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02-25-2008, 05:03 AM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Calling all HOTTIES....................
Good Morning..............
This morning I'm calling all hotties. Hotties meaning HOT FLASHING WOMEN. (the only kind of hottie I could be - hehe)
I started chemo when I was 45 years old. As usual, I went through MAJOR hot flashes during that time. Once chemo was over the hot flashes soon stopped. NOW, at age 48 the hot flashes are back and they are back pretty significantly. Not like during chemo - those were wicked hot flashes - but I'm thinking normal, menopausal hot flashes.
Just curious as to who of you started menopause just a couple years post chemo?
Your resident hottie...................
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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02-25-2008, 05:19 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: moved to Lancaster, Pa in June, 2010
Posts: 576
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I had already gone through menopause before chemo. Then during chemo they came back but were managable. Now they are back with a vengence. I'm talking sweat rolling off the face kinda of hot flashes. I get several a day and they keep me up a night. Onc told me to take vit. E, doesn't seem to help much. First I thought they were from the arimides, aromasin or the tamoxifen. But I have stopped all of these due to side effects. I am l year out from my chemo and ended herceptin in Jan. I welcome any suggestions on how to deal with these as I have none. Marjo, what are you doing for them?
__________________
Debbie in North Carolina
Diag 10/2006-high grade invasive ductal carcinoma- mastectomy L breast
2.5 cm tumor ER/PR pos-Her2+++
4 rounds A/C, 4 rounds Taxol
Herceptin every 3 weeks until Jan. 2008
6/18/07 prophylatic mastectomy R breast
8/2007 started aromasin/stopped arimidex (side effects)
12/07 stopped aromasin due to side effects (now what?)
Finished herceptin 1/8/08
started tamoxifen for 2 years then will switch to femera
allergic to tamoxifen started femera 4/2008
June 20, 2008 portacath removed
Learnig to live life to the fullest!
Stopped Femera due to side effects
July 28, 2008 start trial for breast cancer vaccine
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02-25-2008, 05:29 AM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: DFW area (TX)
Posts: 431
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maybe
I've heard two things:
Effexor, an antidepressant, has helped some bc women with hot flashes.
Natural progesterone has helped a lot of women with hot flashes. (reference "bio-indentical hormone" thread) If you believe Dr. Lee's work, natural progesterone poses no threat to bc patients. I like his books very much for the mostpart, and np has been a godsend for me and menopausal symptoms, but it would be irresonsible for me to make any claims re: bc patients.
I believe Andi is now on np and has seen great relief.
If you pursue it I'd go to a dr.who is familiar with this and will do a prescription for compounded np from a pharmacy. Fresher, more exact dosing, and maybe safer.
TRS
TRS
__________________
Terri, spouse of Ruth, Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Ruth dx 05/01/07 (age 50) Filipino
multifocal, several tumors .5 -2.5 cm, large area
Breast MRI showed 2 enlarged nodes, not palpable
100%ER+, 95%PR+, HER2+++
6x pre-surgery TCH chemo finished 9/15/7 Dramatic tumor shrinkage
1 year Herceptin till 6/08
MRM 10/11/07, SNB: 0/4 nodes + Path: tumors reduced to only a few "scattered cells"
now 50% ER+, PR- ???
Rads finished 1/16/08
Added Tamoxifen,
Finished Herceptin 05/08
NOW is the time to appreciate life to the fullest.
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02-25-2008, 05:34 AM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Hi Debbie,
I don't do anything for the hot flashes and won't. They will subside eventually and I can live with them.
My main reason for the post was to see how old you others were when real menopause started after your chemo. As I stated earlier, I did go through chempause at age 45/46 but when chemo ended things went back to "normal." Now at age 48 I think the real menopause has started. Although young, I'm told that because I went through chemo it could be earlier.
How about the rest of you?
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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02-25-2008, 05:58 AM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 305
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I went through menopause real young - it started in my 30's, I was all done with hot flashes. But those terrible A/C treatment brought them back with a vengeance, especially night sweats. Now with tamoxifen I am also getting hot flashes, the worst being at night. I was waking up about 6 times a night either with a hot flash or because I was cold and needed to put my blankets back on. I started to take melatonin 1/2 hour before going to bed and it helps a lot. Since it appears that melatonin also helps fight breast cancer I think it is a great supplement to take.
http://www.webmd.com/breast-cancer/n...-breast-cancer |
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02-25-2008, 06:13 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: DFW area (TX)
Posts: 431
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great reminder about the melatonin!
THX
TRS
__________________
Terri, spouse of Ruth, Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Ruth dx 05/01/07 (age 50) Filipino
multifocal, several tumors .5 -2.5 cm, large area
Breast MRI showed 2 enlarged nodes, not palpable
100%ER+, 95%PR+, HER2+++
6x pre-surgery TCH chemo finished 9/15/7 Dramatic tumor shrinkage
1 year Herceptin till 6/08
MRM 10/11/07, SNB: 0/4 nodes + Path: tumors reduced to only a few "scattered cells"
now 50% ER+, PR- ???
Rads finished 1/16/08
Added Tamoxifen,
Finished Herceptin 05/08
NOW is the time to appreciate life to the fullest.
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02-25-2008, 09:14 AM
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#7
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: New Jersey
Posts: 46
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I don't think I ever went into full menopause during my treatment. My periods stopped for about six months, but no hot flashes. When I was on herceptin, my periods came back. I'll be 50 this coming summer. I am not looking forward to those days. I also understand neurontin can help with hot flashes.
Best,
Monica
__________________
Monica
Dx Nov 2003 HER2+++, ER+, PR+
1.7 cm. left breast, Grade 3, Two nodes out of six, stage IIA
Mastectomy right side
Lumpectomy left side
4 A/C, 4 Taxol plus 49 weeks herceptin
Radiation on left side
No tamoxifen or other hormonal drugs
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02-25-2008, 09:27 AM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 492
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I went into chemopause during taxol herceptin. Night sweats big time. Used a fan at night (poor DH). I had my ooph after chemo, at 39, on Arimidex. Expected the worst, was pleasantly surprised that I don't have any hot flashes, maybe an occasional warm flash. The fan is still there, but it has been unplugged for a year- LOL. I do take melatonin also.
__________________
Are we there yet?
Dx 10/05 IDC, multi-focal, triple +, 5 nodes+
MRM, 4 DD A/C, 12 weekly taxol + herceptin
rads concurrent with taxol/herceptin
finished herceptin 01/08
ooph, Arimidex, bilateral DIEP reconstruction
NED
Univ. of WA, Seattle vaccine trial '07
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02-25-2008, 09:53 AM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,519
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I went through chemopause at 44 and it was permanent... probably because 14 months after finishing that I had to do more chemo and then 6 months after finishing that I had to do more, and now I take Xeloda. I have had very little time in the last 4 years without chemo - so I assume that has contributed to making it permanent.
The only thing that ever helped mitigate my hot flashes (which were never debilitating, just annoying for a couple of years) was when I started using Estrace cream to help prevent/treat vg. atrophy... the hotflash relief was noticed almost immediately, and was just icing on the cake.
__________________
Brenda
NOV 2012 - 9 yr anniversary
JULY 2012 - 7 yr anniversary stage IV (of 50...)
Nov'03~ dX stage 2B
Dec'03~ Rt side mastectomy, Her2+, ER/PR+, 10 nodes out, one node positive
Jan'04~ Taxotere/Adria/Cytoxan x 6, NED, no Rads, Tamox. 1 year, Arimadex 3 mo., NED 14 mo.
Sept'05~ micro mets lungs/chest nodes/underarm node, Switched to Aromasin, T/C/H x 7, NED 6 months - Herceptin only
Aug'06~ micro mets chest nodes, & bone spot @ C3 neck, Added Taxol to Herceptin
Feb'07~ Genetic testing, BRCA 1&2 neg
Apr'07~ MRI - two 9mm brain mets & 5 punctates, new left chest met, & small increase of bone spot C3 neck, Stopped Aromasin
May'07~ Started Tykerb/Xeloda, no WBR for now
June'07~ MRI - stable brain mets, no new mets, 9mm spots less enhanced, CA15.3 down 45.5 to 9.3 in 10 wks, Ty/Xel working magic!
Aug'07~ MRI - brain mets shrunk half, NO NEW BRAIN METS!!, TMs stable @ 9.2
Oct'07~ PET/CT & MRI show NED
Apr'08~ scans still show NED in the head, small bone spot on right iliac crest (rear pelvic bone)
Sept'08~ MRI shows activity in brain mets, completed 5 fractions/5 consecutive days of IMRT to zap the pesky buggers
Oct'08~ dropped Xeloda, switched to tri-weekly Herceptin in combo with Tykerb, extend to tri-monthly Zometa infusion
Dec'08~ Brain MRI- 4 spots reduced to punctate size, large spot shrunk by 3mm, CT of torso clear/pelvis spot stable
June'09~ new 3-4mm left cerrebellar spot zapped with IMRT targeted rads
Sept'09~ new 6mm & 1 cm spots in pituitary/optic chiasm area. Rx= 25 days of 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the tumors.
Oct'09~ 25 days of low dose 3D conformal fractionated targeted IMRT to the bone mets spot on rt. iliac crest that have been watching for 2 years. Added daily Aromasin back into treatment regimen.
Apr'10~ Brain MRI clear! But, see new small spot on adrenal gland. Change from Aromasin back to Tamoxifen.
June'10~ Tumor markers (CA15.3) dropped from 37 to 23 after one month on Tamoxifen. Continue to monitor adrenal gland spot. Remain on Tykerb/Herceptin/Tamoxifen.
Nov'10~ Radiate positive mediastinal node that was pressing on recurrent laryngeal nerve, causing paralyzed larynx and a funny voice.
Jan'11~ MRI shows possible activity or perhaps just scar tissue/necrotic increase on 3 previously treated brain spots and a pituitary spot. 5 days of IMRT on 4 spots.
Feb'11~ Enrolled in T-DM1 EAP in Denver, first treatment March 25, 2011.
Mar'11~ Finally started T-DM1 EAP in Denver at Rocky Mountain Cancer Center/Rose on Mar. 25... hallelujah.
"I would rather be anecdotally alive than statistically dead."
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02-25-2008, 09:59 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Michigan
Posts: 230
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Hi Mary Jo. I went into chemopause when I started treatment to this day my cycle returned 1 month w/ a vengence and haven't had one since. It took some time but the hotflashes & nightsweats have mostly subsided. Occasionally, if I am anxious I will have a hotflash but it does not happen on a regular basis anymore. That being said I am not sure if my cycle will return or if I am finished with menopause. I was 39 when diagnosed and still had a very regular cycle I am hoping it have finished menopausing.
Mar
__________________
Mary
Diagnosed 11/04 @39yrs. young
Stage IIB
2.5 cm, ER/PR- Her+++, grade 3
Partial Mast., 1/3 pos. node
1/05 full node dissection
4 A/C 4 Taxol DD, Herceptin 1 yr.
30X rads.
BRCA Negative
NED
Hope is the thing with feathers
That perches in the soul,
And sings the tune without the words,
And never stops at all -Emily Dickinson
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02-25-2008, 04:01 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: moved to Lancaster, Pa in June, 2010
Posts: 576
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To answer you question I went through menopause at age 49 , I reappeared after taking chemo at age 53.
__________________
Debbie in North Carolina
Diag 10/2006-high grade invasive ductal carcinoma- mastectomy L breast
2.5 cm tumor ER/PR pos-Her2+++
4 rounds A/C, 4 rounds Taxol
Herceptin every 3 weeks until Jan. 2008
6/18/07 prophylatic mastectomy R breast
8/2007 started aromasin/stopped arimidex (side effects)
12/07 stopped aromasin due to side effects (now what?)
Finished herceptin 1/8/08
started tamoxifen for 2 years then will switch to femera
allergic to tamoxifen started femera 4/2008
June 20, 2008 portacath removed
Learnig to live life to the fullest!
Stopped Femera due to side effects
July 28, 2008 start trial for breast cancer vaccine
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02-25-2008, 04:49 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: DFW area (TX)
Posts: 431
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So, does anyone understand the "whys" of hot flashes? I know that normally they are not necessarily an indication of lower estrogen but that of estrogen flutctuation up or down. Is this the same mechanisim with chemopause? I read someone (Andi, maybe?) saying that it i s perhaps a different issue after chemo as I recall...
__________________
Terri, spouse of Ruth, Dallas/Ft. Worth area
Ruth dx 05/01/07 (age 50) Filipino
multifocal, several tumors .5 -2.5 cm, large area
Breast MRI showed 2 enlarged nodes, not palpable
100%ER+, 95%PR+, HER2+++
6x pre-surgery TCH chemo finished 9/15/7 Dramatic tumor shrinkage
1 year Herceptin till 6/08
MRM 10/11/07, SNB: 0/4 nodes + Path: tumors reduced to only a few "scattered cells"
now 50% ER+, PR- ???
Rads finished 1/16/08
Added Tamoxifen,
Finished Herceptin 05/08
NOW is the time to appreciate life to the fullest.
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02-25-2008, 04:50 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: TAMPA, FL
Posts: 568
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Hi Marejo
I was diag. at 50 and at 51 I went into menopause. I am sure I would have still had a few years left to go if not for the chemo. That finished off all of my eggs I am sure. My mother went into meno. at around 52 so I figured I would follow her footsteps so I think the chemo progressed me a few years.
But most definately, the chemo will do it. I had a few years of hot flashing, not real bad and they stopped after a few years. I don't ever really remember my mom complaining much, so maybe like mother like daughter in my case. Thanks goodness for that for that.....
take care
__________________
Irene from Tampa
1996 - INFILT DUCTAL CAR.W/ LYMPH NODE INVOLVEMENT. ADRIA/CYTOXIN/5FU
1999 - RECURR. TO AUXILA AND 2 TUMORS IN LIVER
TREAT: STEM CELL REPLACEMENT/HERCEPTIN.
2002 - RECUR TO LIVER
TREAT: NAVELBINE, THEN GEMZAR, THEN XELODA.
2004 - TUMORS STILL IN LIVER
TREAT: RFA TO LIVER
STABLE UNTIL
2004 - TUMOR PROGRESSION IN LIVER.
TREAT: RESECT HALF OF LIVER.
2005 - RECURR TO LYMPH NODE OUTSIDE OF LIVER.
TREAT: TAXOL/CARPO/HERCEPTIN. FAILED ON
THIS TRIO. STARTED ON ABRAXANE.
2006 - PROGRESS WITH 2ND TUMOR GROWTH.
TREAT: AUG. BEGAN ON TYKERB/XELODA
TRIAL. CONSIDERED STABLE TO DATE.
2007 - TAKEN OFF OF TYKERB/XELODA TRIAL DUE TO
PROGRESS STARTING TYKERB/AVASTIN.
NOV 2007 - SCANS SHOW PROGRESS TUMOR GROWTH
IN ABDOM. AND TWO NEW TUMORS IN NECK AREA.
BEGAN HERCEPTIN/AVASTIN/TAXOTERE
Feb 08 - Ixempra/Xeloda
June 08 - Her/DM1 trial
"I WANT TO BE AN OUTRAGEOUS OLD WOMAN WHO NEVER GETS CALLED AN OLD LADY. I WANT TO GET SHARP EDGED & EARTH COLORED, TILL I FADE AWAY FROM PURE JOY."
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02-25-2008, 06:49 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Sheboygan, WI
Posts: 2,582
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Hi Everyone,
Thank you for responding to my post. It sounds as if chemo can bring menopause earlier. I'm sure that's where I"m at. Chemo ended Nov. 30, 2005 and those NASTY NASTY chemo hot flashes ended almost immediately. I'd say within a couple months. Nothing after that. Now at age 48 the hot flashes are back and fairly regularly - a few a day. However, they are ABSOLUTELY NOTHING like the chemo hot flashes. I mean, yes, I get hot and a bit uncomfortable but I can handle it.
So, life goes on..........I'm surely not complaining............I can definitely live with them and will
Mary Jo
__________________
"Be still and know that I am God." Psalm 46:10
Dx. 6/24/05 age 45 Right Breast IDC ER/PR. Neg., - Her2+++ RB Mast. - 7/28/05 - 4 cm. tumor Margins clear - 1 microscopic cell 1 sent. node No Vasucular Invasion 4 DD A/C - 4 DD Taxol & Herceptin 1 full year of Herceptin received every 3 weeks 28 rads prophylactic Mast. 3/2/06
17 Years NED
<>< Romans 8:28
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