Forum Discussion

Cynth6's avatar
Cynth6
Member
8 years ago

Waiting for periods to return after chemo

Hello,

i am now 7 months post chemo and am 31 yrs old and there is no sign of my periods returning. 
My oncologist did say that my chances of them returning as I am under 40 are higher but they could take up to a year or even longer for them to return. 
A few months back I didn’t care as I was almost sure that I didn’t want children but now I do want children one day and I would hate to think my periods are never returning !

is anyone else in a similiar situation as me ?

also, does me technically being in “menopause” mean I can’t get pregnant if I have unprotected sex?


chemotherapy
fertility
menopause
side-effects
  • Deanne's avatar
    Deanne
    Member
    8 years ago
    Mine came back 18 months after chemo finished. I was 48 by then. The gynaecologist said that my blood tests at that time showed I was not in menopause despite having had no period for over 12 months. I had 3 normal periods before having my ovaries removed and switching from Tamoxifen to Femara as my cancer had been strongly hormone positive.

    My oncologist said that 18 months was not an uncommon time for periods to return. 
  • Bakdom's avatar
    Bakdom
    Member
    8 years ago
    Mine came back 6 months after finishing chemo, was a surprise as I was 43 at the time. 
  • JoeyLiz's avatar
    JoeyLiz
    Member
    8 years ago
    I hope someone can give you answers!
    im in similar boat, 31 just finished 6 months of chemo (surgery and radiation to come), been on Zoledex but not sure when that’s meant to finish as I keep getting different answers, I have 3 embryos frozen.
  • kmakm's avatar
    kmakm
    Member
    8 years ago
    In normal health menopause is when you haven't had a period for 12 months. I'm not sure what the offical definition is with chemopause, though a measurement of your oestrogen levels might clarify. However I would  caution against unprotected sex if you don't want to get pregnant. If you do resume ovulating that will occur before you menstruate, and that's when you could get pregnant, and so you wouldn't know. K xox
  • lrb_03's avatar
    lrb_03
    Member
    8 years ago
    Sorry @Cynth6. I was 49 when I started chemo, never got my period back, but didn't really expect to. Hopefully someone else will come along and help.
    Take care