Tamoxifen and "Flo"....She's Baaaaaaaaack!

sal314
sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
OK...just want to let all you premenapausal(sp?) women know...if you had periods before you started tamoxifen and aren't near meapausal age, they do come back!!! For the past 5 years I can count on my fingers (and maybe a couple of toes) the number of periods I've had.

Well, I've been done with Tamoxifen for almost a month and guess who showed up for a visit yesterday!! It's been just shy of a year (by one week actually) since I had a visit from "Flo"! Well, she's back and our relationship is stronger than ever! Heheheh.

So...for all you women that are thinking Tamoxifen causes "actual" menapause, it doesn't. It just gives you the illusion and all the crappy side effects of menapause!! Once you stop it, (the Tamoxifen) they do come back! :(

Ugh....I can say that I haven't missed the stomach cramps and backaches!! Blahhh!:)


Sally

Comments

  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #2
    Sally .. I guess Congradulations are in order here ...
    a magic show .. illusions and all - now Aunt Flo is back now that the tamoxifen has packed up and left. Good news indeed, that it took your body 1 month to clear itself of tamoxifen and your hormone levels re-geerated to normal range, not 5 years.

    I'm curious, did you feel PMS-ish?

    Heating pad, advil and rest my friend .. oh yes, ice cream!


    Vicki Sam
  • jo jo
    jo jo Member Posts: 1,175 Member
    #3
    SO WE WILL RETURN TO NORMAL
    SO WE WILL RETURN TO NORMAL ...thats great news and sucky news at the same time? Its like after you loose your hair and dont have to shave anymore but once it grows back which your thankful it is just dont want it to grow back in certain areas cuz its back to the grind of shaving again!
    Thanks for the info Sally...now we know what to expect!
  • cahjah75
    cahjah75 Member Posts: 2,631
    #4
    Sally
    all I can say is once Flo stops for good and you're menopausal you'll be going through all the hot flash stages once again. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. On the other hand it is good to know that life goes back to "new" normal once you stop taking Tamoxifen. Happy TOM.
    {[hugs}} Char
  • carriesoup
    carriesoup Member Posts: 144
    #5
    question
    i was wondering about this. i thought that chemo would have disrupted my cycle. it arrived right on time though! lol. great!

    also wondering, is it true that you can't get pregnant while taking tamoxifen?

    thanks!
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #6
    carriesoup said:

    question
    i was wondering about this. i thought that chemo would have disrupted my cycle. it arrived right on time though! lol. great!

    also wondering, is it true that you can't get pregnant while taking tamoxifen?

    thanks!

    My friend was on tamoxifen
    My friend was on tamoxifen and she had very light short periods. then they returned heavier when she was done. I had a period my first chemo, then none since. due to my advanced age(50) I dont think I will get it again. although I was very regular before. I have been warned it could happen. I could get a visit. You should not get pregnant on tamoxifen or even handle the medication. My friend who was dx 20 years ago, got married and had two children, after chemo. and is doing well.
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #7
    carriesoup said:

    question
    i was wondering about this. i thought that chemo would have disrupted my cycle. it arrived right on time though! lol. great!

    also wondering, is it true that you can't get pregnant while taking tamoxifen?

    thanks!

    I win! I win!
    I've been on Tamoxifen for almost a year now...I get all the crappy menopausal side effects AND I still get to see Aunt Flo every ding dong month. Yippee for me -- what do I win, VickiSam? :-)

    As for chemo...Carrie, my oncologist explained it to me that, the farther away you are from natural menopause when you do chemo, the less likely that it will push you into menopause. I'm 41, and did 4 rounds of TC last year -- I only got my period about every 2 months while I was doing chemo, but within 3 months of finishing, Aunt Flo was comin' a'knockin' every month again.

    Never discussed pregnancy with my oncologist...not really a concern for my girlfriend and me. ;-)

    Traci
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #8
    carriesoup said:

    question
    i was wondering about this. i thought that chemo would have disrupted my cycle. it arrived right on time though! lol. great!

    also wondering, is it true that you can't get pregnant while taking tamoxifen?

    thanks!

    Carriesoup...
    It depends how "young" you are. When I went through chemo I was 35. It delayed it, but I still got them. They may be further apart when you get further along in your chemo treatment. I had 4 AC rounds and was "normal" during the first 2. Then after the 3rd and 4th, they were several weeks late.

    As for not being able to get pregnant on Tamoxifen...wherever you heard that, it's NOT true! You CAN get pregnant! I did! Sadly, the pregancy was a tubal pregnancy and I had to have surgery. So...you still need to take precautions while on Tamoxifen!!! With God's blessing,
    I was able to get pregnant again, at the age of 39, after having chemo at 35.

    Sally
  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #9
    sal314 said:

    Carriesoup...
    It depends how "young" you are. When I went through chemo I was 35. It delayed it, but I still got them. They may be further apart when you get further along in your chemo treatment. I had 4 AC rounds and was "normal" during the first 2. Then after the 3rd and 4th, they were several weeks late.

    As for not being able to get pregnant on Tamoxifen...wherever you heard that, it's NOT true! You CAN get pregnant! I did! Sadly, the pregancy was a tubal pregnancy and I had to have surgery. So...you still need to take precautions while on Tamoxifen!!! With God's blessing,
    I was able to get pregnant again, at the age of 39, after having chemo at 35.

    Sally

    Sally,
    I was talking with my girlfriend this morning about Tamoxifen and "Aunt Flo," and telling her how bad I feel for you, to have not only your periods return, but all the "fun" cramps and backaches that come with it.

    She said, "So...not only has Aunt Flo returned, she brought all her luggage with her!"

    :-) Traci

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