For the Ladies

[Deanne Hull]

I just want to ask, as I have gone through menapause with the medication that I am on, if anyone gets the monthly pmt symptoms . Lately i seem to get more swollen or bloated so much so I look about 10 months pregnant and get teary also. Also it seems to coincide with the full moon bizarrely. Just wondering if I should go and see yet another specialist a gynocologist as well...sigh!!!!

[delorisdoe]

how long have you been without a period? I have gone 8 years and I have no symptoms at all but my friend who had cancer went aprox a year symptom and period free but now she gets either pms or her period each month. If you are sure you have gone through menopause then I would get it checked out.

[freakyschizogirl]

Sorry to go off topic, but i got another question for the ladies, I keep getting sent reminders to go for my cercical smear test. I really dont want to go as its just one more place to be poked and prodded. Does everyone think its beneficial, as they say if you're on immunosuppressants you should go. My mum goes and gets abnoral cells back nearly every year. What should i do? I'm 25 and had 4 sexual partners. Is it worth while??

[Deanne Hull]

I haven't had a period since Dec 09 so I think I will get organised and get myself checked out.

And yes you should always get the smear test done, no matter what, I hate having it done even after
having 3 children it still doesn't get any easier. But I know what you mean. But you are young and it is not painful at all, just
leave your dignity at the door and pick it up afterwards. Just make sure they warm up the equipment ( if it is metal ).

[Sangye]

Deanne, you should get your hormone levels tested. Ctx can cause you to stop getting a period, but you might not be in menopause.

[ArlaMo]

Does rtx have the same effect? I was on ctx for almost a year, periods stopped about 6 weeks into it. I've been off the ctx for about 6 weeks - wondering what I should expect. One of the docs I see did mention doing a hormone level but told me that pred would cause the results to be wonky, so I never did it.

[misskay]

I stopped having my cycle about 10 months ago due to Cytoxan. Stopped the Cytoxan in December and started Rtx in Feb due to the Cytoxan attacking my bladder. My cycle has not returned, and I was having horrible hot flashes (20-30 times a day), moodiness and severe fatigue. Rhumey suggested I see my Gyno and get my hormone levels checked. (scheduled for my first pap since diagnosis next Friday). My hormone levels showed I was waaaaay menopausel. Some levels were so low they didn't even register. Gyno put me on the Combi-Patch (started it last Monday). The change is amazing. I only get a few hot flashes a day now, and I feel so much better. I even have enough energy to be back working 10 hour days . I haven't been able to do that since last February.

Last blood work at Rhumey was getting much better... he thinks one more round of Rtx might just get 'us' into remission. Yay!

[gurinbasra]

I was on Ctx for year and now on Mtx for 2 years, however I've also been on the pill (forever) only for hormonal reasons (heavy bleeding and extreme pain without the pill) more than for birth control use and so I've always had a period. Infact the Mtx was making me anemic so now I take 2 months of the pill and then I let myself have a period and then back to two months, etc. Nice to not always hit every month.

I thought for sure I'd hit menopause, but I guess being on the pill, my hormones are still kicking around?

Freakyschizogirl, be a good girl and get your yearly pap smear done. I hit 40 two years ago and was really happy last when my dr told me that since I've had normal ones that I only need to now do it every 2 years as I'm now considered a low risk. But, do yourself the best thing you can do for yourself which is to "open wide"!

[freakyschizogirl]

Freakyschizogirl, be a good girl and get your yearly pap smear done. I hit 40 two years ago and was really happy last when my dr told me that since I've had normal ones that I only need to now do it every 2 years as I'm now considered a low risk. But, do yourself the best thing you can do for yourself which is to "open wide"!

Oh but i like being a rebel, lol. We only get it done once every 5 years here in the UK so i suppose i should.

[delorisdoe]

Oh but i like being a rebel, lol. We only get it done once every 5 years here in the UK so i suppose i should.

I was just going to say...if you have clean pap smears sometimes they let you go a few years between-like 3. lmao. once every 5 years??? buck up and go silly. How you gonna treat cervical cancer and wegs at the same time.