Very often the drugs administered during chemotherapy will cause the suspension of your monthly periods. During chemotherapy, if your periods continue, they are very likely to be different from your usual periods in duration and flow. Some women experience an increase in flow, accompanied by fairly heavy cramping, during the first month or two; other women notice a decrease in flow that precedes cessation. Depending on your age and how close you are to naturally occurring menopause, your menstrual cycle may resume or it may not. Although there has been a great deal of attention directed to the experience of passing through menopause, you may find, as many of us did, that when you are coping with cancer, menopause pales in comparison; it is simply not that big a deal.

Yet, in spite of the understanding that being alive is much more important than unexpectedly having an early menopause, it is also true that some of us really hate it. Women who have not completed their families may have the most painful adjustment. Even if they would have decided not to have (more) children, having the choice taken away can be devastating. We often feel out of control and victimized or “done to” because of the cancer, and this can be one more significant example of what we have lost.

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