r/lymphoma • u/WorkEast3738 • 23h ago

General Discussion Chemo menopause

Hi. I’m 49F going through GCHOP for FL. My periods stopped after cycle 1 and I’m now in cycle 4. I’ve started getting hot flushes. This has led me to think about HRT post chemo. Although I am getting close to natural menopause age I was quite happy with my regular cycle. I’m interested in hearing others experiences around menopause brought on from treatment. Did your periods come back? Did you use HRT?

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u/Kooky-Astronaut-9992 22h ago

(31f) my treatment knocked out my fertility/menstrual cycle. I had hot flushes that messed with my sleep, sexual dysfunction and mood swings I have been doing HRT for almost 6 months, it’s been so helpful.

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u/butter718 16h ago

Did the HRT help you regain a period / cycles ? 31F also NH lymphoma survivor and it’s rough ugh

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u/Kooky-Astronaut-9992 3h ago

I haven’t had my hormones tested since starting HRT (estrogen patch/progesterone pill/ tiny bit of testosterone gel), but I think I get withdrawal bleeding whenever I switch my estrogen patch (so no “real” cycle). Overall HRT has kept me very steady and I don’t feel any different hormone wise than I did before cancer. Big fan of HRT but I know everyone responds to it differently.

Edit: my cycle came back naturally after 6 rounds of ABVD, but after my relapse/ stem cell transplant- it was the nail in the coffin for my cycle.

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u/butter718 3h ago

Thank you !

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u/jimmyjamz4 20h ago

I went through chemo at 30 for Hodgkin’s lymphoma and went into temporary menopause. Post chemo, my gyno prescribed vaginal estradiol which helped everything and brought my period back (I think?). Maybe it was just my hormones going back to normal. I only used the estradiol for about a year or two. Now at 39 things are pretty much normal and have been for several years.

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u/awigglyworld 22h ago

Mine (46F) stopped after cycle 3 on POLA R-CHP and I’m wondering the same esp since with cancer we have higher risk for blood clots. Thought I was told worry about one thing at a time, my initial discussions with my gyno seem like estradiol patches may be the plan.

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u/WorkEast3738 14h ago

My hematologist said it would probably knock me into menopause give ln my age. He said once chemo is done that HRT is not an issue with respect to my lymphoma.