TW: Talk of cancer, menopause, needles, blood, and medical scenarios.
When I was told I had cancer at 15, I knew things were going to be different from then on, but I hadn’t really thought about all the ways my life would change.
I was already overwhelmed with aspects such as hair loss, scans and isolation that anything else couldn’t occupy my mind. It was only when I was in a treatment room, and they told me how it would be best that I take medication to stop my period during chemotherapy, that I even started to think about how my menstrual health was supposed to fit into this.
They told me that since I was already anaemic and because of treatment, they don’t want me to lose too much blood while managing it all. There was also a comment about making sure my menstrual cycle wasn’t running during treatment to protect from the effects of the chemotherapy.
I remember being given a few options on how to manage it, but I only remember two. One option was the pill, and they told me that I would have to ensure that I take the pill on a strict routine. The other option was a period-stopping injection. I was sick of needles, so I was more inclined towards the pill. But my mum insisted that the injection was easier to manage, as I only had to have it once a month. I chose the injection.
It was an unnecessarily large-looking injection. I remember that the longer they took to push the injection in, the longer it hurt – as if I had been punched in the arm. I wouldn’t have been aware of all the side effects. I do know it caused hot flashes, which was weird because it sounded like I was going through menopause at 15.
Even when I finished treatment, I was still too caught up in things changing again to think about my menstrual health. I knew after a while my cycle was supposed to just start again, but I just wasn’t sure of when. I had assumed everything would return to my normal cycle.
That wasn’t the case. My usual pre-menstrual symptoms had changed. The length and how much blood I would lose changed – even how I felt during it had changed. I wasn’t expecting to re-learn my own cycle years of what I was used to. It was just a quiet frustration which I couldn’t relate to a peer on. As my body was recovering from treatment, it felt like once I thought I knew my new cycle, my symptoms changed. It was frustrating.
Eventually, I had settled into my new normal. I am still glad I chose the injection, even just to make daily life easier during that time. I still sometimes sit and think about how my life is different now all because of cancer in a way I never expected. A monthly reminder never letting me forget.
– Cara K., Youth Board Member
Disclaimer: This is one individual’s experience and is NOT medical advice. Please speak to a medical professional if you have concerns.
* Any mentions of ‘women’ or ‘female’ by Menstrual Health Project (MHP) includes those assigned female at birth. We recognise and respect that all those who can experience menstrual health problems or associated concerns may not identify as female. MHP aims to provide accurate, inclusive information to everyone.
