Hiya. Im 32 and my periods have continued straight through chemo and are still going now on Tamoxifen. They are really painful tho on Tamoxifen which is something i have never had to put up with.
Question is how many others are still having regular periods on Tamoxifen and if so should i be concerned seeing as my cancer was ER+?
thanks lovely people
X
Hi Evie, I didn’t have chemo but hadn’t had a period for 4 yrs as had a lovely mirena coil fitted,am pre menopausal,but as I’m 8/8 both ER and PR,was advised to have the coil out. Periods are back all be it a bit irregular. My onc is of the view that tamoxifen will do the job of blocking all my oestrogen as I did question why no zoladex injections to switch off ovaries,she doesn’t advocate that not unless I really wanted a monthly very painful injection and a shed load of side effects. She wasn’t up for giving me an ooph either as at 45 says I’m too young and it would cause more problems longterm,different oncs seem to recommend diff things but I’m happy to go along with what mine is saying to me. So her view is it’s not a problem having periods back or continuing tho I would be glad to see the back of them,roll on the menopause ! Good luck.
Sandra x
Hi evie
As well as the the support and information you receive from the others users please do contact the BCC helpline to talk your concerns through with one of our trained members of staff. All staff on the helpline are either breast care nurses or have experience of breast cancer. The number to call is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open Monday to Saturday 9 to 5pm and Saturday 9 to 2pm.
I hope this helps.
Kind regards
Sam (BCC Facilitator)
Hi Evie - we chatted a while ago when I was first diagnosed last May/June, hope your treatment has been going well. I started on Tamoxifen on 1st Dec, my last chemo was 3rd Nov and I only missed one period throughout that time although they were very irregular. I was curious as to whether this would be the case on the tabs. I came on a week ago and it knocked me out - really painful, so that answered my question. I’m slightly ER positive and at my check up with my onc in March, we will discuss the jabs to put my ovaries to sleep for 2 yrs, which I don’t particularly like the sound of. I’ve not had any other side effects so far except a few warm flushes at night, but nothing really noticable.
Bev x
Hi Evie
had bc aged 38 and had 5 years of tamox then. Didn’t miss any periods with tamoxifen at all, and I didn’t notice any change in how my periods were.
good luck with it all
monica x
bump
Hi Sue
I’ve been on Tamoxifen for six months now, and have had periods as normal pretty much throughout. A lot heavier than before, but because I had a baby and then breastfed for eight months I hadn’t been having them for a while, so think they may have come back heavier anyway. Does that make sense??
She xx
Hi Evie and everyone,
I have been on Tamoxifen since the start of September and have continued to have regular periods. I am just turned 44 and was 5/8 ER+. However I have noticed that my periods seem to be getting shorter,( only 3-4 days duration) but heavier (awful flooding for about 1 day each month,leaked on a chair at friend’s house, nearly died of embarrassment…:0 ).
Friends of a similar age without BC/Tamox have reported similar, so I am wondering is this just my age or is it to do with the Tamoxifen, or both ? Which ever, it’s not very pleasant!!!
Anna
Hi a little different for me, always had awful periods then since dx hardly anything 1-3 days then finnished,I have not started my chemo etc until Feb not sure if i should mention this to my onc, just put it down to stress? what do you think?
Luv Teresa x
hello evie…you know most of my story but have to say its really been bothering me today too.
I had periods until cycle 4. I had my last chemo 28th dec and started my period yesterday…with a vengeance!!! I’m usually quite light, but this one aint. My boobs are like flippin rocks…which makes me think hormones are having a field day and as i’m 7/8 er/pr+ this is surely not a good thing…oh and STILL getting hotflushes to boot!
I havent even started tamox yet. Was advised to wait til after rads by onc.
Sorry this doesn’t help answer your question at all but i’m in the same boat. My onc made it sound like a good thing that periods would return but not so sure myself???
xx
hiya sue when i was on tamoxifen for 1st BC which was 7/8 ER positive i had really prolonged heavy bleeding and flooding and had a mirena inserted (although a lot of docs would say no due to hormones my prof was pro it as the amount of progesterone released from the IUS is v small) it was brill had very light but prolonged spotting for quite a few weeks but by 6 months they had pretty much disappeared now only have a period about once every 9 months or so.
i know your onc is very anti hormones so i doubt they would be happy for you to have a mirena.
im due to restart tamox any time but still got my mirena so presume i wont have the awful periods i had on it when i started it the last time… however now that iv found out iv got brca2 i might be advised to get the ius removed and ovaries out.
evie im sure they could offer you zoladex and tamox… i thought they did that kinda as standard for women 35 and under anyway… guess it varies from unit to unit again.
evening primrose and vit B6 complex are both meant to help with reproductive symptoms.
Lxx
hey evie!
same here, periods like clockwork thro chemo… and also like clockwork on tamoxifen. really heavy and painful though…
like you i worry that there must be too much circulating estrogen for all this to be happening so will ask my onc when i next see her. you are not the only one!!
i feel sad that my body is trying to hold on to it’s fertility, despite all the gruelling treatment it has had chucked at it! shame, cos i’m desperate for another baby… but hey ho. xxxx
hey there! will grill ONC tomorrow as i have never had painful periods and i am getting period type pains on and off all month then sudden bloating where i cant wear my wedding ring! Herbal diuretics are def helping and taking evening primrose which has really improved my rage issues through out all this!!
Keep thinking if normal levels of oestrogen are going to cause me a problem then im screwed!
S
X
Hi Sue
Further to my earlier posting (in which I said that despite being on Tamoxifen for six months, I am still having regular periods), I have realised that I am three weeks late at the moment (unfortunately NO chance of me being pregnant as am tending to keep hubby at arms length at the mo)
So I wonder if this is maybe due to the Tamoxifen. Great, yet another SE to worry about!
Hugs
Shenagh x
Good luck tomorrow, Evie.
I was 39 at dx and had my last period just after my 1st chemo - haven’t had one in the 18+mths since. Mind you, I hadn’t had many in the previous 4 years either as I’d had 2 babies, with only 3 periods in between as didn’t have any when breastfeeding my 1st, and after 2nd baby I fed for 20mths and didn’t have a period until a few days before her 2nd birthday, then I was dx only 4mths later!
Tamoxifen can cause endo problems, so you are wise to mention it to your team tomorrow.
Kinden
x
sue would def say its worth enquiring about zoladex.
also you could try different brands of tamoxifen… my bleeding was much worse on sandoz i think (green packs) than on APS and Cp pharmaceutical and woerkhart… i did have a hysteroscopy which was normal but had a D and C just to help reduce the bleeding so its probably a good idea to get a gynae referral if your having problems… just to give you a wee clean.
i know loads of folk on here worry about endometrial ca which is rare side effect on tamoxifen and normally affects older postmenopausal women… but they may want to rule it out anyway or check for other benign abnormalities lkike fibroids…
(BTW the chances of getting an endometrial cancer are about 8 in 100,000, but under 50 its about 0.4 in 100,000 its maybe about 3 times more on tamoxifen… so just over 1 in 100,000)
good luck with your appt
Lxx
Saw a professor no less in clinic today and she said the pain should not be tamoxifen and really it takes a good 6mths to get tamoxifen into your system and your periods really should stop. She also said she would be very surprised if my periods continued past 6mths and if they did she would want to see me.
Sooo! A really nice, sensible doctor at last and i feel a bit better as i have only taken 2mths of tamoxifen so its early days.
No ooph recommended but i am going to be sterlised so i dont have to keep using bloody condoms!!
S
X
Sue, that’s really interesting to hear what she said about your periods being likely to stop after six months on Tamoxifen. That’s exactly where I seem to be at the moment!
Shenagh x
i started my first period on 23rd jan after finishing chemo, this lasted 7 days. And now i’ve started bleeding again today - only a week after finishing my last period. Does anyone know if this is normal? should i be concerned?
xx
Pix i think when you are on tamoxifen any unusual bleeding should be reported. Its prob just your hormones settling down after the treatment tho.
S
X