Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

June2268

Happy Happy Birthday to the lovely Tink......I hope your Carvel cake was fantastic!!!

Welcome Lisa!  The ladies on this thread are wonderful and I think jumping right into 20mg is smart and then if you do have many SE you can go the other route  by splitting it up.  I always take mine with food. Good luck and keep us posted.

Paula66

Welcome Lisa and Kiwi.  I tried the pill splitting, but after a few weeks I got tired of it and took the whole pill.  Im a bad girl and take it on an empty tummy.  I know I shouldnt but I cant stand to eat in the a.m. and I dont have any issues doing it.  I havent noticed weight gain, but I have noticed that I have a rounder belly.  Does that make since?  I know that Im not gaining weight cause I have been weighed on a monthly basis since October last year.  Good Luck!

tinkertude

Welcome Lisa and Kiwi... I tried splitting the dose and it did help me quite a bit with the se... good luck ladies

Paula...lovin the cake thank you!!!!!

Junie... carvel cake was Delicious!!!! my fav!!!

Sandeeonherown

Sherry- will your pharmacy do pill pouches so that no one has to remember anything other than opening th epackage and swallowing? They do that here (in fact, the pharmacist asked if I wanted it done with 5 pills....uh....no?...but I could certainly see the value in it if I were forgetful or had a ton more or that needed to be taken at different times)....what a week this is for you.

Tink- Hope the day was lovely!

Sherryc

Sandee I have thought about that but right now my Dad is really being difficult so we have to be careful how we approach everything with him.  For now he is only happy if I do it and he does not want me to do it but for about 4 days at a time.  I really think it is just him trying to be in control of his cancer right now so the little things that are driving us crazy and making it more difficult are about the only things he can control at the moment. 

But on a possitive note I only had two hotflashes last night.  One really bad one and one not so bad.  So I actually slept pretty good compared to the last several weeks.

jo1955

Welcome to all the Newbies - This is a great group of ladies with lots of good information and support.

Hope everyone is having a great day. 

Elizabeth37

Welcome all Newbies

June2268

Sherry how are things going today?

Sherryc

June--Much better DH just finished his stress test and passed and they said he had a healthy heart. Dad is still being stubborn but that is OK too. Had a massage last night and boy did she work my boob over. I think I have so much scar tissue in there. I am a bit sore today. Tomorrow I have an appt with the pain Dr. and will talk to him about the additional pain I have been having, but after my MO appt last week not really sure they can do much more for it. Guess I'll see tomorrow. I am going for a PT eval next week to see if they think they can help any. If not then MO wants me to try acupunture. So taking it one step at a time.

survivor11

OMG, since ovaries came out with last surgery 10/3/11, I am having 4-5 hot flashes an hour. Help. Short of crawling naked into the freezer what can i do?

Panmars

I hear ya, survivor11, though mine aren't as frequent, maybe 4 or 5 per day. I have not yet found anything that helps except to step outside ( it's nice and cool here now ). In time, they should taper off, but it takes a while for your body to adjust. I didn't start having hot flashes from my ooph until 4 weeks post-surgery. I initially thought I may not get them, but no, I did. Fun, huh? 

NHsmiles

 Hi ladies .....

 I am unsure if I am posting this question in the proper place.  I know you will redirect me if I am.

 Has anyone developed Thrombophebitis from taking Tamoxifen?  I started taking Tamoxifen four moths ago, and developed Thrombophebitis, therefore I have chosen to stop Tamoxifen.  

 My body simply does not like these chemicals for treatment.  I am the one who tends to get the rare/critical complications....it's unbelieveable!

Thanx in advance for any input.

Heather 

Romansma

I haven't posted here before.........I've been on tamoxifen for about 3 months now and the hot flashes are constant......really flat mood......can't concentrate..........really hating this.  I have an oopherectomy scheduled for right after Thanksgiving, so I'll stop the tomox a couple weeks before that, but I'm worried.  I'm sure the surgery won't make things any better.  I've decided to treat it with exercise and I'm hoping I start feeling a little relief soon.  Anyone on the other side of this?  How long does it take for the body to adjust? 

tinkertude

Heather I am so sorry you had to go through that. Yes I have heard that can be a side effect of the Tam, I am so sorry you had to go through it though... best wishes

ROMANSMA.. I absolutley get the flat moods and the lack of concentration also having issues with memory too. I did not have these issues b4 Tamoxifen so I am sure it is it. I have been on it for about a year and have come off of it a few times for surgery. Splitting the dose to am and pm doses help some but the moods and foggy feeling i guess id call it have hung out. I exercise everyday and figured out I do better when busy and I will say some days are better than other so that is improvement. My Onc said most take 6 months to adjust.. but i think we all respond different. Good luck with your upcoming surgery!!!

survivor11

Romansma-have they got you on effexor? It does seem to help some. Just had my does doubled and that has helped the hotflashes and mood improve.

Romansma

Yes, my onc kept mentioning the effexor and I finally went and got it filled.  I took the half dose for the first week, then on day 7 went to the full dose.  That day I started getting these zaps in my head.  It happened about 4 times and really zinged me good.  I went back to the half dose for a couple of days and stopped.....scared me too much.

survivor11

Did you tell your MO about the zaps? How long ago did you try it? There may be other things you can try medically and there are alot of herbal remedies, but be sure to check with your MO first. I heard black cohosh (not sure if spelling is correct), helps.

mpeaches

Well, I'll be changing groups - my oncologist took me off Tamoxifen and put me on Arimidex.  The back pain (which we think - paws crossed - is a side effect of the Tamoxifen) was so intense that by the end of the day I was in tears.  Of course, if it doesn't abate in the next two weeks I go in for more tests........

Good luck to everyone on the Tamoxifen!  

Sherryc

Heather-- Sandee on here had a heart attach after getting on Tamox.  I think it was a blood clot.  She still visits us here so maybe she will come on and you can ask her.  Or search for her Sandeeonherown.  Of course they took her off of tamox and now she is on a Al.

My hotlfashes have gotten so bad.  They are really effecting my sleep.

carberry

I was so worried about getting blod clots that I asked my onc if I could take a baby aspirin every day while on tamox and he gave me the ok.  fingers crossed it keeps my blood thin.

I got my period today...aaaahhhh.... four months on tamox.  at 53 why doesnt my body just give it up already!!!?

Sherryc

Just got off the phone and scheduled my 6 month mammo and US.  Was suppose to be an MRI but they are just to darn expensive so asked the MO if I could opt out for a US this time around and he said OK.  Hopefully this will be the last time I get smashed.  I hope I am able to get my BMX before the next one is due. I hate this 6 month roller coaster ride.  I think I could live with it if I could see an end say a couple of years but at 49 and this is for life.  I think it stinks.

TAPPY

If you get an oopherectomy can you stop the tamox ?

 I am 52 and still having periods...I thought the tamox would stop all that...ugh

jo1955

Tappy - Even if you have the oopherectomy you would be smart in continuing with Tamoxifen.  The adrenal glands still produce estrogen and that is what we want to block.  My GYN put me through menopause at 52 - am 56 now and sure don't miss them.

Panmars

TAPPY, jo is right. After an ooph, you can stay on tamox, or switch to an AI. I'm 5 weeks post-ooph, and staying on tamox for now. 

LovesChristmas-Barb

I've been on tamox for 16 days now and my ovaries are hurting like they did way back when I took Clomid trying to get pregnant. I'm 53 and I was starting to have irregular periods but now I'm wondering what will happen.

Panmars

Dang, I hear a lot of women say they start to have ovary trouble after starting tamoxifen. And I hear from the doctors "No, tamoxifen doesn't cause ovarian cysts." Well, my experience is that it DOES, and clearly I'm not alone. Why do doctors say that? There are even studies that say pre-menopausal women on tamox have a higher risk of developing ovarian cysts. Aaahhh! How frustrating.

jo1955

Panmars - Just like they deny that fibroid tumors are not caused by taking Tamoxifen.  My GYn did a transvaginal US after I had been on it for 5 months and the US showed a 1.5 cm tumor and and very thick uterus.  Had to go in for more surgery - a hysteroscopy and a D&C.  So go figure!!

Panmars

Yikes, jo. I still have my uterus, and when I see my GYN next month, I'm going to ask about getting a transvaginal US, just to check. Tamox messed up my ovaries, so I wonder if it will do the same to my uterus.

Sherryc

glad I don't have a uterus and so far so good on my ovaries.  I always had very bad cyst before having my uterus removed but after that it got better.  So glad I have not had any more troubles.  Sorry for those of you that are having problems with the uterus and ovaries.

Scuba_duchess

Know now, when I go to meet with ob/Gyn specialist post BMx am going to likely push at a minimum for ooph. At 46 still way pre-menopausal, took the pill for last 12 years and didn't get periods. Hating life since DX in May when they said no more pill. Got through BMx in August, waiting for exchange in January, started tamoxifen this week. Seeing ob/Gyn specialist for consult at end of this month and want full scope of issues and options on table. Being able to look at the issues raised here makes me feel more prepared and better able to ask questions and advocate for myself (best gift from all of BCO is to know to do that).



Thanks and be well,

Lisa