Vaginal bleeding after 7 months of Letrozole (Femara)

[Fcedillos]

I have been on letrozole for breast cancer about 4 months this morning I wiped after morning pee and was pinkish blood , it says vaginal bleeding starts in first week's of taking letrozole ,what about 4 months? Worried 😟 

[ladybowler]

Robinredbreast

Have you let your oncologist/GP,. Apparently this can happen in the first few weeks, but it is always best to get these things checked out

Helena xx

[Robinredbreast]

Hello from the Colonies! At the age of 80, after starting on Letrozole, I have vaginal bleeding. Isn’t that a little unexpected?

[Chick1]

Hello Sortitalone (does your name indicate how you feel!),

Bleeding nusiance how these hormonal treatments can affect us isn't it?  You did make me laugh with your endng about opening eyes now and then saying about possibly posting on the wrong board.

If it's vaginismus then using a dllator to retrain the vaginal muscles  may be helpful - sorry I can't respond from direct experience.  I heard about someone who used them.  I think they come in different shapes and sizes like a set of Russian dolls. 

How is the "Yes" (wish they would change the name)  helping?  Think I may ask GP for that as you can get it on script.  Found the Replens awful when I tried it so stuck to Balance Activ pessaries even though paying for them.  Just asked for short term Vagifem use even though ER breast cancer.  It just may get me through the next smear test!! 

The medical profession seem to contradict themselves when it comes to breast cancer and local oestrogen preparations like vagifem.  When I was being diagnosed and they were taking a history, I was asked if I had taken HRT.  I said only local HRT as in Vagifem for a short period.  This was dismissed as insignificant.  Now I am asking for short term use as it could help alleviate matters and  it seems to be of vital importance with much discussion and deliberation before a decision is made. 

Anyway, I digress.  I was interested in your Oncologist's support of intermittant use of Letrozole.  (I am also on a AI - Anastrazole).  Do you know which study they are referring to and if so please can you let us know? 

The only one I am aware of that relates to breast cancer is one where they looked at women who had taken it for 5 years and then for 9 months with a 3 month break for 4 years and then continuously for year 10 versus women taking it continuously for 10 years.  They concluded that there was little difference in recurrence and overall survival between the groups.  Maybe my info is wrong.

Take care and all the best to you x

[Sortitalone]

Think I’m on wrong board. Thought this was about vaginitis 😮.

[Sortitalone]

I was 3 years post menopausal when my bc was found and diagnosed at my first ever mammogram. I was already suffering from all the symptoms of vaginitis, I was driving myself mad with itching, scratching myself to death.

So before the tumour was found, my GP put me on a low dose oestrogen vaginal cream. Within 2 days I had bleeding and horrendous period pains. The treatment was stopped.

Of course, like all of you I went through chemo, which made the problems down there worse than ever followed by Letrazole. My body is not tolerating Letrazole well, I can only describe my symptoms as minuscule chemo. I was taking it daily for nearly 2 years, but my Oncologist has altered the way I take it on my last visit to her. I’m now off it for 3 months and then on it for 3 months. A trial had been done over a period of time, to see which way of taking it showed the best results. The results showed that there was no difference between either way, so I’m sticking to the on/off method. I know I’m warbling on, but this is such an important topic.

I have had smeared blood when I wipe after having a wee, I’m trying the YES products at the moment and I used the water based lubricant this morning, inserting as carefully as I could with a gloved middle finger. The next time I went for a wee again, there was blood and I had period pains for about 10 minutes. I am in no way blaming it on the lube, but the insertion of my finger.

I do pelvic floor exercises and I concentrate mostly on the relaxation part. My husband and I have been intimate twice since I finished chemo and it was hell for me. Like one of the ladies has mentioned that she has no libido, nor have I and also like her I feel I am doing it for my husbands benefit. After both times I ended up with cystitis and bleeding. I have shrivelled right up down there, it was a bit of a trial getting my finger in. I won’t use an oestrogen based lubricant, my cancer was a grade 3 and aggressive.

After all my blabbering on, I’d like to know if anyone has tried using a dialator?? It was suggested to me by my GP but that’s as far as I’ve got. I’ve only just joined this site and I’ve joined because my husband is of no help whatsoever. He is great on a practical level but as someone to support me emotionally he is (pardon the pun) impotent.

I don’t know also, if your relationships with your partner are suffering as a result of not being able to do, at the end of the day is a normal part of any relationship.

You can wake up now, I’ve finished 😂😂.

[Guest user]

Rang the Breast Care nurse on Wednesday. She said this type of bleeding is not uncommon and could be a hormonal 'reboot' and periods starting again (please no!), fibroids, thickening of the wall of the uterus and various other things. However she said any type of abnormal bleeding should be investigated and told me to contact my GP for a checkover and hormone blood test. He may then decide to refer me to a gynaecologist. I find this strange as all my treatment was in Sth Wales (until I moved back to England last year) and the first thing I was told after diagnosis was 'for the next 5 years you don't go to your GP you come to us'.

Anyhow, I went to see the GP today and he took a history and said he would sent an immediate referral to a gynaecologist and I should get an appointment within two weeks. No blood test required. It is apparently procedure to refer any post menopausal bleeding as urgent in someone with our history. Why couldn't the breast care unit have done this and saved the GPs time?

So now I wait and try not to worry. I'll keep you informed!

Jo

[Guest user]

Hi Jo,

Sorry to hear of your predicament, but happy to share this with someone in the same boat!
I rang my gynaecologist's secretary and was told they can only give me a routine appointment: can't give me an urgent appointment without seeing the GP first.

Saw my GP, who said he thinks this is due to trauma from a cervical smear test I had last week. The smear test was agonisingly and unbearably painful (not surprisingly, as I'm not sexually active) and I was in pain for 2 days afterwards. Then the bleeding started. (They're taking me off the smear recall system, as they're not necessary now).

He has given me 5 days' supply of Etamsylate (Diocynene), which acts on the spiral arteries in the uterus. It's used commonly after surgery and procedures to reduce bleeding from wounds.

I've been taking it 4 times a day for the past 24 hours and it has worked a treat.
So that makes things much clearer. If it was anything sinister, it would not have responded to the tablets.

I'm to keep taking Letrozole and Zoladex, as they've been working well.

Let me know how you get on.

[Guest user]

Puddleduck

I have been on letrozole for 8 months after 3 years on Tamoxifen. I have had bleeding this morning for the first time in 4 years. Same as you - menopause induced by chemo in 2007.

Let me know how you go on and I'll do the same.

Jo

[Guest user]

Thanks for your reply.
I'm pleased you got to the bottom of the bleeding (excuse the pun) and it was nothing to worry about.

I'm not naturally postmenopausal: only chemically, due to Zoladex.

I'm still bleeding today with what seems like a period, but I'll get it checked out.
Meanwhile, I'm wondering whether to stop the Letrozole until I know what's going on.

[Guest user]

Do get post menopausal bleeding checked out. I had unexpected bleeding (had been on tamoxifen for about 4 years), thought it was a period after nearly a year without any period. GP sent me to gynaecologist, bleeding was actually due to polyps.

[Guest user]

Hi there,

I've been on Letrozole in addition to Zoladex for 7 months.
I've just had some red vaginal bleeding that seems like the start of a period.
This shouldn't be happening!

I did have a bit of breakthrough vaginal spotting (very slight amounts of old blood for a few days) when I first started Zoladex a year ago but this is out of the blue.

Has anyone else had this?

Thanks for reading.