Fertility After Colon Cancer Treatment
Claudia I know what you mean. I am a parent of two boys and even though I can say I have experienced motherhood, I still want to have that option availible. I am only 23 and I know that in the future when I am done with my treatment and school, I want to have another baby. How did they diagnose you? Were you really sick after your baby was born?
not to sound rude by any means, but...
both of you have already had children. why be so concerned about concieving again, you have something.
as opposed to me who will never have kids, and didn't have kids previously.
while adoption is completey acceptable to me, and i'm not really complaining that i can't ever have kids,
maybe looking at your situations in a different light will make things easier?
both of you have already had children. why be so concerned about concieving again, you have something.
as opposed to me who will never have kids, and didn't have kids previously.
while adoption is completey acceptable to me, and i'm not really complaining that i can't ever have kids,
maybe looking at your situations in a different light will make things easier?
Well for me I am very glad I have kids, however like I mentioned earlier. I would to have that option open in the future. It is kind of like saying that right now you are not concerned about your fertility, but in the future you might. And honestly you and I both don't know if going through these treatments will leave us infertile. But it is better to know than to be left in the dark. And I have read and asked my doctor about having a kid if you have a colostomy bag, and it is possible. I am just mentioning this because you had stated that you might need a colostomy. Anyways, right now my main concern is to be better. And you are right about shining light on the fact that I have had kids, at least once. I defenitly do not want to go through menopause, just like you. How was Conan?
Stage III dx July 2005. Surgery in November 2005, port out, 2nd P.E.T scan normal-October 2006
right, it's always hard to be in the dark. and like you, i just want to be healthy right now, fertility isn't a concern for me.
conan was awesome! it was soo interesting to see live tv taped. we waited in line for 4 hours! I had my sign...but they made me throw it out before i went in the theatre. so it didn't really help.
ah well. i got my ticket autographed by dave chappelle though.
was worth it
conan was awesome! it was soo interesting to see live tv taped. we waited in line for 4 hours! I had my sign...but they made me throw it out before i went in the theatre. so it didn't really help.
ah well. i got my ticket autographed by dave chappelle though.
was worth it
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shellibelle
Infertility After Colon Cancer Treatment
Hi,
This message is in reply to questions about conception after colon cancer treatment. In October 2003, I was diagnosed with Stage II cancer, 3 months after my wedding. I had just turned 39 and had been planning to try to conceive. After the surgery and chemotherapy (5FU and Irinotecan), we had difficulty conceiving and began fertility treatments. My first RE told me that it would not work, so I changed clinics and went through 4 more IVF cycles. Eventually, that RE was also very pessimistic about the chances of success (given my age and the fact that I only had one ovary due to a prior ovarian tumor surgery). I was ready to give up, but my husband thought we should try one more time. I am now 24 weeks pregnant with our first child! The fifth IVF cycle was successful, right before my 42d birthday. The concensus among most REs and oncologists is that the chemotherapy is not good for fertility and the older you are, the more deleterious the effect; however, they thought my age and other issues were more to blame.
If I had to do it again, I think I would have tried to do an IVF cycle before I began the chemo. I was in pretty bad shape after the surgery, but I think I was inordinately intimidated by the IVF process, which was not that bad and could be done relatively quickly.
Shelly
This message is in reply to questions about conception after colon cancer treatment. In October 2003, I was diagnosed with Stage II cancer, 3 months after my wedding. I had just turned 39 and had been planning to try to conceive. After the surgery and chemotherapy (5FU and Irinotecan), we had difficulty conceiving and began fertility treatments. My first RE told me that it would not work, so I changed clinics and went through 4 more IVF cycles. Eventually, that RE was also very pessimistic about the chances of success (given my age and the fact that I only had one ovary due to a prior ovarian tumor surgery). I was ready to give up, but my husband thought we should try one more time. I am now 24 weeks pregnant with our first child! The fifth IVF cycle was successful, right before my 42d birthday. The concensus among most REs and oncologists is that the chemotherapy is not good for fertility and the older you are, the more deleterious the effect; however, they thought my age and other issues were more to blame.
If I had to do it again, I think I would have tried to do an IVF cycle before I began the chemo. I was in pretty bad shape after the surgery, but I think I was inordinately intimidated by the IVF process, which was not that bad and could be done relatively quickly.
Shelly
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suzannchili
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Wed Jan 04, 2006 1:10 pm
- Location: Austin, TX
it was funny my onco. just asked me two appointments ago if i was still having my periods. when you get the whole chemo speach they could say they could go away. i was thinking 'great a holiday for 6 months'! but no luck there...but when i was joking with him about that he asked 'well do you ever want to have kids?'...my answer...'i'd still like to have that option!'
i asked if he had any kind of research for us (he said there's studies for breast cancer). but pretty much boils down to if you are still having your periods you can still have kids. i've been on chemo and no radiation though.
i asked if he had any kind of research for us (he said there's studies for breast cancer). but pretty much boils down to if you are still having your periods you can still have kids. i've been on chemo and no radiation though.
"When you've been abandoned in the desert and the vultures are circling and squawking at you...raise you fist at them and yell "I'M NOT DEAD YET!!!"
Stage IV @ 30 yrs. 6/06 Ms. April 2008
Recurrence to pancreas 2/09 & 6/10
Stage IV @ 30 yrs. 6/06 Ms. April 2008
Recurrence to pancreas 2/09 & 6/10
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Lifes2short
- Posts: 549
- Joined: Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:54 pm
- Location: Salt Lake City, UT
I had rectal cancer, the tumor was very low in my rectum. I went through eight weeks of radiation, the burns were horrible. The first couple weeks launched me into early menopause (I was 41 and having early symptoms before being diagnosed with cancer). I had one last painful period and that was it for me. The came the hot flashes and hormone changes. I thought that was pretty bad until I got my ovaries removed during surgery. Then I really understood menopause - it came on hard and still bothers me. I am on estrogen replacement and that helps some.
My children are adopted. I adopted my son 4 1/2 years ago and his bioligical sister three years ago when she was born. (They were adopted long before I found out about this cancer thing). They are the light of my life. It doesn't matter to me that these children didn't come from my body. They are truly my children. They act like me, even look like me. Parenthood is cool. I am stage IV and not expected to live very long. It hurts me to think about my kids growing up without a mom. But I am happy that I've been part of their lives this long - I'm hoping for at least five more years so that they'll be old enough to remember me.
If you aren't able to conceive after treatment, please consider adoption. I adopted my kids here in Utah after only a few months wait. There's lots of healthy babies out there waiting for good parents.
My children are adopted. I adopted my son 4 1/2 years ago and his bioligical sister three years ago when she was born. (They were adopted long before I found out about this cancer thing). They are the light of my life. It doesn't matter to me that these children didn't come from my body. They are truly my children. They act like me, even look like me. Parenthood is cool. I am stage IV and not expected to live very long. It hurts me to think about my kids growing up without a mom. But I am happy that I've been part of their lives this long - I'm hoping for at least five more years so that they'll be old enough to remember me.
If you aren't able to conceive after treatment, please consider adoption. I adopted my kids here in Utah after only a few months wait. There's lots of healthy babies out there waiting for good parents.
Definetly agree on the whole adoption thing. i always said i wanted to adopt! of course growing up with 'the sound of music' kept trying to get my parents to get more kids for me to play with ; ) if i never have or unable to adopt kids i'll continue to spoil my nieces and nephews!
"When you've been abandoned in the desert and the vultures are circling and squawking at you...raise you fist at them and yell "I'M NOT DEAD YET!!!"
Stage IV @ 30 yrs. 6/06 Ms. April 2008
Recurrence to pancreas 2/09 & 6/10
Stage IV @ 30 yrs. 6/06 Ms. April 2008
Recurrence to pancreas 2/09 & 6/10
How about male fertility?
I was just wondering if anyone knows about male fertility. My husband is just receiving chemo, no radiation. Is it less common for males to have problems? Just curious.
Thanks
Thanks
I think I have heard that some men who have radiation close to their reproductive organs can lose their fertility. It can either cause loss of function or the male is not able to "release" his sperm.
I completed chemotherapy this past summer and I have been on birth control pills since before I had started chemo or radiation but my periods never ended. They got very light during and after radiation and it seems that they are back to normal. My OBGYN told me that there is a way to check your ovum count and see if you can still ovulate. I haven't gone to do this but I plan to.
I completed chemotherapy this past summer and I have been on birth control pills since before I had started chemo or radiation but my periods never ended. They got very light during and after radiation and it seems that they are back to normal. My OBGYN told me that there is a way to check your ovum count and see if you can still ovulate. I haven't gone to do this but I plan to.
Stage III dx July 2005. Surgery in November 2005, port out, 2nd P.E.T scan normal-October 2006
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