Tamoxifen

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I was wondering if anyone has periods even though they are on Tamoxifen. I suddenly started again this morning after 2 1/2 years of menopause, or at least what I thought was menopause. I'm 48 and have been taking tamoxifen almost 2 years now without forgetting any pills at all (i take one a day). I'm not worried about cancer mets since I got a clean pap, ovary check and uterus measurement in June and all was well. I'll be telling the onc at my next appointment, but would love to hear from any of you....

TraciInLA

My situation is a little different from yours, in that my period has never stopped.  I was diagnosed in 2009 at age 40, and kept getting my periods right through treatment, including chemo (Yes, lucky me! )

I'm now 45, and have been on Tamoxifen for nearly 5 years.  With the new research, my oncologist now advises most of his patients to stay on Tamoxifen for 10 years, so I'll be taking it for 10 years total.  

Tamoxifen has had absolutely no effect at all on my period -- Aunt Flo comes every month regular like the moon, and my period is pretty much the same in duration, flow, etc. as it's always been.

I also see my gynecologist religiously every year for an exam, and she feels that so far Tamoxifen hasn't affected anything that she can see, either.

Don't know if that helps?

Traci

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TraciInLA said:

My situation is a little different from yours, in that my period has never stopped.  I was diagnosed in 2009 at age 40, and kept getting my periods right through treatment, including chemo (Yes, lucky me! )

I'm now 45, and have been on Tamoxifen for nearly 5 years.  With the new research, my oncologist now advises most of his patients to stay on Tamoxifen for 10 years, so I'll be taking it for 10 years total.  

Tamoxifen has had absolutely no effect at all on my period -- Aunt Flo comes every month regular like the moon, and my period is pretty much the same in duration, flow, etc. as it's always been.

I also see my gynecologist religiously every year for an exam, and she feels that so far Tamoxifen hasn't affected anything that she can see, either.

Don't know if that helps?

Traci

Thanks Traci

Interesting that you never had any trouble with your cycle. Well I guess i just have to get used to it again. I had to ask my teenage daughter for emergency supplies lol !!

TraciInLA

button2 said:

Thanks Traci

Interesting that you never had any trouble with your cycle. Well I guess i just have to get used to it again. I had to ask my teenage daughter for emergency supplies lol !!

Oh, embarrassing!

Oh no -- you had to go begging supplies from your teenage daughter?!  How embarrassing!  Is she ever going to let you live that down?

 Traci

New Flower

TraciInLA said:

Oh, embarrassing!

Oh no -- you had to go begging supplies from your teenage daughter?!  How embarrassing!  Is she ever going to let you live that down?

 Traci

As a precautionary measure

Please see your gynecologist toale sure you got a  period nothing else.

best to you

button2

TraciInLA said:

Oh, embarrassing!

Oh no -- you had to go begging supplies from your teenage daughter?!  How embarrassing!  Is she ever going to let you live that down?

 Traci

So funny

Thanks for the laugh Traci!! She's a cool girl, so no problem. Well, ok smirking a bit about such an old lady getting a period lol!

button2

New Flower said:

As a precautionary measure

Please see your gynecologist toale sure you got a  period nothing else.

best to you

You are right. I want to see

You are right. I want to see how it goes (if it's like a normal period) and will tell the onc at my appointment next week. Then I'll make an appointment with my regular ob-gyn to make sure - thank you new flower!

zahalene

On and off

I was on Tamoxifen for seven years from age 40 to 48 (or so).

I was premenopausal when I began Tamoxifen.

About six months or so later my periods stopped.

But every few months (maybe twice or three times a year)

I would have a period. 

Sometimes it was hardly anything and other times a flood!

I then switched from Tamoxifen to another drug called Megase

for five years

for a new 'flare up' of cancer and had no more periods after that.

button2

zahalene said:

On and off

I was on Tamoxifen for seven years from age 40 to 48 (or so).

I was premenopausal when I began Tamoxifen.

About six months or so later my periods stopped.

But every few months (maybe twice or three times a year)

I would have a period. 

Sometimes it was hardly anything and other times a flood!

I then switched from Tamoxifen to another drug called Megase

for five years

for a new 'flare up' of cancer and had no more periods after that.

Thanks Zahalene

Thank you for your answer. It seems I had a regular period after all and who knows if it will happen again? It kinda blows my mind that it took 2 years for the chemo meds to leave my body enough for a period to be possible. Your experience makes me feel more "normal". It's so reassuring to hear from women who have been on this site for a long time, so I really appreciate the advice...

Best, Anna

GlowMore

button2 said:

Thanks Zahalene

Thank you for your answer. It seems I had a regular period after all and who knows if it will happen again? It kinda blows my mind that it took 2 years for the chemo meds to leave my body enough for a period to be possible. Your experience makes me feel more "normal". It's so reassuring to hear from women who have been on this site for a long time, so I really appreciate the advice...

Best, Anna

hey button

I know you asked about tamoxifen and our periods.......and since I'm Triple Negative the Tamoxifen was not available to me.....and as for the Periods?   I'm 78 ....and can dimly remember how it was to have them.   I'm just here to say I hope it will be better for you and to tell everyone reading this to go and read Zahalene's Page..........  Zahalene You Rock***  She lays it out and says it like it is.        Much love to all....  Glo

zahalene

GlowMore said:

hey button

I know you asked about tamoxifen and our periods.......and since I'm Triple Negative the Tamoxifen was not available to me.....and as for the Periods?   I'm 78 ....and can dimly remember how it was to have them.   I'm just here to say I hope it will be better for you and to tell everyone reading this to go and read Zahalene's Page..........  Zahalene You Rock***  She lays it out and says it like it is.        Much love to all....  Glo

Thanks, Glo

For your kind words.

I am 66 and recently dx with bone mets.

So you'll likely be seeing me 'in your sleep'

I will be here bugging all my old and new

friends so much from now on.

It's so great to have this community.

It saved my sanity before and I know it

will again.

disneyfan2008

i was on tamoxifen about 2

i was on tamoxifen about 2 1/2 yrs post meno and started bleeding-i had been check every 4 mths for enlarge uterus followed by a D & C each time-I did have a very enlarge uterus and had a total hystectomy and con't my tamoxifen for 2 more years.

 

This was 3 yrs ago

 

Denise

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Thanks Denise

Yes, it's so important to get those uterine measurements. We don't want to end up with another cancer after all. So far, I've been ok with that but I get checked again in December. I just hope I can continue the Tamoxifen. Thanks for your input.

All my best to you, Anna

GlowMore

zahalene said:

Thanks, Glo

For your kind words.

I am 66 and recently dx with bone mets.

So you'll likely be seeing me 'in your sleep'

I will be here bugging all my old and new

friends so much from now on.

It's so great to have this community.

It saved my sanity before and I know it

will again.

First Signs?

zahalene can you tell us that haven't had them show up yet what the first signs are for the bone mets?

I ache all over all the time and have noticed that a few bruises just are NOT going away...have one on front of my left leg that has been there for over a year now.   I googled it and it says maybe something 'serious'...HAH...   doc doesn't seem concerned but haven't had a bone scan now in over two years and was just wondering if you had anything stand out..   HATE it that you got the mets........

zahalene

GlowMore said:

First Signs?

zahalene can you tell us that haven't had them show up yet what the first signs are for the bone mets?

I ache all over all the time and have noticed that a few bruises just are NOT going away...have one on front of my left leg that has been there for over a year now.   I googled it and it says maybe something 'serious'...HAH...   doc doesn't seem concerned but haven't had a bone scan now in over two years and was just wondering if you had anything stand out..   HATE it that you got the mets........

As usual I am not typical, Glo.

I have had arthritis for years.

It has gotten progressively worse, of course.

That is what arthritis does.

But finally the med I was taking for it (meloxicam)

stopped helping (over time) and I complained to

my Dr. about bad pain in different spots on my body.

Like in my left hip and upper shoulders.

So he ran blood tests and said my inflamation markers

were way too high.

So he ordered a series of tests;  bone scan, bone density

test, and bone biopsy, and ct scan to check organs.

Everything was fine except bones.

Results were bone mets from breast cancer.

Hot spots showed up in lower spine, left hip, right shoulder,

and right ankle. 

I ached a lot too.  Just keep pushing until you find out for

sure what's going on.

Zah