Hyperplasia at 26 on Megace, Questions And Concerns

I'm new to the group, and new to the idea of having a hysterectomy (if it actually comes to that). I'm hoping that someone out there can answer some of my questions. I'm hoping I'm not alone in my situation, and thus far I've been unable to find any helpful information on the web. (If there are books and/or articles that anyone can recommend on the subject, I am all ears!) So here is my story:

My entire life my cycles have been irregular. I never worried about it too much because that is how it always was. Well at 23 I got engaged and we started planning a family. About three months before the wedding we stopped using all protection because if I had gotten pregnant then I wouldn't be showing at the wedding. I used birth control pills when I was 20 and they gave me really horrible migranes. After a lot of testing, and trying several different brands we couldn't find anything that worked so I stopped taking them.

Anyway, last November my husband and I decided it was time to switch doctors and find out what was really wrong. (When I asked my doctor about my irregular periods he would tell me not to worry that it happens a lot. But I was skipping for like 5-7 months at a time. I don't know why I didn't change doctors sooner) So I found a new doctor and I love her. She is so understanding and so helpful. The day I met her she told me that she would help me find the problem and have a baby. After ther first few initial tests, she did a endometrial biopsy. It showed Hyperplasia. So she then did a D&C and hysteroscopy. After the D&C she had me take birth control pills for three months. She said that she wanted me to have three normal cycles and then we would do another biopsy to make sure the hyperplasia was gone. (It was not atypical) After the three months, we did the second biopsy. The hyperplasia was better, but not completely gone. So now she has me on Megace for three months and then another biopsy.

Here are my questions (finaly! ;-)) First of all, is there anyone out there who had hyperplasia at a young age that after treatment was able to conceive? Secondly, has anyone who has taken Megace suffered from depression as a side effect? I've been REALLY down lately and I'm not sure if its the stress or the medicine and I would just like some input before I go to my doctor with my concerns. Any input or encouraging thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
ALW77

Hey! I'm 30, and taking Megace for complex hyperplasia with atypia. I dont' have any kids either. Basically, I was doing fertility treatments when they found it, and hope to continue them afterward.

The Megace... yes, it can wreak havoc on your emotions. I find myself down for no reason, and I've never had problems like that.

I go back to my ob/gyn next week and we'll see about scheduling my next d&c for July sometime. What's your schedule looking like?

Dear ALW,

I've read of numbers of women that actually had early stage endometrial cancer, treated it w/Megace, and later had healthy babies.
If they could do it, surely the odds are stacked in your favor. : )

I'm not an adamant fan anymore of bcps because they contain estrogens, and so many younger women seem plagued by estrogen excess.

Megace and emotions- well when I was on 160-320mg/day, I actually was going through some trauma (such as my mom's passing) so I had evident reasons for upsetment, but all-in-all I thought I held together well. In fact, my brother who spent much time w/me after the death is still totally clueless that I was in the midst of cancer treatment or that I had a medical problem. I've felt that I've had to be strong, and so for the most part I have been.
Sometimes it can be tough to know where feelings stem from.. having medical problems can be reason enough to cause sadness, but yes, I have heard that Megace can cause moodiness.

When it is time to try to conceive again (or in general after treatment) I would like to recommend an interesting and time-honored herbal supplement.. Vitex, also known as Chasteberry.. (don't let the name fool you.. though it is said to calm the libidos in men, it tends to increase libidos in women..
Vitex tends to correct estrogen/progesterone imbalances and helps w/ovulation. Of course, you would want to talk w/your doctor before trying it.
If I didn't have my hormonal IUD, I would take Vitex.. In fact I wish I had started younger.
When I was frantic waiting for even approval (my first doctor refused and I had to wait a month to get word from a second doctor) to take get prescription Megace, I used progesterone cream and took Vitex.
I showed the Vitex to my oby.oncologist and she was enthusiastically amused and went right over to the bookshelf to read on it.
http://www.babyhopes.com/articles/vitex.html

As you can see, I think you are a very hopeful case. : )

Pat

fyrelight74,

Well, if the last biopsy had been normal she was going to start me on clomid in early June. I was so disappointed when it wasn't. The nurse called with the news, so all I know is that I am on Megace for 3 months and then I go back for another biopsy. Don't really know where I'm going from there. I hope that the hyperplasia will be gone and we can move forward with clomid. I hope that you have luck. Please keep me updated!

Chancehope,

Thank you so much for your post. I was just talking to my husband earlier about how crazy I feel. I cry for no reason, at the drop of the hat and that just isn't me. As I stated in the reply above, I haven't talked to the doctor since the call with bad news. My husband and sister both think that I should call the doctor tomorrow and let her know how I'm feeling. I haven't had a cycle yet either, so I'm hoping that this is just PMS. If that is the case however, maybe she can give me some advice on how to feel more normal. Do you think she will think I'm crazy if I give her a call?

Thanks Again!
ALW77

Ah, yes, Clomid... some wicked stuff there too... lol.... hot flashes and the like. Been there, done that several cycles. Unfortunately, I had this hyperplasia going on, and my endometrium wasn't proper for a baby, so all those cycles were for nothing!

By the way, on Megace, you won't have a period. Haven't had one since January myself.

Pamela,

Thank you for that Tidbit. I was just about to call my dr because I haven't had a period. Do you think that I should call her about the unexplained depression, or just work with it on my own? The only reason I'm really concerned is that Depression, along with other mental illnesses runs in my family and I've seen things go from bad to worse quickly. I just don't want to call if she is going to think I'm an idiot, know what I mean? I would appreciate your opinion.
If we do get the hyperplasia taken care of this time around, do you not recommend clomid? I've had a couple of friends who took it and both got pregnant in the second cycle. They never mentioned side effects. Again, I would appreciate your opinion. All of this is new to me.
I'm so glad that I found the website, I don't feel quite as crazy anymore ;-) Thanks for all of your help/advice. I truely appreciate it!

Thanks Again,
Aaron

You know, about the depression, well, I just don't know. Depends on how bad it is, I guess. Mine has been tolerable. It *is* a side effect of the drug, so the doctor won't think you're nuts for bringing it up, that 's for sure.

About the Clomid, I'm not sure what us post-hyperplasia people will be allowed to use. I'm not sure how clomid works exactly. I know we aren't allowed to use anything with estrogen later on in life, like HRT, as the estrogen will act on our tendency to get hyperplasia now. If clomid doesn't increase estrogen, then it's probably fine. There are 2 other drugs out there they use for ovulation now, tamoxifen and letrozole, I think. Not sure how they work, either. I'm in the same boat as you. I don't ovulate on my own often, so I'll have to have SOMETHING. I sure hope to avoid going directly to injectibles! Yikes! We kinda need to do this fast, so we're heading for IUIs as soon as we can, but even with those, you need something to help you ovulate if you don't on your own. I lost some weight last year, and starting ovulating on my own, but this Megace has made me gain it all back, so I'm probably back to not ovulating again.

Has the Megace made you weak, by the way? As soon as I starting taking it, I noticed I could only do fewer pushups, etc. I also get fatigued easier. Doesn't make it any easier to keep the weight off, ya know! *sigh*

I took clomid to have my first two children who are now 19 and 18, and it worked ( obviously.) The Dr prescribed clomid, because I was not ovulation or having regular periods, probably because I was thin and a runner. I began ovulating on my own after my second son and had two more children without clomid who are now 16 and 15. Clomid does cause a huge surge of estrogen, but because I did not have hyperplasia this was not a concern.
I took 3 pills a day for 5 days each month and concieved both times very quickly, It wreaked havoc with my emotions, may have played a part in my getting cancer 18 years later, but was worth it to have my children. Still i would suggest you talk to many fertilty and cancer experts to help you decide what is best.
PS, Fyrelight
I am in Manteca too!

Pamela,


It is weird that you mention the being weak.... I just noticed it yesterday! I felt really groggy and strange, out of the blue yesterday afternoon. My husband noticed though, that I hadn't eaten a solid meal all day. When I was eating breakfast lunch and dinner everyday I didn't seem to have that problem.


It is strange to me, but I've had the opposite affect of increased appetite, I seem to have no appetite at all. But if I make myself eat at meal times, I feel better. Now I know that really sounds crazy but it is true.


I am thinking of joining the weight watchers plan online later this month. (Around my birthday) Not only could losing weight help with the baby stuff I will feel better about myself and be healthier. I also think that by following the weight watcher plan, I will be forced to eat enough food each day since you have to count all of you points. I don't know we will see.


I am going to call my doctor's nurse in a few. If there is some kind of mild anti-depressant that she can give me I think I will feel more like myself. Thank you for your encouragement to call. I couldn't find anywhere on the web where it said that depression was a side effect of Megace, that is why I felt so crazy about calling her.


Let me know how it goes at your dr at the end of the month. I'm sure that soon we will both be mommies, we are just going to have to be a little more patient.

Thanks Again,
ALW77