The title says it all! I just wondered whether other younger women who had chemo had had their periods back? I havent and am 7 months post fec-t.
I wondered
How old you were at dx?
Were your periods regular or not before?
What chemo you had, if any?
If/when your periods stopped?
If you had hormone therapy and/or the injections to keep your periods away?
If/ when your periods came back, and if they are regular now?
I was 36 at dx, very regular periods before, periods stopped after chemo 4 ( first tax cycle, periods had got lighter and irregular under the previous 3 fec cycles), chemo ginished 7 months ago, tamoxifen started 6 mths ago, no injections, no sign of periods returning yet.
Hi, I was 31 when I had chemo, 7 cycles, periods stopped towards the end, got closer together, heavy, then light spotting then stopped. I got my first period 10 months after the end of the chemo. Very, very heavy, felt like a total mad women in the run up to said period, very hormonal 100 times worse then ever before. Then went on Zoladex for 7 months and have come off that as of Jan 2011. No periods as yet but are starting to feel hormonal again, so think they are on their way back. On tamoxifen, have been since chemo finished. Periods before have been irregular, long cycles. when I came off the pill 5 years ago in preparation to have a baby, it took 10 months before I started having proper periods, even then the cycles were far apart. I have been told to expect heavy periods for at least the first few. Am hoping the return of periods will help with the hot flushes. Boo x
Hiya vickie
hope you are well
I have several friends who had hormone positive bc + so are on tamoxifen. Only one of them has periods- the rest stopped during chemo + the tamoxifen has kept them at bay. So it’s probably the hormone treatment that’s responsible.
My periods only stopped just after 2nd tax although they had become shorter + lighter a little while before. My periods returned 7wks after my last chemo (!) so I quickly had to dig out my supplies of tampax etc which I’d put away thinking I wouldn’t need them for ages! Interestingly, the 1st period post chemo was the day after my 2nd surgery following my skin mets dx. I’ve heard that the trauma of surgery can make people come on + that seemed to be what happened in my case.
Try not to worry
love tina xx
i had first cancer at 37 and had tamoxifen… then really bad periods… previously didnt have periods on cerazette
after about 9 months had a mirena coil inserted which sorted out periods and only had about 1 period each year in the august.
next cancer at 40 had chemo and then restarted tamox about 4 months after last chemo… still had mirena in had 1 or 2 really bad periods when i started chemo then none until last aug when i had lots of bleeding which was a month before my hyst and ooph… think this was probably them returning and was 9 months after last chemo.
Yes i feel (touching huge amounts of wood) really quite well thanks tina. However my three year old son has just thrown up all over so think am gonna have a fun filled few days, to build on last weeks trip to A and E with him to glue his busted forehead !!!
Thanks for your replies. Anyone else able to shed some light on the periods issue?
Hi Vickie, I had chemo to reduce the tumour before mastectomy when I was 39. I had 2 kids by then. Never had a period again but was told this would be the case before they started the chemo which was called CHOP. Hope the wee one is feeling better. Loads of viruses going around. We are all affected by it in my family, even my daughter in France! Love Val
I had chemo ,tamoxifen and zoladex injection periods returned after about 6 months of stopping everything… Oh and I went on to have two babies ( now 9&7) xxx I was 34 at first dx. just bin dx again in other breast bummer!!! after 14 years!!!
Hello Thought i would add something here.
I am 14 months post chemo and 42 years old. My periods stopped after the second cycle of chemo. I started taking tamoxifen once chemo had finished. I thought I had been lucky to have avoided the hot flushes etc for menopause and thought by now I was probably in menapause.
I have just had my back flap reconstruction and was advised to stop taking tamoxifen until at least 4 weeks after the op. I am afraid the dreaded periods came back - Tamoxifen must therefore keep it at bay. I now still have the menapause to come!!!
to answer your questions;
1 4o years old
2 regular periods
3 6x taxotere, carboplatin and herceptin(tch) neo adj followed by 18 herceptin
4 periods stopped at 1st chemo
5 tamoxifen for 12 months
6. periods returned while on tamox (heavily) 18 months after stopping so had bilat ooph and now on arimidex.
Here are some study results (Dr P Goodwin), Vickie, from adjuvant online, the number of premenopausal women out of 100 (%), who became menopausal 1 year after dx breast cancer. Mind, this is not a very recent study and does not include taxane based chemo.
With Adjuvant Therapay
Hi Vickie
I was 36 at dx, regular periods before bc, AC and Taxotere chemo prior to surgery. Periods stopped after 2nd AC. I’ve been on tamox for couple of years. Have not restarted periods, but had some irregular bleeding 2 years after last period, and again 6 months after that. Having pelvic scan soon-have been told it could be periods trying to restart, could be menopause. I have recently been getting hot flushes etc which I haven’t had much until now.
C x
Hi everyone
I was dx 11/2004 age 42 with a 4.5cm grade3 infiltrating ductal carcinoma which was receptor neg, I started chemo 02/2005 till 05/2005, my periods before chemo were regular. After chemo I had 1 period around December 05 then nothing that is until yesterday, I thought I was starting with a stomach bug but no at almost 49 I have started my periods again I’m just hope it’s a one of
hi i’m terri i am 27 and was diagnosed in january i’ve had a period all the way threw my fec chemo(well i’m half way had 4 fec and am due to start the docetaxel tomorrow)i was told they would stop by my 2nd fec but i think because of my age i’m still getting them.
Age 38, had 3 fec 3 tax, periods continued through fec. Stopped on first tax in sept and haven’t had one since. Though do seem to get cyclical breast pain and mood swings. Dx
Mine continued as normal all throughout chemo (i was 30), it was only about 4 months after starting Tamoxifen that they stopped for a while, but they are back now.
i havent even started my chemo yet but for me i carnt want for my periods to stop (painfull every month not fun ) but seeing as i want a break from them wots the betting mine wont stop
!!!