I have been taking tamoxifen for the past 4 years, after chemo my periods stopped (I’m 45 now.)Last month I had a period and then another this month. This time it was so heavy I really didn’t want to leave the house for a day as it was floodind all the time. I’ve never ever experienced anything like this. Is it normal for your periods to start again, I thought that was the point of tamoxifen? I’m a little concerned now and could do with some advise.
chemo often induces a menopause in women over 35 so that isnt unusual and the fact your periods have returned isnt unusual either… but having changes to your bleeding pattern should always be checked out.
tamoxifen also can cause cause heavy or prolonged bleeding… i had this problem when i started tamoxifen 4 years ago although i didnt have chemo before hand. the first couple of periods were normal then i started having horrendous bleeds lasting 10 days with major flooding and then a break for 10 days then the same thing again.
i was referred to gynae and had an an examination and biopsy taken of the uterus lining which was fine but was admitted as a day case for a d and c just to clean everything up. i decided to get a mirena coil inserted at that time even though i had hormonal BC the amount of hormones released by the mirena is minimal… and my life was on hold with the bleeding anyway… many women who have had hormonal BC wouldnt touch a mirena with a barge pole but getting seen by gynae and getting checked out taht all is Ok is a good idea and having a d and c may help resolve the bleeding problems a bit.
Lxx
Hi
Hope its ok to jump in here, but I have also just started again after 2 years without periods (also on tamoxifen) and had a similarly heavy bleed this first one.
Was hoping that things would settle, so its good to read Lulu34’s post and be perpared if they don’t. I was also concerned Flissy-but my onc has made it very clear that she is not, and that she expected my periods to return due to my age (I was 36 when they stopped).I understand and accept what she says, but psychologically I still find it a bit unerving after all this time without them.
I wondered if you had experienced any hormonal symptoms as well? I’ve been feeling quite weepy and hormonal each month for a couple of months, and this month I have felt almost out of control! Really angry and anxious-like the worst case of pmt ever (I was never too bad before bc)-am hoping this will settle.Did you have anything similar?
C xx
HI,
I am 44 and i had my last period when i started chemo in Jan, 08.
I have been taking Tamoxifen for almost two years.
I saw my oncologist last week and he asked me if i had gone through the menopause?
I explained the absence of my periods since chemo and he organised some hormone blood tests to be completed to ascertain if i have gone through the menopause or not.
Perhaps you could ask your oncologist or GP about testing you…
Regards Debbie
Thanks everyone for your comments - going to see the doctor on Friday to see what he suggests!! Unfortunately I’m signed off from Onc now.
Fx
flissy your breast surgeon will probably be your main professional i was discharged from my onc a couple of days after chemo.
debbie blood tests arent reliable in working our whether your post menopausal or not… all they can really tell would be if you were pre or peri menopausal as at certain times in your cycle you would show as post menopausal with high fsh and lh and low oestrodiol… so be wary especially if they suggest you change to an AI… there was another thread about this recently so ill see if i can find it for you.
Lxx
Hi just a quick question along the same lines. If our periods have stopped and we are on tamoxifen are we infertile?
In my case I had chemo last year (aged 42 nearly 43 now) and have been on tamox since Oct 09 and haven’t had a period for about a year. Could I still get pregnant? (of course I realise that I would have to have sex to get pg but that’s a whole other issue)
Thanks for any advice
hi schmooley
tamoxifen can cause bleeing irregularities but doesnt neccessarly cause infertility… in fact its actually used in the short term as a treatment for infertility.
if you had chemo then the chemo is quite likely to have cause a menopause and the effects of that can take years to wear off so you could become fertile again in a couple of years time but if your on tamoxifen it may mask the symptoms so its very wise to use regular contraception.
hope that helps
Lulu xx