Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

Jeanne_D

I don't think it is a side effect of tamox, but, I don't know for sure.  I do believe though, that with dealing with all that we do with bc, that it sure could help us.  I have never been on any, but, it just seems like so many are and that it helps them.  I guess I have always been afraid of them and then when I read that if you take certain ones with tamox, it doubles your chance of a recurrence, it made me very leary of them.  But, some days, I just feel like I could sure use something to help me.  So confusing..

Jeanne_D

LOL @ Shelley with "warm" flashes! 

LindaSueH

My onc wanted me to start on a low dose of Effexor 2 weeks prior to my starting the tamox to help with the hot flashes.  I take it every night, but still have issues with those stupied hot flashes!  Maybe they would be worse w/o the effexor???

New Question......I have been on my tamox for 1 month, and have noticed a ton of furry light hair all over my face.  What can I do to get rid of it, or will it go away on it's own....does anyone know?????

My exchange surgery is next Thursday and I cannot wait to get these hard expanders out!!!

Hugs,

Linda

Anonymous

Linda, I haven't seen that listed as a side effect of Tamoxifen, but I have heard of women dealing with that temporary side effect for a short time after chemo.  You might want to check the chemo threads for more a more detailed answer.

Susie09

I don't know that facial hair is a side effect of tamox Linda.  You might ask your oncologist.  I am still just having the headache, but, have been taking Excedrin to get rid of it. 

Good luck with your exchange!  Let us know how you do when you can.  Really happy for you!

Susie

Susie09

Keno, so sorry about your Mom.  I lost my Mom and it is so hard..............

Susie

Susie09

I want to wish everyone a Happy Veteran's Day today!  A special thanks to all of our troops overseas and here at home.  Thanks to all of the Veterans!

Susie

CatbirdC

Good Morning All,

Linda ~~  It says on here that another hormone drug they use called Halotestin can cause facial

hair growth but I didn't see Tamoxifen listed. 

Mumayan ~~  Depression IS one possible side effects of the Big T.   I'm sure that would be

classified as a mood change.  You can find info right on here about depression and the T.

Susie~~  I'm with you on the moderation thinking.  Surely we're not supposed to just join the

nunnery....although that wouldn't be all bad, but our husbands or whomever might miss us

a tad !!!!!!!

CatbirdC  Bonnie

Susie09

HaHa Bonnie on the nunnery!  Yes, I do think our hubby's would miss us.  Or, they had better!  hmmmmmmmmmm  I gave up falling down drunk a few years ago.  OR, did I?  hmmmmm again

You have a great day Bonnie!  Your posts always put a smile on my face!

Susie

don23

Linda - I have noticed since I started taking Tamoxifen that I have "furry light hair" as well. I have been on tamoxifen for 3 1/2 months now. I did not do chemo. I don't know if it's here to stay or it goes away. Maybe someone here can answer that!

Jeanne_D

I don't have the fuzzy light hair, or, not yet.  Happy Vet's Day!

Jeanne

PattiB

Mammo and onc appointment today - My onc says I am "Cancer-Free"  Yeah!!!  It is one year ago today that I had my bad mammo - glad that year is behind me.

I am having my effexor up from 37.5 to 75 for my hot flashes.  I will let you know if this helps with them more than the lower dose.

pkb143

PattiB, woo-hoo!!  Congrats!!!

Harley44

PattiB...

happy Cancerversary! 

Good luck with the Effexor.  My onc won't let me take Effexor, because when I started tamoxifen, he asked me how bad were the hot flashes.  I said, not too bad, so he said that I would have to stop the Effexor.  It also interferes with the CYP26 or whatever...   but to a lesser extent...

Susie09

A big, old, huge CONGRATS Patti B!   That is so great!  I bet you are celebrating that news! 

Susie

Susie09

You know, I just love this thread! Everyone is so kind and respectful of each other!  And, I can even get a laugh out of it, so, I know that is good.

Anyone do anything special for Veteran's Day today? 

Susie

zachmomma

hello again!  been lurking and doing LOTS of reading, wow, it took me forever to catch back up!

been taking tamox for almost a year and next Tuesday (11/17) I am scheduled to have ovaries removed and hysterectomy (BRCA1 +).  My dilemma is "what next??"  My ONC has mentioned that he does not want me taking hormones after the surgery but GYN says small dose "less than your body produces naturally".  ONC mentioned changing from tamox but I cannot remember what he mentioned replacing it.

Kinda freakin out about the possible SE after surgery without hormones, weight gain, hair growing where it shouldn't, etc... 

Also, anyone have any idea what recovery time is?? GYN says 3 weeks but boss wants me back at work 11/30...

Patti

Jeanne_D

Hi Patti!  I have only been on tamox for a couple of months and I still have my ovaries etc.  So, I really can't offer much advice to you.  I am ER and PR positive, so, estrogen, any amount, is not good for me.  But, even with your ovaries removed, your body will still produce it.  There is estrogen even in fat cells.  I think if you are post menopausal, they put you on the Al's. 

Good luck with your surgery!

Jeanne

BooBee

Hey Jeanne.....good to see you back.  I've been on Prozac for 20+ years.  You can't take Prozac while on Tamox so DR moved me to Effexor.  I've had no problems at all.  It's suppose to help with hot flashes as well but I doesn't seem to help mine much.  Eating well makes a big difference for me.

Kashcraft

revkat -

In response to "Does anyone know, if you have had a good response to other drugs that use the cyp2d6 pathway is that a good indication that you are metabloizing tamoxifen too? Like just one bendryl knocks me out, and years ago when I was on Paxil, the lowest dose was very effective."

Tamoxifen is a CYP2D6 prodrug that has to be activated by CYP2D6 to work. Paxil and Benadryl are not prodrugs, you take them in an active form and they are converted by CYP2D6 into something your body can eliminate. Needing low doses of non-prodrugs is a potential indicator of reduced CYP2D6 enzyme activity. (this powerpoint explains prodrugs versus non well)

In reference to your HMO refusing to pay for the test. If it is not because you do not have genetic testing coverage at all, ask for an appeal. If you want, you can list me as the contact person to appeal on your behalf - Kristine Ashcraft. I have fought with many an insurance company to get tamoxitest testing covered and won. A package of information I have used in the past is at http://www.tamoxitest.com/insurance.html. This information would also work to appeal for testing coverage with any lab that offers CYP2D6 testing.

revkat

Thanks Kristine. I appreciate the info.

Jeanne_D

Yes, thanks Kristine for all of that information!  Appreciate it!

Jeanne

bcamnb

Hi Kristine,

Is that insurance info only for USA folk? Anyone you know of who's been able to use it in Canada?

Cheers 

zachmomma

Good morning ladies!  Hope everyone has a wonderful Thursday, it's all downhill from here

Patti 

Susie09

Yes, Good Morning Everyone!  The sun is shining, the farmer's are getting the beans out of the fields!  YEA!  I actually think that I am getting less of the beetles/ladybugs in the house now!  Did I hear a YEA?  Yesssssssssssss..YEAAAAAAAAAAA!  Hopefully, they will move on soon and I will not see them again until next year at harvest time.  Ok, taking my excedrin, since I have another headache, but, that is the only side effect so far with tamox.  So, YEA to that too!  lol

Susie

Kashcraft

Hi Caroline:

I'm not aware of what is going on in Canada, but I am happy to help educate whovever is in charge of these decisions if you find out the process. Have you tried sumbitting your test receipt for reimbursement just to see what happens? This is the last I read about the state of things in Canada - http://bit.ly/3TLMt8.

Did you see this - http://bit.ly/jHj4Z Step 1 - CYP2D6 is needed to activate tamoxifen. Step 2 - a protein.

Kristine

PattiB

Thanks for all your posts!!!!

americanpinay

Hi ladies...

Congrats PattiB!!! Cheers!!!

I read somewhere that tangerine products inhibit Tamox. Yikes. I love oranges and have been eating them as part of a healthy diet. Does anyone have any research material on this?

Be well ladies.

Brendatrue

Just a quickie: Linda Sue, I've been taking Tamox since August. I had a brief flurry of facial hair growth around the same time that my eyebrow and eyelash growth was stunted, then seemed to stop. My facial hair seems "back to normal" now (although perhaps I need to get a magnifying mirror and look in the sunshine...) and my eyebrows and eyelashes have started growing again. I've mentioned before that I have had roving and vacillating side effects. For example, I had a really stiff neck for well over a month when I first started Tamox, then that slacked off and I noticed stiffness in another joint, then the neck stiffness reappeared (without any obvious signs of another cause). Vag secretions were like a geyser at first--except the flow was downward instead of upward--then lower, then higher again, now lower again. My biggest complaint has been fatigue, consistently, but that may be a little less now, or perhaps I've learned to cope with chronic fatigue. Also Patti B: Congrats on the good news! And to all others: greetings, and thanks for all your input and support!

shelleyr25

Brendatrue~ Interesting what you say about your neck...I have had problems in my right hip since I started on the tamox...If I give it a really good stretching it is fine but always tightens up again. I cant sit cross legged at all!! It is driving me nuts.I have the fatigue issue as well. I started rads today so I am really in for it.

PattiB~ Congrats!! Wonderful news!!!