Period returned - good or bad?

bejuce · 10-04-2009, 09:51 PM

Hi everyone,

My period just returned today after almost a 6-month hiatus. It stopped after my 2nd cycle of AC and has now returned during rads.

Not sure what to make of it. Is this any indication of good/bad news? I'm ER/PR- so I'm not sure if having my periods has any bearing on recurrence risks.

Does anyone have any insights about this?

Thanks!!!

Brenda_D · 10-05-2009, 05:49 AM

Mine is trying to come back after almost 3 years. I'm going to talk to my Onc about it Wednesday. I'm like you, ER-PR-, so I don't think it matters much about the original BC, but any recurrance can be different. I figure the one good thing I got out of chemo was menopause, and I'm not accepting starting up again at almost 54.

Lien · 10-05-2009, 07:19 AM

Oh wow, Brenda, you are scaring me! I had Zoladex shots for almost 5 years to shut down my ovaries. I forgot my June shot, and was a bit late in making an appointment for the september shot, so effectively I haven't had a shot since March. And when my periods didn't return, I hoped that would mean forever. I sure hope it does mean that! I was ER/PR positive, so am on an AI. Have to decide in december whether I should stay on it.

Love

Jacqueline

Brenda_D · 10-05-2009, 08:03 AM

Yeah, I am not happy about it at all.
Don't let it scare you though, ask your Onc about it.

Like I said, I do not plan to go back to having periods, even if it means a hysterectomy.

Ruth · 10-05-2009, 01:34 PM

Not bad for me. I also am ER/PR -; didn't have a period for over 2 years...pregnant, nursing, cancer, AC then Taxol and whammo periods back regular every 28 days. Was never regular before so big surprise there. My Onc. says I can have a baby anytime I want one. LOL..no way! Now, I have 5 already so that is a big NO NO in my book but he has never been concerned that my periods came back.
Hugs ~ Ruth

tricia keegan · 10-05-2009, 05:01 PM

I think as hormone neg it should'nt impact either way.
I was highly hormone pos so had an ooph and took arimidex to be sure i was finished!

Laurel · 10-05-2009, 06:02 PM

I agree with Tricia. I do not think for an er/pr - gal it matters. For those of us who are triple pos. it matters a good bit as they are trying to basically keep us with the estrogen levels of an 80 yr old, which stinks by the way. Look at it this way, no vaginal atrophy for you!

10-05-2009, 06:23 PM

hello, I have never registered, but have written a few times- Im Maureen. I had a double masectomy in dec after being diagnosed nov. with stage 1 grade 3 2.4cm DCIS and 1+cm invasive. node neg, er+95% pr- and her2++++ so... I started taxotere,carboplatnum and herceptin in jan. I only finished 5 of the 6 treatments- my cycle did not want to shut down ! I had 3 cycles before it stopped, the last one coming @ 21 days instead of 28. It returned very quickly aftre as well I've had 4 cycles and just had a complete hyterectomy(and some of my reconstruction too-finally got my implants out) had nips and areolas put on as well and got some tummy tuck too so some fat could be injected into my breasts(some lipo) and my belly skin where I was cut for the hysterectomy for the areolas! very glad I have so much finished- but I hurt a bit... this too shall pass. I am glad I had the hysterectomy,, I would'nt want to accidentally get pregnant(even though I was trying for baby#3 when i had my mammogram). after chemo amd now being 45 and so wiped out from the treatments etc. that would be too scary! but my uterus was large and floppy??? whatever that means, and I had a tumer in one of my ovaries(benign thank god- but could that have changed?) it was also putting out estrogen though- like I need more! so I am still getting herceptin thru jan- can't wait yo get my port out! and I guess I'm suppose to start arimadex this month(next week?) I pray theres no side effects for that drug! I was'nt keen on taking tamoxifen! I also agree that if you are er- pr- theres no problem for you hormonally with a cycle. So far its been 2weeks and I hav'nt noticed menopause yet. GOD BLESS YOU ALL!!!

Karen Wheel · 10-06-2009, 05:20 AM

I too - am still in the "lost" catagory on whether it is good or bad ....

I am positive on Est but very low on prog.... and so after lots of research - and not finding anything that can convince me to do the hormone therapy - I have decided not to. I am still on herceptin for another 6 months, but my docs are really worried about me getting pregnant as my period came back right after my chemo stopped. I just turned 45 and have no kids, but at this point after chemo they say I would have to wait two years - and frankly at 47 .... ahhhh - no thanks. So, I am actually considering asking the docs here (I live in Italy) if they will tie my tubes.... that way I will be safe and not have to worry about pg!?

Not sure if this helped ---- just hard to know what to do..... overall!

What do you guys think???

Karen

tricia keegan · 10-06-2009, 02:59 PM

Karen.

if you definatly don't want children I'd go ahead and either tie the tubes or have an ooph. It's the only way to be certain I think.

Brenda_D · 10-09-2009, 10:17 AM

Just wanted to update- I asked my Onc about seemingly spotting and cramping after 3 years of no periods and she said I need to see my GP (we have no gynies here) and they would probably want to do a biopsy.
I think I'll wait and see what happens next month. I'm not thrilled about another doctor visit.

fullofbeans · 10-12-2009, 03:42 AM

Since you are ER- then GOOD!

There are many side effects associated "menopausal state" such as lower bone density and also it has been linked to immune response too, loss of libido and general effects on mood. As a younger woman you should be pleased that they are back, I was.

Sherryg683 · 10-12-2009, 09:39 PM

Mine has been coming and going now for 4 years. I went through a 1-1/2 of what was chemopause hell, hotflashes constantly. Then all of a sudden..my period came back for awhile. Then about a year later...it's gone again...more hotflashes. I am 48, so maybe I am going through real menopause now. I see my gynocolgist regularly to have ultrasounds done of cysts that keep appearing on my ovaries and she's not really concerned. I am not ready to go through a whole hysterectomy process right now. I am er/pr neg...sherryg

Jackie07 · 10-12-2009, 11:33 PM

Mine stopped just three months into chemo. Never had come back. But the menopausal status and daily Tamoxifen were not enough to prevent the recurrence that were grown out of the residue tumor (probably a pretty big piece.)

"Nobody knows," as hubby frequently remarks when he doesn't have the answer.

bejuce · 10-21-2009, 10:38 AM

Thank you to all who responded. I met my oncologist yesterday and told her about my period having returned. She said it doesn't have any impact on the tumor itself and is actually a good thing that I'm not going into menopause earlier.

And even though I'm only slightly ER+ (5%), she is going to give me Tamoxifen for 5 years. Today is a big day for me as I have my last radiation treatment and Xeloda pills - I'll start my Tamoxifen tomorrow, don't want to give this cancer any breaks!