Menopause and After Breast Cancer Diagnosis Getting Period Again

Common long-term side effects of chemotherapy include early menopause and weight gain. Rare side effects include center problems and leukemia.

Learn most short-term effects of chemotherapy.

Early on menopause

Some chemotherapy drugs can harm the ovaries and finish regular menstrual cycles (amenorrhea).

• In women under xl, it'due south often temporary and periods start once again [31].
• In women over 40, it's more often permanent (early on menopause) [31].

Some women may accept periods again months or years afterward chemotherapy ends. However, even for women whose periods return, menopause may begin at an earlier historic period than for other women [31].

Early menopause and menopausal symptoms

Every bit with natural menopause, you may have symptoms such every bit hot flashes (including dark sweats) and vaginal dryness. Because the onset of menopause is sudden, these symptoms may be worse than with natural menopause.

Early menopause tin also affect bone health. Menopause tin cause a loss of bone density (osteopenia or osteoporosis).

You may also have musculus or joint aches.

Learn about ways to ease menopausal symptoms.

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Read our perspective on managing menopausal symptoms.*

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Early menopause and fertility

If y'all were hoping to take a child after breast cancer treatment, early menopause is upsetting.

However, there are things y'all can do that may allow yous to take children after treatment. Talk with a fertility specialist before starting treatment to talk over your options. Some options are described beneath.

Storing eggs

The near common mode to preserve fertility is to store eggs (fertilized or unfertilized) earlier chemotherapy begins.

In both procedures, some of your eggs are nerveless, frozen and stored. The eggs may be fertilized past sperm from a spouse, partner or donor. Or, you lot may store unfertilized eggs, which don't require a sperm donor.

Later treatment, the eggs tin can be thawed and implanted into the uterus.

Insurance coverage for fertility services varies from land to state. Check with your insurance company to find out what's covered.

Protecting the ovaries

There are no known treatments guaranteed to protect the ovaries from chemotherapy.

However, drugs that close downwards the ovaries during chemotherapy may assistance women return to regular menstrual periods after treatment ends. This may assist preserve fertility.

Acquire more near fertility options for women undergoing chemotherapy.

Weight proceeds

Weight gain is a common side effect of chemotherapy [33].

Changes in metabolism caused past chemotherapy and a less active lifestyle add to weight gain during treatment.

Some studies take constitute women with breast cancer who got chemotherapy were 40-65 percent more likely to proceeds weight compared to those who didn't get chemotherapy [34-35].

Women who gain weight commonly put on most 5-fifteen pounds [33]. The more weight a woman gains, the less likely she is to return to her pre-diagnosis weight [34].

Preventing weight gain

Getting regular physical action during treatment (if possible) may assistance prevent weight gain. Being active can too help reduce fatigue and improve quality of life [36].

Seeing a dietician may also help.

Tips to manage your weight

Eat regularly (iii minor meals per day). Include poly peptide, cobweb and healthy fat (found in foods such equally olive and canola oils, nuts, natural nut butters and avocados) in meals and snacks to give a feeling of fullness. Avoid meals and snacks that contain mainly refined carbohydrates (such equally most pastas, breads and rice every bit well as cookies, water ice cream and other desserts). Fill half of your plate with vegetables. Cull fresh fruits instead of fruit juices. Avoid eating while doing other activities (such as watching Tv or reading). Consume slowly. Drinkable plenty of water.

Healthy weight and survival

Maintaining a healthy weight later on a chest cancer diagnosis is important for overall health. Some studies suggest maintaining a good for you weight may also amend survival [37-forty].

Notwithstanding, at that place are no known specific foods to swallow (or avoid) to ameliorate chest cancer survival.

Aim for a well-balanced, healthy diet. Eating unhealthy foods every now then is OK and doesn't take any harmful effects on chest cancer treatment.

Learn more well-nigh body weight and survival after breast cancer.

Larn more about a healthy nutrition and survival subsequently breast cancer.

Learn more almost practise and survival after breast cancer.

Fatigue

Fatigue is mainly a curt-term problem, but for some, it can persist [10-11].

You may feel like y'all don't have any energy and may feel tired all of the time. Resting may not assistance.

Regular exercise, even merely walking for xx minutes every solar day, may help reduce fatigue [x,12-14]. Getting a good nighttime'southward sleep is likewise of import.

Talk with your health care provider if you are fatigued or accept issues sleeping (insomnia).

Learn more than about fatigue and insomnia.

Cognitive role (cancer encephalon, chemo-brain)

Some people have cerebral problems after chemotherapy, including mental "fogginess" and problem with concentration, memory and multi-tasking [41-46]. This condition is oftentimes called "chemo-brain."

Almost people accept mild symptoms, but some have more troubling cerebral bug that tin impact daily life.

Symptoms may final for i-2 years after treatment or longer. Most people report they get away over time.

Cognitive role and breast cancer handling

The link betwixt cognitive problems and chemotherapy remains unclear.

Issues with cerebral function may be related to the breast cancer treatment, regardless of the type of treatment [47]. For instance, women treated with hormone therapy (and non chemotherapy) have also reported cognitive problems [42,45-46,48].

Stress, feet and depression can bear upon cognitive function [47]. After a chest cancer diagnosis, women may have cognitive problems, even before treatment begins [49]. These symptoms may first announced with the stress related to diagnosis and treatment and and so go worse after chemotherapy or other treatment begins [47].

Medications used to care for the side effects of chemotherapy, such as sleeping aids and anti-nausea medications, can also crusade these issues.

Age and genetic factors may also play a role. Some studies bear witness older women with breast cancer tend to have more cognitive problems later on chemotherapy than younger women [42]. Genetic factors may too decrease cognitive office in older women with breast cancer [50].

The truthful extent of the cognitive furnishings of chemotherapy is not well understood. More research in this area is needed.

Tips to improve cerebral function

Although no studies show the tips below improve cerebral function, they may help some people with memory problems [51].

Tips to improve cognitive office

Plan your day to do the things that need the most thinking when you experience your best. Get extra rest at night, but limit naps during the day to less than one hour. Exercise (inquire your wellness care provider what light exercise may exist helpful for you). Write downward or record things yous want to remember. Utilize a calendar and write down important dates and information. Use a pill box to keep track of medications. Ask a friend or family member for help when you need it. Enquire your nurse, social worker or patient navigator for help keeping rail of clinic visits. Ask your health care provider near complementary therapies, such as meditation, that may aid. Practise puzzles or play games for mental exercise.

Adapted from National Cancer Plant materials [51].

Long-term health risks

Eye problems and leukemia are rare but astringent side effects of some types of chemotherapy.

These risks are related to the dose and type of chemotherapy drug. With the doses given today, the risks of middle problems and leukemia are low [52-55].

For most people with breast cancer, the benefits of chemotherapy outweigh these risks.

Center problems

Centre issues, like cardiomyopathy (enlarged, weakened center) and heart failure, accept been linked to the use of certain chemotherapy drugs (such as doxorubicin and epirubicin) and the HER2-targeted therapy drug trastuzumab (Herceptin) [52,54,56-57].

When these drugs are used, extra care is taken to avoid middle bug.

For example, earlier you lot begin chemotherapy with the drug doxorubicin or trastuzumab, your middle function will be measured to brand sure there are no pre-existing middle atmospheric condition.

If a eye trouble occurs, it can sometimes be reversed if the drugs are stopped at the first sign of eye harm [52].

Leukemia

In very rare cases, the use of some chemotherapy drugs (including cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin and epirubicin) has been linked to leukemia [52,55,58-59].

Nerve damage

Chemotherapy drugs (including vinorelbine, cisplatin and taxanes such as paclitaxel and docetaxel) tin can crusade nerve damage [60].

If this happens, you lot may feel a called-for or shooting pain or numbness (neuropathy), usually in your fingers or toes.

These side effects most always go away afterward chemotherapy ends, though it may take weeks or months. However, in some cases, the pain or numbness tin can persist.

SUSAN G. KOMEN® Back up RESOURCES

If yous or a loved i needs more information about breast wellness or breast cancer, call the Komen Breast Care Helpline at i-877 GO KOMEN (1-877-465-6636). All calls are answered by a trained specialist or oncology social worker in English and Spanish, Monday through Fri from 9:00 a.m. to ten:00 p.m. ET. Yous can also e-mail the helpline at helpline@komen.org. We offer an online support customs through our closed Facebook Grouping – Komen Chest Cancer group. The Facebook grouping provides a place where those with a connection to breast cancer can discuss each other'southward experiences and build potent relationships to provide support to each other. Visit Facebook and search for "Komen Chest Cancer group" to request to join the closed group. Our fact sheets, booklets and other education materials offering boosted information.

*Delight note, the information provided within Komen Perspectives manufactures is just current equally of the date of posting. Therefore, some information may be out of date.

Updated 05/25/21

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Source: https://www.komen.org/breast-cancer/treatment/type/chemotherapy/side-effects/long-term/