Day 51 and no period

Hi,

I had only 4 rounds of chemo and had a period not long after I started and then nothing until just before my 4th round.  My oncologist did another blood test after I had finished chemo and said that my ovaries were still working and that my periods may come back (I'm 43).  Sure enough, in March (stopped chemo in Dec) they came back with a vengence!  I had a really heavy period (changing tampons every hour) for a week and then two weeks later had another really heavy period.  I thought it might be my body making up for lost time but I went to see a gynaecologist and he put me on some tablets to make them less severe.  Since then I seem to have gone back to having them every 28 days or thereabouts.  I am on Tamoxifen and that hasn't made any difference to my periods at all.

From what my oncologist told me, sometimes your periods come back and sometimes they don't.  It depends whether your ovaries have been permanently shut down by the chemo (which mine don't appear to have been!).  I think this would also depend on your age when you started the chemo but not sure about this.

I get a few hot flushes whilst I have my period (weird!) but don't seem to get them at other times of the month at the moment.  I was getting them all the time when I finished chemo and until I started my period in March. but then they stopped.

Anyway, from what I can gather, it is the luck of the draw!!

Take care,

Louise

Hi, Just thought I'd let you know that while I was having chemo my periods stopped but then they came back a few months after I finished chemo- even while I was on herceptin and still remain while I'm on Tamoxifen, even though I'm also getting aweful menopause symptoms- lucky me the best of both worlds! I hope the rest fo your chemo goes as well as expected. It really does knock your body about. Fingers crossed they return for you when your body has time to recover and get strong again!

Hope you are starting to feel better.  Periods - well!!!!  I was as regular as anything until I started on Tamoxifen (aged 50.5) then things just stopped.  I had break-through bleeding occasionaly and had to have d&c's each time.  I even got a "period" on our honeymoon which was 9 months after starting tamoxifen.  (a baby at 51 oh no!!!)  Have not had anything for a while now but at last hormone count there was still no menopause in sight.  My poor old mum went through menopause after age 56!!!!!  I turn 55 on Thursday so I hope that's it for me for periods.  Because of your age I'm sure yours will come back after your treatment is finished. XLeonie

I started chemo last Aug / Sept and remember having a period when I ended up in hospital with neutropenia! but no more since. I am 52 but was very regular prior to my BC every 28 days on the dot. I am now on tamoxifen for about 2 years when they will check if I am truly menopausal and then switch me to Arimidex. If you ladies are younger you may well have you periods back. i am kind of glad i don't have them anymore as they were BAD!

Sarah x

I started chemo last Aug / Sept and remember having a period when I ended up in hospital with neutropenia! but no more since. I am 52 but was very regular prior to my BC every 28 days on the dot. I am now on tamoxifen for about 2 years when they will check if I am truly menopausal and then switch me to Arimidex. If you ladies are younger you may well have you periods back. i am kind of glad i don't have them anymore as they were BAD!

Sarah x

Hi Sheree,

My experience is pretty much identical to Bardoe's. I started chemo in April, had one period and then no more. My onco says it might be permanent, might not.  "wait and see" is probably his favourite phrase.... ;-P

I started my chemo in February this year, think i had one period, then nothing since, (i was like clockwork, every 20 days prior)

I think the chemo treatments makes you pre-menopausal and not sure but if having further hormone treatments like herceptin and tamoxifan, then it is a definite after those.

B