Chemo induced menopause or not.......

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Eil4186
Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi everyone, I have been meaning to pose this question for a long time but never got around to it. I had my last period after my second treatment of Adriamycin/Cytoxan. That was July 2006. I had a bit of spotting six months after that but since then nothing.

However, according to my bloodwork I am still premenopausal. (Estradoil=99 FSH=12)
So I am wondering if its the tamoxifen that is stopping my period. My primary care doc said if you don't have a period for 12 months you are menopausal. My oncologist said I could still get my period back and I am not menopausal. At a conference I recently attended the oncologist who was the speaker told me that you are considered menopausal with no period for 12 months WITH NO hormone manipulation (and he said tamoxifen is considered hormone manipulation).

That makes sense but it still seems weird to me that my ovaries are producing a premenopausal level of estrogen but no period. I was just wondering if any of you are in this situation as well? Thanks, Eil.
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  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    #2
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    Eil
    I'm not sure where I am, I was on Depo-Provera for 8 years before diagnosis, it can take up to 3 years for periods to re-start after this. I was taken off depo and put on tamoxifen, now I don't know if i am pre or post menepausal..All I know is I am not having the monthly "Curse" Tamoxifen gives me hot flushes and night sweats Am I going through this or is it yet to come?.. Sorry, totally confused (as usual) J xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #3
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    tasha_111 said:

    Eil
    I'm not sure where I am, I was on Depo-Provera for 8 years before diagnosis, it can take up to 3 years for periods to re-start after this. I was taken off depo and put on tamoxifen, now I don't know if i am pre or post menepausal..All I know is I am not having the monthly "Curse" Tamoxifen gives me hot flushes and night sweats Am I going through this or is it yet to come?.. Sorry, totally confused (as usual) J xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

    Hi j, thanks for your reply.
    Hi j, thanks for your reply. What is Depo-Provera? Don't you hate the night sweats and hot flashes? Don't feel bad about being confused, many of us are right there with ya!
  • tasha_111
    tasha_111 Member Posts: 2,072
    #4
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    Eil4186 said:

    Hi j, thanks for your reply.
    Hi j, thanks for your reply. What is Depo-Provera? Don't you hate the night sweats and hot flashes? Don't feel bad about being confused, many of us are right there with ya!

    Eil
    Hi again. Depo Provera is an Injection contraceptive every 3 months.......Stops your periods, manages your (I need to KILL someone or CRY for England moods)..I wish someone would invent a pillow that is always cool... I get through 4 a night/ both sides, Thanks for what you said, I am so totally confused I feel like a freak! But I get by (Just).....Thank you for your understanding......... Hugs Jxxxxxxxxx
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #5
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    Im in the same boat
    I am in the same boat. I had my last period in September 2007 when I started the same mix of drugs. I finished Herceptin (affects hormones) Feb. 2009 and have not started yet. I am turning 45 on April 15. I asked my Oncologist if I might start up again, or if I am done. He said I could start again up to a year after finishing Herceptin, so I guess I am in a "wait and see" mode. I think the experience is fairly common, and I'm not sure Doctors have definite answers about it. Oh, well, at least I am still here to wonder about it.

    Take care, seof
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #6
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    tasha_111 said:

    Eil
    Hi again. Depo Provera is an Injection contraceptive every 3 months.......Stops your periods, manages your (I need to KILL someone or CRY for England moods)..I wish someone would invent a pillow that is always cool... I get through 4 a night/ both sides, Thanks for what you said, I am so totally confused I feel like a freak! But I get by (Just).....Thank you for your understanding......... Hugs Jxxxxxxxxx

    Hi J, hang in there with the
    Hi J, hang in there with the night sweats. I find if I aim a fan on me it helps. Btw, I like your picture! Cute hair.
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #7
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    seof said:

    Im in the same boat
    I am in the same boat. I had my last period in September 2007 when I started the same mix of drugs. I finished Herceptin (affects hormones) Feb. 2009 and have not started yet. I am turning 45 on April 15. I asked my Oncologist if I might start up again, or if I am done. He said I could start again up to a year after finishing Herceptin, so I guess I am in a "wait and see" mode. I think the experience is fairly common, and I'm not sure Doctors have definite answers about it. Oh, well, at least I am still here to wonder about it.

    Take care, seof

    Thanks Seof. I am also 45.
    Thanks Seof. I am also 45. Has your doc done blood work to test your hormone levels?
  • mjfromtx
    mjfromtx Member Posts: 49
    #8
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    Eil4186 said:

    Thanks Seof. I am also 45.
    Thanks Seof. I am also 45. Has your doc done blood work to test your hormone levels?

    menopause??
    I had my last spotty period last September right before my 1st chemo. I too had Depo shots to prevent period onset migraines. My onc took me off of those and had me see a neurologist. I took a drug (name escapes me at the moment) for awhile but had no periods so the Dr. took me off of it to see if I get them back again. My onc says up to a year before I will know if I am menopausal. I turned 50 in Feb. so it's anyones guess as to whether I will get periods back again. guess the chemo really messes up your hormones and it shuts down the ovaries. At least that is what I was told. I'm going to ask about it in two weeks when I go for my first post chemo appointment. MJ
  • tami90650
    tami90650 Member Posts: 82
    #9
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    menopause?
    Im glad you brought that up. Since Ive been on the tamoxifen. I get a period once every few months and its BAD. Its usually when I forget my pills more than once.
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #10
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    I haven't been tested but my
    I haven't been tested but my oncologist told me from the onset, that I would definitely stop menstruating once I started chemo. I started chemo July 16th, 2007 and my last period was October 22, 2007 so I guess he was right. I started with night sweats when I started chemo, so maybe my body was starting to go into menopause then. Hugs, Lili
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #11
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    mmontero38 said:

    I haven't been tested but my
    I haven't been tested but my oncologist told me from the onset, that I would definitely stop menstruating once I started chemo. I started chemo July 16th, 2007 and my last period was October 22, 2007 so I guess he was right. I started with night sweats when I started chemo, so maybe my body was starting to go into menopause then. Hugs, Lili

    Lilli, but have you had your
    Lilli, but have you had your hormone levels checked? If I hadn't then it would have been easy to assume that I am menopausal. The blood work contradicted that though.
  • cruf
    cruf Member Posts: 908
    #12
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    Eil4186 said:

    Lilli, but have you had your
    Lilli, but have you had your hormone levels checked? If I hadn't then it would have been easy to assume that I am menopausal. The blood work contradicted that though.

    Menopause
    I never had chemo so I didn't have any issues with my period until I started Tamoxifen. I was 48 when I started in Oct. 2000. I got my period in Oct. and that was the lasttime. I was having some symptoms prior to the meds but was still getting it so I guess it's safe to say that Tamoxifen put me into Menopause. Since I wasn't planning on any more children, and I was 48, I have to say this was 1 side effect I didn't mind! HUGS!!! Cathy
  • Moopy23
    Moopy23 Member Posts: 1,751 Member
    #13
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    cruf said:

    Menopause
    I never had chemo so I didn't have any issues with my period until I started Tamoxifen. I was 48 when I started in Oct. 2000. I got my period in Oct. and that was the lasttime. I was having some symptoms prior to the meds but was still getting it so I guess it's safe to say that Tamoxifen put me into Menopause. Since I wasn't planning on any more children, and I was 48, I have to say this was 1 side effect I didn't mind! HUGS!!! Cathy

    Menopause or Not
    A clinical nurse here told me that I would definitely go into menopause. But I also asked the NCI oncologist that I visited in St. Louis. She told me the only pattern she had noticed was that the women who wanted their periods to stop continued having them, and the women who did not want to lose their period.. . well, you get the picture. I am hoping that mine won't start back as I just turned 49. Would not want to go through hot flashes and menopause twice!
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #14
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    Eil4186 said:

    Lilli, but have you had your
    Lilli, but have you had your hormone levels checked? If I hadn't then it would have been easy to assume that I am menopausal. The blood work contradicted that though.

    I will be having them
    I will be having them checked this time when I go to the oncologist. Lili
  • cats_toy
    cats_toy Member Posts: 1,462 Member
    #15
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    chemo and menopause
    I had started chemo in April 2007 and had my last period May 2007, my doc said as I was 50, I would be post menopausal after finishing chemo. I had asked because they told me I would start on the Arimidex after chemo and radiation, and it is for post women only. The night sweats are the worst, but they put me on Effexor and it helped considerably. Hang in there, it does get better with time.
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #16
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    cats_toy said:

    chemo and menopause
    I had started chemo in April 2007 and had my last period May 2007, my doc said as I was 50, I would be post menopausal after finishing chemo. I had asked because they told me I would start on the Arimidex after chemo and radiation, and it is for post women only. The night sweats are the worst, but they put me on Effexor and it helped considerably. Hang in there, it does get better with time.

    Other than the night sweats
    Other than the night sweats are you having any other side effects? Hugs, Lili
  • esaud
    esaud Member Posts: 5
    #17
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    Depo, Chemo, Age = Menopause?
    Hi All - Right before I found out I had breast cancer, I had completed the FSH and Endriaol test. I appeared to be pre-meopausal. I was 51. I then had to go through chemo which 'probably' caused menoP. During the whole time, I continued taking DepoProvera which was for 10 years as a contraceptive. I don't have periods because of it, so the only way to tell if I am menoP or not is the test. I had the test again last week and was up to 54. I am stopping my depo because it is causing me osteopenia. My Dr is an internist and not sure about all of the 'female' stuff. Anyone else have experience with chemo, depo and possible MenoP.

    Thanks.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #18
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    esaud said:

    Depo, Chemo, Age = Menopause?
    Hi All - Right before I found out I had breast cancer, I had completed the FSH and Endriaol test. I appeared to be pre-meopausal. I was 51. I then had to go through chemo which 'probably' caused menoP. During the whole time, I continued taking DepoProvera which was for 10 years as a contraceptive. I don't have periods because of it, so the only way to tell if I am menoP or not is the test. I had the test again last week and was up to 54. I am stopping my depo because it is causing me osteopenia. My Dr is an internist and not sure about all of the 'female' stuff. Anyone else have experience with chemo, depo and possible MenoP.

    Thanks.

    yes it does
    It seems that age is not a factor. Chemo affects hormone balance and many of us have had induced menopause. It stars during Chemo and very often never comes back.
    Your Oncologist and GY should have a better idea. They can order a blood test to eveluate your status.
    Hugs
  • aztec45
    aztec45 Member Posts: 757
    #19
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    Me Too
    I was taking medroxyprogestrone for several years. It was prescribed primarily to control my menstral cycle and reduce excessive bleeding. I think this drug also might have caused my breast cancer. Anyway, when I was first diagnosed with breast cancer, my onc told me to stop the drug. After my first chemo treatment, my onc informed me that I was going into menopause primarily based on my symptoms, night sweats, mood swings, irratability, etc. The onc put me on a Clonodine patch. It controls all of my symptoms. I have not had a period or spotting since April 2009. Although I have not had a blood test, my onc does not think my periods will return. I guess we'll see if they will return or not.

    Pat
  • Dawne.Hope
    Dawne.Hope Member Posts: 823
    #20
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    OK I feel dumb ...
    I don't have any thing to add ... only more questions! I've heard the chemo-induced menopause is common. One thing I hadn't heard until last week, was that tamoxifen will permantly stop your periods. Talked to a woman who had the type of cancer I had last week and she was pushing me to stop the tamoxifen because it would completely stop ovary function. Until then, I thought that tamoxifen only stopped estrogen from being absorbed in the breast. Didn't think Tamoxifen alone would completely stop periods forever. And definitely didn't think they would completely shut down my ovaries.

    I'm confused! Reading through all these posts, just raised more questions and made me more confused. Moopy ... that's funny about the doctor in STL! :)

    Any further info would be appreciated. Appreciate you all!
  • pitt
    pitt Member Posts: 387
    #21
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    Hi Eil. I don't know if this
    Hi Eil. I don't know if this helps or not, but my oncologist told me that after my treatments I will take Tamoxifen for 5 years. At that point, she will shut down my ovaries and put me into menopause so that I can then take an aromatase inhibitor for another 5 years. Yes, the tamoxifen stops your cycle, but that doesn't mean you are menopausal yet. At any rate, you should discuss this with your oncologist and find out if he/she has plans for you post-Tamoxifen. Good luck! Pitt

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