Pregnancy for Young Adults who had cancer treatment

[AmandaC]

Hey Nikki I am pretty sure I have spoken to you about this in the other forums and its such a great topic. So many people take their fertility for granted. I found out I was pregnant after being told my thyroid was playing up and I may not be able to have children, unfortunately it was bought to my attention in my pregnancy I might have thyroid cancer but would have to wait to have my baby to have biopsy. I was diagnosed when my first son was 2 months old, fortunately I had a reasonably low dose of RAI and was told after 1 year I should be able to have another baby. I was so excited when I got to my 1 year mark my husband and I tried for almost 6 months...then he was diagnosed with testicular cancer...bit of a setback. So before chemo we stored the goods at the IVF clinic and decided as he was finishing chemo to start IVF. We have now have had our 2nd son and he 14 weeks old today. I feel very blessed both my boys are picture perfect in every way, I know this is greedy I am still hoping for 1 more...we'll see how we go I guess. Congrats again on your miracle pregnancy and I am sure your baby/or babies will be picture perfect also 🙂

[AmandaC]

Yvette just wanted to say they always talk in 3-5 year survival rates and re-occurrences, the first time I herd that I had anxiety for a week just thinking about it. One thing cancer has taught me is to expect a miracle even if you don't get one at least you live life to the full. My husband and I started IVF before his chemo finished, I know alot of people have different opinions about how we should or should not have gone about it but we did it. His tumor markers were back down to normal range though so we were pretty sure things were going to be OK and if not together we were able to realise our dreams in having another baby. You can't live your life worrying about what if, I would wait till treatment is underway and you start to get an idea of tumor markers... how you are responding ect...then find out about the possibilities of having babies. Can you go off meds, what happens if you need treatment in pregnancy...you can out plans into place. Best of luck to you I am 32yo also and I think we are so young we deserve some normality 🙂

[AmandaC]

I hear you! my son was 2 months old when I was diagnosed and man was i tired all the time, but everyday seeing him smile, giggle and have a great time just made it all so worth while. Post treatment we have had no2 and are also hoping no3 comes along without to much of a hiccup 🙂

[Nikki_YAC]

hi again butterfly, On this site, there seems to be a growing number of YACs who were actually pregnant or trying to get pregnant when they were diagnosed with cancer. One of the major issues for YACs is fertility, and the life stage of wanting to start, or having and adding to a family. while it is sad to hear all these stories, it is great that we can have a place like this to meet other YACs going through similar situations. I met a YAC early after i finished my cancer treatment, who has an amazing story.... She was dx with a very rare form of cancer that was caused from the hormones in her body when she became pregnant trying for her first child. she was definitely at that stage of being married and wanting nothing more than to start her family. She actually collapsed on the floor during her first oncology appointment and woke up in hospital after having a hysterectomy. all of a sudden her chances of having a family were stripped from her permanently. This was about seven years ago, and you would think that a story like this could not have a good outcome.... but it does! After she recovered from her cancer, she went on a campaign to find a surrogate mother.she was on the national news, giving her story and expressing her view that such services were not available in Australia. Both her and her husband moved to the US and seeked a surrogate, of which they found one and now have a beautiful child of their own. The more and more post i read on this topic here, i can see some equally amazing stories of hope appearing. these stories help inspire those of us who are experiencing things like menopause, are single and want children, or would like to have another child to add to the family. In answering your q's.... i am having a boy - we decided to find out the sex so we could connect earlier with our bubba, and also...i think i have had enough surprises in life!had another scan last week and it shows the little man is growing right on track :) How did your scans go in March? Best, Nikki

[Nikki_YAC]

Hi Amanda, Did you have to start treatment while you were pregnant with your first son? I can't wait to see my boy grow up experience those feelings of being connected with your child through selfless love. were your energy levels even lower through your second pregnancy because of your cancer treatment? Nikki 🙂

[Nikki_YAC]

Hi Yvette, thanks for being so brave and expressing your thoughts and fears surrounding this topic. I think you are doing great, having been dignosed only 3 months ago. The many fears you speak of when thinking about having a child after/with cancer are right on track. I have had these exact thoughts many times throughout my pregnancy now and i am seven years post dx. I am lucky i have a supportive and understanding partner who i can talk to about this. Just before my partner and I planned to conceive, I had a lump in my breast and had to have a mammogram. I though i had BC for sure and I had all these feeling of guilt that I would no longer be able to provide a child for my partner and I. thank god it was benign and we could continue down the path of trying to become pregnant. over the past 2 years I also was seeing a female GP who always asked me how i was coping emotionally with all this. So having someone to talk to helped me so much. SO the fact that you have a wonderful hubby is going to help you get through the next few years of deciding when the right time is to start a family, that is if thats what you both decide. You know....i came out of my treatment with the dr's telling me there was an 80% chance that I would relapse and there was nothing they could do but offer palliative care. Coming to terms with this was difficult. it took me a good couple of years, and then the same feeling arose again when I became pregnant. all i can say is that iver time these thoughts dissipate and are not so intense, even though they appear from time to time, they are also less frequent. When I did have such thoughts, I would try and tap into the mind frame of "i am young and live is about living - not dying.... so get up and start living!" for some reason this helped me to move forward. I too hope that you will find a little coping mechanism like this to help you through the mind games that cancer brings your way. It can also help to speak to a health professional about your situation. is this option available for you? The CC helpline 13 11 20 can also help you, because they can put you in touch with staff that are trained oncology nurses / counsellors who could offer advice on your specific situation. Anyway, enough of my babble - i hope i have helped you a little? Best, Nikki

[Nikki_YAC]

Hi again Amanda, OMG! your story and situation are totally mind blowing. I have not come across 2 YACs who are married and have gone through cancer together. my hat goes off to you both for finding your own ways to move forward. FANTASTIC STUFF!! When you look at your children each day, what feelings do you get? I can only imagine that must think daily that your life, your childrens and your husbands are all part of one BIG miracle! What was going through the IVF experience like for you both? During your treatment, did you both have good doctors to talk to about your fertility options or did you have to push this issue with the health professionals? Do any of your doctors provide you with the opportunity to speak to you about the emotional impact of your cancer and having a young family? Sorry for all the questions, its just that you being only 14 weeks after the birth of your second child, i feel that we might have some similar thoughts to share after my bubba boy is born. Nikki 🙂

[jules_jp]

Hi Nikki and Amanda, You ladies are an inspiration and sign of hope. You are the first real young ladies I have met facing issues with fertility. All I have had is the research on the internet, heresay or what the Drs say about facts/statistics. I was diagnosed at a time when my husband and I were enjoying our holidays and hoping to conceive when I discovered the lump. Sometimes you wonder whether someone up there is trying to tell you something or is it just bad luck? Then I realised you create your own luck and happiness so you can't read into things too much. Research shows that younger women (who have had cancer) have higher pregnancy rates than those without. Probably because we have had this confrontation about life and death! At the moment I'm coming up to 1 year on tamoxifen. My oncologist and I have agreed that I will come off next July (min 2 years), as I will be 37 then because 5 years is too long. So we can conceive naturally (fingers crossed). I have recently discovered that I have ovarian cysts and am meeting my gyno (high risk) for the first time early July. Something I worry about (besides recurrence) is whether any breast milk will come out from the treated breast? Some of the breast ducts were removed and others remain. Research (breast cancer institute Young women fact sheet) shows that some women have had success with the treated breast and others don't. Anyways, its fingers crossed for the next year or so. Nikki I really do want to hear more about your little boy on the way! I'm so excited for you 🙂 Its extra special considering everything you have gone through. When are you due to have your little boy? Hugs Jules (prev. Misti)

[AmandaC]

Jules your right about creating your own luck for us girls it is much more complicated and involved for us to get pregnant but we are also not afraid to hunt down ways of making it happen. I no doubt you will have every success with such a great spirit! I have definitely herd of woman feeding after breast cancer but as you say depends on how many milk ducts have been taken ect. You can very successfully BF form 1 breast if necessary, when you get pregnant my advice is to enlist the help of breast feeding Australia and possibly a lactaction consultant to increase your chances of breast feeding. Alot of woman who have had RAI for thyroid like me can't breastfeed, its normally because we produce to much milk and its to hard. I had a lactation consultant and lots of help and am persevering, my little guy is now 14 weeks so I am doing well :) As for cyst on the ovaries again there are ways of getting around this and enlisting specialist is a great way to ensure success. My husband and I are now hoping that his fertility will come back (post testicular cancer) so we can try naturally for no3.

[AmandaC]

Hey Nikki, Actually they could not biopsy until after the birth of my first son because the hormone flush would not have been good for him and also the growth would suddenly start growing rapdily. I had to wait til he was 2 months old to have the biopsy; 2 weeks later surgery and by the time he was 9 months old I had RAI. I had to spend 1 month away from him which completely tore me apart, actually I had anxiety attacks daily until I got to go home. Every day I spent with my son and every day I spend now I am in awe, that's not to say I don't get annoyed with his tantrums...LOL! which are especially bad since his brother came along but I can't blame him. My husband and I are very devoted parents and I completely accept my role as mummy, I am not interested in having a career right now I enjoy them and be home with them and just getting to watch them grow and explore. Actually my 2nd pregnancy was very hard my thryoid levels were out, I ended up with irritable uterus which means i had contractions from 26 weeks and my energy was low but I did have a 3yo to run around after 🙂 My focus now is on getting fit and healthy so I can hopefully try for no3, but also to try to feel the way I felt before RAI treatment...I live in hope!