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Becky · 10-30-2009, 10:30 AM

Hi Wolverine

I had to respond via your last post as I was just like you and you look premenopausal age in your picture.

I was 45 when I ended everything and lost my period during chemo. My onc did bloodwork (LH and FSH but not estradiol) and I was postmenopausal. I started Arimidex and got my period back within weeks (as Femara and Arimidex are used to "cure" infertility in some countries). Also, since I did not get my estradiol checked, I might have been on the edge of reverting back anyway. My second opinion onc at Sloan Kettering said "don't do this without checking the hormone levels every month". She said she had seen plenty of women come out of it - even though I was clearly on the older side as the general rule is if you are 40 or over, consider that chemo will put you in menopause for good. That didn't happen to me. If you don't get your blood work done often enough, you may be unprotected for several months. This is why I had my ovaries removed.

If you are still on Herceptin, Tamoxifen does protect you well. It is Tamoxifen alone that might be questionable.

As you know, you should discuss this with your doctor but you might be too young to take an AI without ovarian suppression.

10-30-2009, 10:30 AM	#5
Becky Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Stockton, NJ Posts: 4,179	Re: Femara Questions Hi Wolverine I had to respond via your last post as I was just like you and you look premenopausal age in your picture. I was 45 when I ended everything and lost my period during chemo. My onc did bloodwork (LH and FSH but not estradiol) and I was postmenopausal. I started Arimidex and got my period back within weeks (as Femara and Arimidex are used to "cure" infertility in some countries). Also, since I did not get my estradiol checked, I might have been on the edge of reverting back anyway. My second opinion onc at Sloan Kettering said "don't do this without checking the hormone levels every month". She said she had seen plenty of women come out of it - even though I was clearly on the older side as the general rule is if you are 40 or over, consider that chemo will put you in menopause for good. That didn't happen to me. If you don't get your blood work done often enough, you may be unprotected for several months. This is why I had my ovaries removed. If you are still on Herceptin, Tamoxifen does protect you well. It is Tamoxifen alone that might be questionable. As you know, you should discuss this with your doctor but you might be too young to take an AI without ovarian suppression. __________________ Kind regards Becky Found lump via BSE Diagnosed 8/04 at age 45 1.9cm tumor, ER+PR-, Her2 3+(rt side) 2 micromets to sentinel node Stage 2A left 3mm DCIS - low grade ER+PR+Her2 neg lumpectomies 9/7/04 4DD AC followed by 4 DD taxol Used Leukine instead of Neulasta 35 rads on right side only 4/05 started Tamoxifen Started Herceptin 4 months after last Taxol due to trial results and 2005 ASCO meeting & recommendations Oophorectomy 8/05 Started Arimidex 9/05 Finished Herceptin (16 months) 9/06 Arimidex Only Prolia every 6 months for osteopenia NED 18 years! Said Christopher Robin to Pooh: "You must remember this: You're braver than you believe and stronger than you seem and smarter than you think"