’ they need to biopsy/remove.  Both times I had persistent cramping for about two weeks before the bleeding started.

 

I hope sharing this doesn’t scare you - most people do NOT get this effect, but if they do it can be dealt with quickly (you should be seen in 2 weeks if NICE applies where you live) and it is usually completely benign.

 

Mention to your concologist, and ask him/her what you should do if you do experience any bleeding - depending on your age it could just be your periods coming back after all.

 

Take care.