Chemopause

[Vanessa]

I had chemo from June of last year until November of last year and my last cycle was in July. I have been in chemopause until last Monday. I am so disappointed that I have started my cycle again. Has this happened to anyone else?

[kim]

It happened to me too. I went 2 1/2 years without a period and then it came back last June. I couldn't believe it, it had been so long. Ended up having a hysterectomy 5 weeks ago so now I am in menopause for good.
Kim

[kimber]

Oh yes, it has happened. I went into chemopause after my first round of AC. That was June of 05. Well last month, it came back with a vengance! What a period. Wow. They did hormone tests 2 weeks ago, and yup, I'm out of chemopause. Thank God that they kept me on Tamoxifen instead of an AI. He wanted to keep me on it for another year to be on the safe side because he said on rare occasions, you come out. I was one of the lucky ones. HA. I am 44 years old so it is a surprise.

In a weird way, I kind of feel good about it. I actually have a working female part! I am missing a knee cap - too much skiing, missing a thyroid - cancer, missing both boobs, cancer. I kind of like having something that keeps working.

p.s. congrats on the new upcoming grandbabies!! - kim

[jessica]

Hi~
I've come out of chemopause each time after finishing chemo. After the 1st year of chemo, it was ~3 months after my last tx before my cycle returned.
But it totally took me by surprise...I remember standing in a friend's kitchen, eating ALL the leftover's from the Xmas party the night before, searching for more potato chips, complaining about the traffic & all the bad drivers & wondering out loud about why I was so "bloated & gassy"...? My friend said "Sounds like PMS to me!" and low & behold, she was right - that afternoon I got my period back!
I've always been very happy to see the my cycle return. I think of it as a healthy indication that everything "down there" survived the onslaught of toxic chemicals & is working again. This is particularly important to me b/c I hold out hope for having kids one day...
However, PMS is brutal! Prior to my BC dx, I'd been on the Pill & never suffered from severe PMS symptoms. Now each month I think, "UGH!This again?Every month?" However, my period seems to be on hiatus again...don't know why, but I haven't had a period since January...in the meantime, I have had 2 surgeries - mastectomy then reconstruction - but no other change in my Herceptin. I'm a little curious about it, but my onc isn't particularly worried.
It's pretty low on my list of priorities considering I have scans coming up in a couple of weeks.
Keep the Faith~

[Mgarr]

Good morning. I too was pushed into chemopause at age 40. My last Herceptin treatment was June 06' and I had a heavy period about 6 months later and was rather disappointed BUT I have not had one since so I still consider myself in menopause, hot flashes & all. Good luck hope its a one time thing.

Mary

[Rupali]

Are you all ER PR negative as when I came out of chemopause they pushed me back into it by giving me monthly zoladex with Tamoxifen and are now going to move me to AI after 2 years of tamoxifen

[kimber]

I am er+ (100%) and pr+ (75%). I see my oncologist on Monday to decide how to handle this. Maybe it was just a one shot thing. As of today, I have not had another period yet. This is day 29 in the cycle.

[Rupali]

Hi Kimber,

I am just 10% ER and PR positive and they pushed me back to chemopause by giving me zoladex every month.

Periods coming back is a good sign that shows that your ovaries are still fine.
Regards,
Rupali

[DEBBIE S]

Vanessa, Hello... Yes, I too just started back on chemo this month.... I stopped Navelbeine on 9/5/06 and stayed on hercp only ... after only a month an area of concern appreared but we just watched this until I had my third scan and decided it was now time to go back on chemo ... so I am doing weekly chemo but will probably be switching to every other week soon .... I am not that discouraged since I was able to enjoy seven months off chemo ... I am looking forward again to having clean scans so I will again stop chemo ... I guess for me this is how I live with stage 4 bc ... this gives me something to look forward too... I am sure there are many others that live a smilar life ...

Take Care & God Bless You,

Debbie

[DEBBIE S]

Vanessa, Hi... I must be in " Chemo Brain Fog " ... Forget my response .... as I went back and re-read what you posted and I see now what you are talking about ... Sorry, this does not apply to me ... Mine stopped once I started Chemo and has never started again ... I guess this is one physical / mental condition I do not miss and I am glad to get rid of it ....

Take Care & God Bless,

Debbie S.

[Susan McQ]

I had my first period last month after 1 year of not having any. I'm er/pr- so it didn't make any difference on my treatment.

Susan

[Becky]

7 months after my last chemo, my period came back at age 46! Oh well