TAnn Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Ok Ladies, I went into premature menopause when I started chemo over 1 year ago. I haven't had my cycle for 1 year and 2 months! Today I woke up with my period. Has anyone ever gone that long and then started having cycles again? I called my gyno and she is ordering an ultrasound tomorrow morning. We are supposed to leave on Saturday for a much needed beach vacation. I really didn't think I'd be dealing with this now, and especially before the first vacation I've had in years! Your experience and input would be very much appreciated! TAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Ummm....God has a sense of humor? I know, not funny! I'm not sure what your chemo was nor the "reproductive side effects" of it. My little visitor no longer makes visits when expected but eventually shows up (and usually at the least convenient moment). Could be the hormones crushed by your chemo are rallying for a comeback...could be stress. I know that my grandmother did "the change" the natural way...and when one of her daughters had a stillborn son as a firstborn, my grandmother had a period. My mother has been working through "the change" and had her first period in years when I was diagnosed. It's good that your doctor is checking it out, anything "odd" ain't right (how's that for stating the obvious??). Could just be the stress, TAnn...but you ain't got no stinkin' stress, do you? Fingers crossed on the stress idea....and that tests be d*mned, you have that much needed vacation! Becky Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAnn Posted July 29, 2004 Author Share Posted July 29, 2004 Becky, Thanks for your input. I think preparing for the vacation alone has stressed me out. And don't worry, I'm going no matter what, I just don't want to be in for that flood after such a long drought (if you know what I mean). The dr. said if all looks good on the ultrasound, she may be able to prescribe something for that.....I hope!..... TAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elaine Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 Hi I went through early change BEFORE DX, which now they say the cancer may have caused the early change or somehow they think the two are/were related. I feel really bad that you have another worry, but it probably is a period if it is period like bleeding. Maybe the effects of chemo temporarily stopped your periods but didn't put you into menopause. The other thing is this: When I was going through menopause (which of course they told me I wasn't going through because I was too young) I had very weird periods--sometimes going months without and then going months with. They did tests etc to rule out things since they were sure it wasn't menopause, so I do know that if you are going through "the change" , all kinds of things happen. Here's hoping it's one of the all kinds of things. love elaine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chloesmom Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 I think that can happen even after as long as you've gone without a period. You're probably still young enough for your periods to resume after a long enough break from chemo....hoping everything's normal, and I think it will prove to be just fine...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted July 29, 2004 Share Posted July 29, 2004 TAnn, I don't know about you, but having heard that one of the side effects of chemo was an early 'change', I was all for it! Been off in one way or another since soon after having my son and have no plans for more kids (hubby's older) so it sounded like ONE PERK in the whole big scheme of things...only I didn't get chemo...and due to "history", my GP won't recommend getting rid of the nastiness medically (harder to detect "girl" cancers when the parts aren't there)... So, in your shoes, right now, on this very day, I would probably just throw up my hands, yell, "Oh SH*T" and laugh 'til I cried... Ya just can't negate the positives of hard-to-handle treatment, darn-it-all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melinda Posted July 31, 2004 Share Posted July 31, 2004 TAnn, My mother's first breast cancer (and corresponding chemo and radiation) over a decade ago put her into early menopause. But she has not had her menses sneak up on her for a return visit, to my knowledge. I'll have to ask her. Stress can make your estrogen and progesterone levels do REALLY funny (as in strange, not ha-ha) things, though. I've experienced that first hand in ways that are too graphic and embarrassing to post--and I'm not even the one of the people in my life with cancer! Let's just say that when stress caused my hormones to short circuit, my OB-GYN didn't know why this was happening (as an ultrasound had ruled out the obvious—ovarian cyst or growth concern) but thought that if he put me on hormones there was a good chance it would "straighten things out". I sought a second opinion, as 1) I wanted to make darn sure I did not have something funny growing on my ovaries and 2) I like to understand the reasoning behind such decisions (and had been too scared and confused to think straight and ask the questions I needed to ask the first time around—and my regular doctor isn’t the talkative type). The second doctor I saw was the older brother of my high-school sweetheart (I called in a favor to get an appointment b/c his brother is one of the best OB-GYNs in NYC) and he was very thoughtful and thorough. He said that in a nutshell: science did not have an explanation for WHY my body was doing what it was doing. They could theorize, but they didn't really KNOW why. He explained why my doctor wanted to put me on hormones (it was the easiest “fix” to make me comfortable), but then after I cross examined him admitted that there was a distinct possibility that my body might re-adjust on its own. Once I started taking the hormones, however, there would be no way of knowing whether or not my body--or the hormones--had straighted things out. There was no “control group”, and therefore—doctors would most likely recommend that I stay on the hormones. I asked him if it would be safe to wait and see if my body would naturally "take care" of things (I was quite scared of going on the hormones b/c of my family history of breast cancer). He said he did not see why not, if I was game for dealing with pain, inconvenience, and overall discomfort for a few months. I chose that option--was a mess for a while--but now my body is functioning "normally" again. NO HORMONES. I know my situation is not analogous with yours. However, the point of this long-winded post was as follows: 1) Yes--stress does mess with your hormones. It is NOT your imagination. 2) Once you rule out the fact that your "changes" are being caused by a known disease--find a doctor that is competent and will take the time to TALK to you (no mean feat, as we all know). All the best, Melinda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Cheryl- Posted August 1, 2004 Share Posted August 1, 2004 TAnn, I had chemo, and it stopped for a couple of months. I have become like clockwork. Last week I had chemo and will probably do 2 rounds of 20 weeks each. The doctor didn't mention it, but I bet you the cycle takes a dive. I have all the symptoms, but chemo will probably put that to the end. We will see. Your body needs a good cleaning out anyway! Ha Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhutch1366 Posted August 2, 2004 Share Posted August 2, 2004 TAnn, Before diagnosis I had gotten very irregular, maybe once every 4-5 months... I asked the gyn after the surgery -- a year after -- if I was meno pausal, and he checked and found my estradiol level was 1400 -- way too high for menopause -- but there I was, maybe 2-3 per year... had my levels checked last year, they were 14. Definitely menopausal. Still get maybe 1 every 8 months or so. NO idea what was cancer, what was chemo, and what was natural. Thankfully my daughter is 15 and just on the edge so I have stuff around just in case. I've given up trying to figure it out. It just is what it is. Don't worry about it , just enjoy your vacation. XOXOXOXOX Prayers always, MaryAnn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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