chemo induced menopause

laurissa

I'm 50, no period since chemo started in October. Chemo ended in January. Do you think I'll ever have one again? I'm having no hot flashes, thank God. Really no menopausal symptoms. I should be glad, but just wondering if I'm done or not.

Balentine

Look like you are one of the lucky ones
I would believe that if you have gone that long without a period that you are probably done especially since you are 50. My GYN told me that I probably will not see my period ever again. I have not had mine since my 3rd chemo in April but I am getting about 15-20 hot flashes a day. You are lucky that you are not getting that I guess but I would talk to your doctor about it. The way I understand it is that the hot flashes are evidence that your estrogen levels are down since you are now in menopause but it may be true that some people never have the hot flashes. I have heard of a few. Hopefully you are home free but I would ask your doctor and also ask for a FSH test so they can see where you are as far as menopause. Be blessed.
Lorrie

Rague

Can't tell you anything
I went through natural menopause when I was 44 - 45. Didn't have any chemo til 63 so not an issue for me at all.

Marcia527

My onc said to be considered
My onc said to be considered in menopause you need to not have a period for a year. I assume that means a year after chemo is done.

seof

maybe
I had my last regular, monthly period in Sep. 2007 while I was on chemo. I did chemo, mastectomy, radiation, chemo, Herceptin. Finished Herceptin in Feb. 2009. I had hot and cold flashes with Herceptin, but have not since then. I am currently 46. Oncologist said a may or may not start up again. He said probably if I didn't start back within a year I would not, but no guarantees. The last 3 months I have a bit of spotting, then the week of July 4th 2010 I had a regular 4 day period like I used to. I don't know what to tell you about yourself. I guess time will tell for both of us.

Take care, seof

Pinkpower

seof said:

maybe
I had my last regular, monthly period in Sep. 2007 while I was on chemo. I did chemo, mastectomy, radiation, chemo, Herceptin. Finished Herceptin in Feb. 2009. I had hot and cold flashes with Herceptin, but have not since then. I am currently 46. Oncologist said a may or may not start up again. He said probably if I didn't start back within a year I would not, but no guarantees. The last 3 months I have a bit of spotting, then the week of July 4th 2010 I had a regular 4 day period like I used to. I don't know what to tell you about yourself. I guess time will tell for both of us.

Take care, seof

Im surprised about your
Im surprised about your period coming back after so long seof. I too have chemo menapause since Dec 09 and I'm 42. I do have symtoms, hotflashes, moodiness, etc. But I still hope it never comes back!
Lupe

Moopy23

No Period, 20 months out
I was 48 and still having periods when I was diagnosed. No period since December 08 (chemo started Jan 09). Oncs said it could go either way, no predictions. My GYN a year ago said I could still have a period, but to let him know if I did. I am glad not to have had one since chemo, especially after coming across one article that suggested returning periods may have implications re recurrence. Your GYN should have some info.

mariam_11_09

was just having that

was just having that discussion with the Onc. yesterday. He said that your ovaries shut down during chemo and they may or may not restart afterwards. Generally if they don't come back after a year from your last period then consider it menopause. You might want to check with your ob/gyn to make sure that everything is alright.

Consider yourself super lucky not to be having hot flashes, I am 44 and have had them several times a day since chemo started in Feb. and they are getting more and more intense. This is really an excercise in Zenness for me, that is remaining calm and not going crazy with the hot flashes.

cahjah75

chemo menopause
I don't know if you're in automatic menopause but my guess would be yes. I went through 5 years of perimenopause 45-50 and final menopause at 50. I'm 61 now, no chemo but hotflashes constantly! Consider yourself lucky. Hope you never see your friend again. lol
Char

Katz77

Yeahhhh
But do you take anti hormone pills? I too am lucky. No serious hot flashes and I am chemo induced menapause. Get a little warm sometimes during the day at work. Lest no night ones. Take Femara 2.5mg to keep the nasty hormones away. I take vit E to help with them I think it works cause I stopped them for a week cause of colonscopy. Vit e can cause bleeding, like a blood thinner. Anyhooo Def had hot flashes then. I'm 49 and a year out of cancer. Hope you're going to have luck like me. Katz

ms.sunshine

Katz77 said:

Yeahhhh
But do you take anti hormone pills? I too am lucky. No serious hot flashes and I am chemo induced menapause. Get a little warm sometimes during the day at work. Lest no night ones. Take Femara 2.5mg to keep the nasty hormones away. I take vit E to help with them I think it works cause I stopped them for a week cause of colonscopy. Vit e can cause bleeding, like a blood thinner. Anyhooo Def had hot flashes then. I'm 49 and a year out of cancer. Hope you're going to have luck like me. Katz

I have hot flashes, but no
I have hot flashes, but no other changes I'm the same as before. Ask your dr if you can take a herb that may help with hot flashes. I take St.John Wort and it does help. I use to have several hot flashes a day, and couldn't sleep because of sweating, now I may have 2 a day and 1 at night.

bbay65

Wow. thats where I'm going.
Wow. thats where I'm going. I'm 44. Happy no more periods. But, menopause? My older sister is good and quite sexy. But I only have one breast now. Alive but kinda freaky.

laurissa

Thanks
I guess I'll just have to wait and see what happens. I'm not on tamoxifen. I do have down days, not really moody, just feeling low and self-pity. Doctor put me on effexor and xanax which I started taking 3 days ago. Hope that helps.