Just wondering if anyone has experienced similar problems after coming off tamoxifen. I was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 (aged 39) which was followed by a mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy & then 5 years of tamoxifen.
I stopped menstruating after my 1st chemo session and my consultant was unable to say at the time if at the end of the tamoxifen whether my cycle would resume or not. Obviously I dreaded the thought of having gone through a chemically induced (not to mention a horrendous one) menopause that I may then have to go through a 2nd albeit a natural one but if i did it the would be out of my control so there was no point in dwelling on that possibility.
However when the the end of the 5 years came around I had blood tests done to check my hormone levels which suggested I was menopausal. Now I knew that meant I might still get the odd period now and then until my body finally gave up on the idea of still being young (think it did that a long time ago judging on all the aches, pains and problems it developed over the past few years lol) but after a few months of nothing happening I finally started to relax and think woohoo I'm done with all that ...... oh silly me! I have since had a couple of bleeds, the first of which seemed to be perfectly normal but the second which was 5 months after the 1st lasted a couple of weeks (definitely not normal for the old me but then again what is normal these days post cancer) and then 2 weeks later I had another which lasted 2 weeks but for the past few days it stopped and started and now it's gone back into a full blown bleed.
As I previously said I knew my cycle might come back but this does not seem to be a "normal" cycle or going by woman I've spoken to who have gone through a natural menopause it doesn't seem to be following the usual expectations for that either.
If anyone has had similar experiences I would be most grateful if you would share and hopefully help put my mind at ease. I really don't want to have to go to the doctors surgery (I'm no longer under the care of my consultant or my oncologist) and get the usual look from the GP of having to deal with a paranoid ex cancer patient.
Thanks,
Su
