Treatment question
Question:
Oh no this is to cause permanent menopause now – no two times business. www.cancerfacts.com William Dooley, MD Director, The Johns Hopkins Breast Center www.med.jhu.edu/breastcenter
– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I am 36 – recently had a masectomy to remove invasive ductal carcinoma. Because the tumor was very small and the lymph nodes were negative the oncologist is recommending Tamoxifen. She is also considering a monthly injection to induce menopause for the next two years. I am searching for the benefits/risks of this procedure. Going through menopause twice in my life does not sound like much fun! Rachel
Response:
My menstrual cycle also stopped after my first chemo (Dec. 98) but it came BACK! It didn’t come back until Dec. of 99!!! That was the only good part of chemo for me–I didn’t miss that one bit!! lol Rita
Response:
Hi Linda, I feel so bad for your daughter and mine. It is a constant worry. My mom and I were both in our fifties. I thought my girls will be safe until at least in their fifties. Wrong!!! Our lives will never be the same, but for our daughters we must be strong. I hope you stay well. Your daughter must be watched carefully. Jackie started to get her mammo at age thirty. She told me after I got the "beast" (I’m using your term) she worried constantly. She was always self examining herself. I was not aware of this. We take one day at a time, that’s all you can do. I found a organization on the web. It is Mothers Supporting Daughters with Breast Cancer MSDBC. http://www.mothersdaughters.org/ http://www.azstarnet.com/~pud/msdbc/ I am a volunteer mother. If someone needs to talk, we are here either by the web, phone, or mail. It has given me some peace. Happy Mother’s Day to you and all mother’s who post this site. Linda, thank you for your kind words. Love, Mary Jayne
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hi MARY ROSE: I read your post and see that you just finished your first chemo treatment. How did it go?? I finished the last of my four treatments feb 11,2000 and next thursday will finish the last of radiation. My estrogen and progesterone receptors were both positive and my HER2 was negative. So i will be taking tamoxifin when radiation ends. I had a lumpectomy in sept 99 clear margins, axilary node dissection 29 lymph nodes taken 2 were cancerous. thus..invasive ductal carcinoma stage 2 2.9 cm. My menstrual cycle STOPPED:-) after my 1st chemo treatment so i am already premenapausal i think?? I hope you are doing well Email me anytime i am always here:-) LOVE LINDA http://community.webtv.net/llb1952/LINDABLISSSWEBPAGE
Response:
Hi mary jane Linda bliss here and i have been posting here since oct 99. pleasetake some time and read this i know it may be a little long but i still like to talk about "it" I am 47 and found the lump in the shower in sept 99, had mammo, had fine needle biopsy. MALIGNANT AGGHHHH!!! lumpectomy oct 99 surrounding tissues clear, axillary node dissection oct 99, 29 lymph nodes taken 2 were cancerous so i had invasive ductal carcinoma stage 2 and tumor was 2.9 cm. I had 4 chemo treatments once the port was put in. I had 4 rounds of adriamycin and cytoxin and was not sick until the last treatment. My chemo ended feb 11 and i will finish the last of the radiation next thursday. My estrogen and progesterone receptors were both positive and HER2 was negative so i will be taking tamoxifin. Hubby and I have 2 children. our son is 7 and our daughter is 15 and I am very concerned for her. My mom had breast and colon cancer. 5 year survivor for BC and 30 year survivor for colon cancer. I know that there is a test that i can get for my daughter since her risk of developing BC is very high now. I only hope she doesnt get this horrible beast ever!! I wish you and your daughters the best:-) be well:-) LOVE LINDA http://community.webtv.net/llb1952/LINDABLISSSWEBPAGE
Response:
Hi Mary Rose, My daughter, Jackie is not on Tamoxifen. She has tested negative. I have an older daughter who was on tamoxifen for precaution, but her platelets and white count was low. Have you ever heard of this problem? I feel as if I know you all who post. I have been checking this site out for months, but never responded. I must try to find out all the information for the sake of my daughters. I have been cancer free for four years. My concern and guilt is for my beautiful daughters. Thanks for answering my post. I hope you are doing okay. When I had chemo, I had some nausea. They gave me ativan, and it worked. My daughter, Jackie had a rough time. Her white count was always low, but she never missed a treatment. She had trouble with Taxol, some nerve damage. She was a real brave lady, especially for her baby who was a year old. We are all in the Race for the Cure on Mothers Day. Jackie’s school is sponsoring her. We are all so proud of her. We live in the Pittsburgh,PA area. I guess I have gabbed enough, thanks for listening. You too have been a brave lady for sharing your experiences with all of us. Thank you, Mary Jayne
Response:
I wouldn’t say that tamoxifen would definitely put someone into menopause. It definitely can (and most likely will) cause some menopause like symptoms-which in my case have been the occassional mild hot flash and irregular, but still present, periods. It is my understanding that the further you are from the age of natural menopause (I’m 29), on either side, the less severe your side effects tend to be. Lynn
oops sorry didn;t finish. tamoxifen would definitely put her into menopause. i will start in october when i finish chemo and radiation. i will finish my first cycle tomorrow. haven’t been sick or tired. insomnia in fact. good luck and feel free to write anytime. everyone in this ng is very helpful and supportive. mary rose Sing like you know the words; dance like no one’s watching; and love like it’s never going to hurt.
Response:
hi mary jayne, has your daughters doc’s talked to her about tamoxifen? is her cancer estrogen/progesterone receptor positive or negative? if she is negative she cannot take tamoxifen mary rose Sing like you know the words; dance like no one’s watching; and love like it’s never going to hurt.
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Sorry, I forgot to sign my name. The best to you all. I love this site. Mary Jayne
Response:
I am wondering if you can tell me about the injection that your oncologist is giving you for menopause. I have not heard about this. My daughter is thirty two, one year cancer free. They worry about the hormones in connection with the cancer. Any information, I would appreciate. Thank you and the best to you. I am a four year survivor, my mother, a thirty five survivor and my daughter.
Response:
oops sorry didn;t finish. tamoxifen would definitely put her into menopause. i will start in october when i finish chemo and radiation. i will finish my first cycle tomorrow. haven’t been sick or tired. insomnia in fact. good luck and feel free to write anytime. everyone in this ng is very helpful and supportive. mary rose Sing like you know the words; dance like no one’s watching; and love like it’s never going to hurt.
Response:
I am 36 – recently had a masectomy to remove invasive ductal carcinoma. Because the tumor was very small and the lymph nodes were negative the oncologist is recommending Tamoxifen. She is also considering a monthly injection to induce menopause for the next two years. I am searching for the benefits/risks of this procedure. Going through menopause twice in my life does not sound like much fun! Rachel
Response:
my docs told me taking tamoxifen would lessen my chances of a recurrence. the side effects are treatable in my book. some people might disagree. i will take it and do everything i can to stay cancer free mary rose Sing like you know the words; dance like no one’s watching; and love like it’s never going to hurt.
