Babies after Cancer

Hi Sajonara,

Thank-you for sharing your story with me (us!). It's always encouraging to hear women go on to have 'normal' lives after BC. I am so sorry to hear about your husband though. They are often the forgotten ones and it is good to know there is support out there (if needed). How long did you wait after coming off your treatment until you fell pregnant? I have been speaking to my oncologist and we both agree that I will stop taking tamoxifen at 2yrs (which is the end of this year- yay!). She recommended I wait at least 3 months before trying to conceive, but I'm thinking I will wait 6 months and then that takes me past my 3 year mark. It's wonderful that you fell pregnant naturally and I can imagine just how scarey that time must have been for you! I hope good health continues to follow you and your little boy and your husband is in a better place! All the best Nat :-)

Great that you ladies are able to share your stories with each other.

check out all your options.  As you probably all know, Doctors are all trying to do their best for us phyically, but sometimes I think they only seem to want to do their own job.  Sometimes getting rid of the cancer is their main focus, and a great focus to have I agree, but there is a life after cancer for us all and a long life for the younger women, so things like fertility sometimes get over looked in the hurry to rid us of cancer.

do you research and I hope you find some information to allow you to make an informed decision.

Tanya

Hi Nat,

I'm very interested to see how you go - I'm 30, my husband and I were married for only 3 months when I got my diagnosis in March this year.  We were trying for a family but I was growing something else instead!  My tumour was a triple negative so a bit of a different situation to yours but I've just been through an IVF cycle before I started my chemo as a "just in case".  I would strongly recommend being referred to an IVF specialist even if its just to check everything out with you and your husband/partner, we found out that we would have had to resort to IVF anyway due to complications from a hernia my husband had last year.  I managed to produce 18 eggs in the cycle but only 1 made it to embryo stage to put in the freezer after fertilisation.  We are still hoping that everything returns to normal due to my age and the fact that everything was ok with me in that regard before starting chemo so we will see how we go.  Best of luck with it all, would love to hear how you go :)

Cheers,
Trudi

One of our youngest members in our dragonboat club and her husband had a baby girl just over two years ago.  Her diagnosis was at the same time as my first one - approx 4.5 years.  This wonderful young lady already had a lovely little boy.  He had a mastectomy, chemo and Herceptin.  At the beginning of her diagnosis she was pregnant and of course lost that baby.  Once her treatment was completed, and she got the okay from her oncologist things just happened naturally. I thought it was such a miracle.  It looks like miracles have been happening elsewhere as well.  So it is worth checking with your oncologist as to timeframes.  As stated above with the hormone receptive diagnosis there might be a longer timeframe to wait.  But you will never know if you don't ask.  Good luck XLeonie

Everyones situation is different. I think 5 yrs is a long time. I'm 28 and got married 4 months before my diagnoses this yr. My husband and I were very excited about starting our family before we were 30. However now my doctor said we have to wait minimum 2 yrs before starting, otherwise I could risk my health. When the doctor said 2 yrs I was relieved because he said it couldve been 5 yrs. But with my situation he doesnt see any harm after the 2 yr mark.  Hope everything works out for u .... would love a friend request so i can keep up to date with ur situation... 

Hi Nat

It must be so frustrating.  I think it is worth a long chat with your oncologist to discuss your concerns.  

I had a close experience with a friend being diagnosed with BC when her first child was 3 months old - she didn't think she would fall pregnant again naturally (she was over 40) and she did and had a gorgeous little boy.  Unfortunately when he was 6weeks old she was diagnosed with secondary cancer and she passed away when just after he turned one.  I know this is horrible story but it is true and I just think that it is worth talking about all of the risks and benefits of the treatments.  

I friend of my Mum's was diagnosed in her 20's and has gone on to have a beautiful little girl.  I don't know the details of her cancer or treatment but she did chemo and I think she may have harvested eggs beforehand too.  I am not sure if her pregnancy was via fertility treatment.  

I am lucky to have completed my family before being diagnosed but 5 years seems like a hell of a long time to wait to try for something you really want.  There seems to be a lot of research out there - maybe things have changed in the past few years and they can modify your treatment or give you some alternatives.

By the sound of that baby board Sarah mentions - hopefully it won't be too long for you.

Amanda xx

Hi Nat

I do not have a personal experience but I my BC support worker Carla was menopausal after chemo and tamoxifen and her and her husband was concerned that she was so tired suddenly after she came off tamoxifen and feared that her cancer was back.  But alas 5 years later at 34 she was pregnant with twins, she already had two children prior to her cancer.  She gave birth to two healthy twins three years ago now.

Good luck, hopefully some more ladies can comment too.

Tanya

Hi Nat

I do not have a personal experience but I my BC support worker Carla was menopausal after chemo and tamoxifen and her and her husband was concerned that she was so tired suddenly after she came off tamoxifen and feared that her cancer was back.  But alas 5 years later at 34 she was pregnant with twins, she already had two children prior to her cancer.  She gave birth to two healthy twins three years ago now.

Good luck, hopefully some more ladies can comment too.

Tanya