Just found this group

Hi Etna I'm so sorry for what you are going through.  I can't imagine how difficult this must be for you.  I wonder if freezing your eggs is a possibility for you.  It definitely is best to discuss your desire to have children with your medical team and see what they suggest.  

Sending big hugs x

Hi I've had a, chat with oncologist who has referred me to a fertility clinic. 

But from what I've read and been told , it's a high risk , it could fuel my cancer  during any treatment for fertility.im hormone receptive to both oestrogen & progesterone,more oestrogen .

Thanks 

Hi Etna I don't know too much about this or how accurate what I know is but I think they can prescribe other medications at the same time to keep levels safe for hormone receptive cancer patients.  I read somewhere that Letrozole is used to keep oestrogen at a lower level while still being able to produce the same number of eggs.

I don't know if or how accurate the above is but it sounds like it's definitely worth you going to the fertility specialist asap and before you start chemo - if you need chemo.

If it wasn't possible I imagine your oncologist would have told you so but as they've referred you to a fertility specialist hopefully it's because they think it might be.

Hope it all goes well and you get positive news.

Ah ok I didn't know that, my oncologist said she knew nothing about fertility, & one if the Brest care nurse never mentioned this was used.

I've been reading up on IVF .im 37 this year , but don't know any time lines on any treatment for me to Even make a decision on when can I have a child ,.I know that have to wait a while after chemo , & be on hormone therapy for a while before you can try.

My estimate is roughly 39-40 I question to I want to go through IVF & every thing at that age,and then have to deal with what ever next,,that is challenging

I feel I only have a short amount of time to decide what I want to do when I need at least a good few months

.The thought of having to go through fertility treatment just to get my eggs is causing anxiety, as I have a phobia of hospital & only just had an operation a month ago.

Thanks for your help, x 

Hi Etna

I'm sorry to hear that you've not been given very much information from your care team. Fertility was the first thing they spoke to me about when I was diagnosed a week after turning 37. I was given the option of having my eggs harvested bit decided that I didn't want to put my body through anything or delay chemo. As a compromise I have been having zoladex implants every 28 day. This is used to 'put my ovaries to sleep' while I have chemo to protect my fertility. 

Even though I didn't want to have my eggs harvested I was still invited to go to the fertility specialist to discuss my options after treatment and I was assured that I would be able to access IVF/fertility support until I am 45 if I decide I wanted to try and start a family.

I'm starting to realise that the support we are offered depends on which area you are in or even who your consultant is! I'm in Edinburgh. 

Do you have a maggies centre near you? They would be able to talk you through support available and help you understand what your options are. It makes me so sad that we're left to work a lot of these things out ourselves!

Take care 

Lizzy 

Hi, yeah no one mentioned nothing to me only until I saw my oncologist,end of Jan I first started my tests in November & diagnosed around Nov/ December.

Still waiting to be referred to fertility clinic , not sure Even Im having chemo as waiting for results for the test they do to see if I need it so it makes any decisions harder.

Having any hormones pumped in me scares me as I'm hormone receptive.

Every thing is just so rushed,.

Not in Edinburgh, I don't think we have Maggie's over here.

I'm interested in the whole putting overies to sleep , that sounds like something I may need to ask a bit more about ,and look into.

X