pregnancy after breast cancer

RobynWolf
RobynWolf Member Posts: 4
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi. I'm a hormone positive breast cancer survivor and it is has been 5 years since diagnosis. I was on tamoxifen and stopped a month ago. I have been getting much negativity from drs since I told them I want to have a baby. I'm 40 and was told before I could from original oncologist (now I'm on 3rd one and he said I'm a high risk yada yada). My ob/gyn went off on me too. Am I taking too much of a risk. Is there anyone out there who is hormone positive and got pregnant after were there any complications etc. I've been getting my cycle since going on chemo every month since too...pretty regular (which never happened before). I'm so confused but worry that it will come back or that my baby will be sick from the effects of the chemo on eggs etc. Help please!

Comments

  • NorcalJ
    NorcalJ Member Posts: 187
    #2
    Hi Robyn,

    I'm way past that age group, but I think you might consult some high risk Ob/gyn's thru a University. It may require some internet research, but keep looking. You Might even contact the Mayo clinic.
    Good luck, and don't just accept one answer. The doctors have very strong opinions and basically make us think it's "my way or the highway".
    Keep us posted on your research.
  • seof
    seof Member Posts: 819 Member
    #3
    You could try the M.D. Anderson website (it is the foremost cancer research hospital in Houston, TX). Drs. can be biased, but they can also be correct. Our first child was stillborn, but we have 2 healthy girls now. Believe me, there is a lot to be said for a healthy Mom and healthy kids, whether they come from your womb or someone else's. Once you have your own healty child in your arms, the love is the same.

    I am not trying to tell you which way you should go, or to tell you whether your Doctors are right or wrong, I don't know. My girls were both older (11,13) when I was diagnosed. You have to make the best decision you can for you and your family. Just be sure you are as informed as you can be, and do whatever will leave you with no regrets.

    Take care of yourself, seof
  • kbc4869
    kbc4869 Member Posts: 159
    #4
    Hi Robyn,

    I am a 4.5 year BC survivor/ER/PR Positive. I got pregnant about 1 year after finishing treatment (surgery, chemo, rads) at the age of 36. At the time I got pregnant, I was not taking Tamoxifin and had been off of it about 7 months. My doctors did not freak out or treat my pregnancy any differently because of my cancer. No one ever called me high risk except for the fact that I was over 35.

    My daughter is 2 years old and as healthy as can be (actually, taller and big for her age). I was told that chemo clears out after 6 weeks and Tamoxifin after 6 months.

    My pregnancy was a bit unpleasant just for the fact that I was not in very good shape at the time (hadn't lost the chemo weight or started back to exercising yet). Had a lot of Braxton Hixs cramps and was placed on modified bed rest during the last month. My daughter came three weeks early, but she was almost 7 pounds, so no one was worried.

    I hope this helps. Find a doctor that doesn't freak out. They're out there. While my pregnancy was not planned, I'm certainly happy that it happened. All doctors told me I'd never be able to have a child. I showed up in my onc's office year 2 after TX with my 2-month old baby and said, "Thought you said I couldn't have one of these things." He said, " I love it when I'm wrong."

    xoxo,
    Kim
  • chris1010
    chris1010 Member Posts: 29
    #5
    Hi Robyn
    I am a 8 year breast cancer survivor that got pregnant and now have a 2 year old daughter.
    Your story sounds a LOT like mine, so I can understand, BUT at the same time, everyones story, faith, beliefs and circumstances are different. I say that because I do not want to get on here and tell you, YES, go on, get pregnant, I did and you can too!!
    I say that because, I was risking my life to get pregnant and like your oncologist, mine was not happy at all about the idea of my getting off Tamoxifen to get pregnant. I can ONLY give you MY story and you can go from there.
    First, I am a believer that God healed me through modern medicine and I give credit to noone except Jesus. Second, my husband is a minister and we believe in the power of prayer, since we both are children of God, we prayed about all our decisions before we made them. My husband told me, dear, if YOU do not have the faith that God will take you through being pregnant without cancer being a problem in returning, then do not get pregnant. See, he was telling me that I was the one that had to believe and have the faith that if God allowed me to get pregnant, that I would be ok, because at first, I wasn't, I was very nervous, but a few months later, I put my life and everything in Gods hands and within a few months we got pregnant, BUT we lost that baby to a miscarriage. A few months later, we got pregnant again and I have a healthy 2 year old daughter. My complications during pregnancy were few, the main problem I had was lymphodema, where my left arm was very swollen and I had to do physical therapy, otherwise, it was a perfect pregnancy and the birth went without complications. AGAIN, this is MY testimony and MY story that I can share, I do believe that each persons walk in life is in their own minds or how they think, and since I do have such a high and great faith in God, I put that faith there, I give all my situations, concerns and desires to Jesus and He alone decides what to do. So, I would say to you, if you do not have the faith that Jesus Christ can keep you and He alone is the only one that has you where you are...as a survivor, then I would not take the chance-the doctors know exactly what they speak of and again, they were not happy about my decision, but I was newly married to the man that went through my cancer with me, so I left it in Gods hands to give us that baby that we wanted and He did and I was fine.
    Take your time, pray and listen to your doctors!!!!

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