Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

MissTW

A bit off topic but I wanted to share my youngest daughter made her Confirmation yesterday.

 It was very emotional for me as I recall praying to God after my colon cancer 2007 and then my recent breast cancer diagnosis. All I wanted was to be present at my daughter's confirmation and see my oldest daughter graduate from high school. I have been truly blessed this year!

I am fortunate to feel great and wake up every morning even with my hot flashes, frequent urination and intestinal issues. Have a fabulous day ladies!!

June2268

Teklya I am not sure how long you have been on Tamox but the first 3-4 months I had awful headaches but believe it or not they did go away.....I heard it was  a SE and just kept popping ibuprofen......hope it gets better soon.....and seriously my memory is shot so maybe it wasn't even 3-4 months but 2-3......good luck!

June2268

Miss TW what intestinal issues are you having???

Sherryc

Miss TW-My DH and I used to work with the kids during confirmation class.   It was so exciting to see the kids that really took it seriously and grew during the process. I remember getting all choked up when they did confirmation and we were not their parents.  It is a true blessing.

I switched taking my tamox to the morning as of Saturday. I know today is only #4 but gee I think my hot flashes and insomnia have gotten worse.  I can't wait to see my MO on Friday. However I'm sure he will want me to start taking Effexor.  But I have kinda come to the conslusion that it is better than taking a sleeping pill every night.

tinkertude

MISTW..Thats wonderful congrats to yOur daughter. It is a very emotional  time. My daughter received Confirmation 2 yrs ago and now she is training to facilatate her 2nd Confirmation retreat in 2 weeks... very wonderful time.. God Bless her!

JUNE..How are you doing today my friend?? hugs!

Hi sherry!

JO..... HELLOOOOOOO

June2268

Tink I finally got my period yesterday so lets hope whatever is going on with my stomach gets resolved soon too....my US isn't until Friday so it a wait and see but even though it is a constant tummy ache I am happy today that should account for something right......

Harley44

Sorry so many of you seem to be having headaches, intestinal issues, and tummy troubles... OH MY!

June, I will be thinking about you, on Friday, and hope the u/s will give some clues to what is wrong.

I am meeting one of my breast friends for dinner tonight and maybe going shopping tomorrow with her....   I wish MORE of my sistahs would come down to the Myrtle Beach area, so we could meet!

Harley

jo1955

June - Hope you get the tummy settled down soon.  Will be thinking about you on Friday - you will have to let us know the results.

Sherry - Sorry to hear that Tammi is still giving you fits.  I would hate to think you have to take another pill - Effexor - but I am told it is good for relieving hot flashes.  I have to take Lyrica to offset the SE of toe joint pains.  Guess we gotta do what we gotta do to get through this.

tinkertude

HARLEY.... I will be down in June yeah!!!! cant wait

JUNE glad to hear your having a good day that makes me smile too!

June2268

Tink come fly up here and get me so I can go with you ladies as well......or better yet sprinkle some Pixie dust and poof I am there.....

Teklya

I take half a tablet at breakie and the other half at supper.  Thus far, I have had bad headaches, and slight flashes, but not severe at all.  My tummy is upset, but not sure why. I have only had 5 tablets in total so I understand it takes about a week to get into your system, let's hope there is no news down the road.

take good care and just breathe. . .

Teklya

jo1955

Teklya - Sherry was having the same tummy problems.  I told her I take mine all at once at breakfast with milk and it solved my tummy problems.   You may want to give that a try.  Even with the split dose a small glass many do the trick.

tinkertude

JUNE Oh sweetie how I would LOVE to do that!!!!

I hope this works for at least a happy week!!! and for more to come! hugs!

Sherryc

Teklya yes I had tummy issues at first as well.  I started mine on a Sunday and by Saturday was having tummy issues.  Was really bad by the time I saw my MO on Tuesday but I had so many other issues with the tammi that I did not make a huge deal of it. By Thursday I could not get to work until 10:30am.  So he took me off of it for three days and put me no reglan and then when I went back on tammi he put me on prolosec twice a day.  I have not had any additional tummy issues since then and I have back off on the prolosec to once a day when I take my tammi.  You might want to give prilosec or Zantac a try and see if it helps for awhile.

CandyB

Ladies, I haven't been on for a while, but find myself needing the BCO support network input again.  I have a birth control question and not sure where to ask this, thought I'd start here.  At the age of 51 I find myself having to think about birth control.  Now, it's a good thing that I have a reason to (I'm divorced and just starting back in the dating world).  I'm on tamoxifen and checked w/my oncologist.  She recommended a barrier method  -- condom, IUD, diaphragm.  It's been decades since I've had to think about this (my ex had had a vasectomy).  Any experience/thoughts on devices?  At my age and his age, 53, we probably don't even need it, but I'm really not willing to take that chance.  May also post with the 40-60 group.

Fran518

Has anyone had problems with their eyes?  I've had corneal ulcers, light sensitivity, blurred vision and eye pain the past three weeks.  Have been to the eye doctor 9 times and they are treating my eyes, but I'm wondering if the tamoxifin is the underlying cause of all this.  I read the eye problems that it can cause and some are very similar to what I've been having.  Have a call into my oncologist to see if I should change dosage or stop taking for awhile to see if my eyes get better - then we'll know for sure.

tinkertude

FRAN  I have some blurry vision on ocassion and eye strain. I went to the eye doc and he said all was well. He also "claims" that we usually have to be on Tam for year if we are going to get eye issues and it is rare, HOWEVER.. I never had those issues before I started the Tam and I have only been on it since sept.  how long have you been on Tam?

good luck to you!

scrapmom40

June - I am glad that my response helped you in some way.  I wish I had answers for you.  I am having a colonoscopy on May 18th.  I am hoping that leads to some kind of answers.  It sounds like your stomach issues might be worse than mine.  Mine typically lasts only a day or two, then goes away.  It can happen 1 or twice a week, but it doesn't typically last all week.  I noticed you mentioned getting your period.  I got mine the first week of February after not having one since October and haven't gotten yet this month. 

As far as Tamoxifen, it has been my experience that the doctors never want to admit anything we are experiencing is a side-effect of the medication.  Not sure why that is.  I never had stomach issues before, so why now?  If not from the medication, then what.  I start to go a little crazy trying to figure out what the cause could be.  Now I am thinking maybe it is licorice.  I do eat Twizzlers some times and maybe they don't digest well?  I know its grasping at straws and sounds ridiculous, but the nausea is enough to drive you bonkers!  Good luck with your Ultrasound.  Let us know how you make out.  I will be thinking of you.

 Take care,

Karen

JustmeAlicia

MISS TW ~ congrats on your daughter's Confirmation.  That is a special day that I am glad you got to celebrate !

Not sure if it was Jo or Tinks but I love the picture of the princesses.  Love the visual of US !

ECG ~ try not to get to upset with your foobs.  I know you are disappointed.  Don't settle get a revision until you are happy.  MY PS told me it sometimes takes more than 1 surgery to get it right.  Thankfully it only took me the second set of implants.  I switched from flat hard hamburger bun saline's to round silicone.  They are so much better.  I hope in time you get the results you are searching for.  You are beautiful no matter what !

June ~ glad you got your period.  I'm jealous !!!!  I found it so much easier to lose weight those brief 3 months I got my period back.  I hope your stomach feels better.  Maybe it was some major pms.  I will be thinking of you on Friday when you have your US and I hope they give you the results and don't make you suffer through the weekend. DEMAND it ~

Fran ~ I am not sure if my eyes are age related I'm going to be 44 in May, chemo, tamox?  But my eyes surely aren't what they used to be.  I wear magnifiers to read. 

It is supposed to friggin' snow here tomorrow.  grrrrrr.  But today the sun is shining, I have a Dunkin Donuts iced coffee in hand and my cleaning girls here !  Things are looking up. 

Have a good day tamoxibabes.

worldwatcher

Fran518

I just started on a low dose that I am increasing weekly...am now up to 15 mg/day.  I am having eye problems, but I live in an area where the pollen is just going crazy right now, so I'm pretty sure that's the main cause.  You might look into this as a cause for your problems.

I'm not sure if the Tami is even working for me..three weeks on it and not one SE yet, not even a warm flash. I am highly ER+ but am long past menopause, so I'm just hoping I may be one of the lucky ones.  Not counting my chickens for a couple of months yet, though.

tinkertude

Alicia  that was me Tink and her tinkerbell peeps... you ladies are the BEST!!!!!

SNOW?? where oh where is summer....

are you feeling better ALicia?

jo1955

Tink - We have summer like temps today - 85 degrees & breezy.  I have the capris and sandals on today.  Oh yea! I forgot to mention, the air conditioning is on as well.

worldwatcher - If you have no SEs don't complain - you are one of the lucky ones and I hope it stays that way for you.   If your ER+ percentage was high - that just tells you your prognosis for recovery.  My ER/PR percentage was 100%. 

redninrah

Hi- one thing i have noticed since ive been on Tamox is that Ive started to think more about small things, and stress out quickly. Im hoping this is temporary as I usually handle stress well and dont really think too much about things I Cant do anythign about......so is this related to hormones...not sure........LOL but Ive been on Tamox since Mid Feb.

No other SX's but - i plan to conquor this imbalance.........and try to be stress free. I went back to spinning last week and it was such a good work out

MissTW

Bloating and gas pains. Having my yearly colonscopy soon to make sure it has nothing to do with my 2007 colon cancer diagnosis. My gastro thinks it is due to the tamoxifen since it began recently. Thank you all for the kind words and blessings!

whitedove

Hello All:

It is amazing how fast this thread goes. Hope you don't mind me chirping back in after a long time away.  I just wanted to report that after a few months of taking two 10mg. doses (one a.m. and the other p.m.) I have had a huge reduction in all symptoms (nausea, dizziness, hot flashes, irritability).  I get only warm flashes now and nothing else to complain of!  Actually, a plus is that my complexion is much more even toned and brighter.  One big lifestyle change I made was to do more cardio exercise. It helps a great deal with the hot flashes and with that "creaky-boned" feeling the Tamox seems to cause for me.  I have been on Tamox now for 6 months (with a 2 week break as per my M.D. due to severe SEs above).  So, hang in there, it got a lot better for me, I hope it does for you.

Sherryc

Jo I am jelous about the capris.  Since I have lost so much weight none of mine fit and when I went shopping for some new ones they were not in the stores yet and have not had a chance to go shopping again.  So went online and purchased a couple of pair, I hope they fit.  They weather is ready for my capris I just was not.

The last couple of months have been really crazy for me, I finished rads and told you guys about my Dad.  What I did not tell you guys was also during all this my husband was having sever back and leg pain.  So MRI and then it showed a spot on his liver that thankfully with CT scan was B9 on to two specialist to find out that really his back is OK.  He has degenerative bone disease (spin) but OK for his age and the fact that he was a bullrider when he was in college.  Hurt his back and had to stop.  But what was the major cause is that he has neuropathy.  Runs in his family and now he realizes he has had it along time it just flair up with his back issue.  Back is OK now and they finally put him on medication yesterday and it is working  He has been in so much pain and the stress of everything was doing me in.  Maybe that has something to do with my insomnia  Oh well at least he is getting relief now.  He is not such a good patient.

jo1955

Sherry - I don't know of a husband that is a good patient.  Mine is horrible when he is sick.  He has a cold and it is a major ordeal in our house.  So glad hubby is okay and was able to find out what the back issues were.  Being a bullrider must have been hard on the body and I'm sure age is catching up with him.  Maybe now you can get some much needed sleep now that you have one less thing to worry about.  You have had more than your share to deal with.  But, you are strong and will make it through this.

I did find out what the real cause of my toe joint pain.  Evidently, I do have degenerative joint disease and it seems the Tamoxifen is making it worse.  It is causing joints in my hands to also flair up.  At least the Lyrica is helping.  I am going to have to call my MO to increase the dose though - 75 mg is a minimum dose and it is just not working good enough.  I am still in a lot of pain at night once I get off my feet.  I am going to do that in a couple of days when it is closer for me to get a refill then my MO can call in a new script.

swanseagirl

Hi all,

I wore flip flops today. And yes, my toes are FREEZING!  I make it a rule to get out of my boots come late March/April.  If I waited for warm weather in WA I wouldn't get my feet out until August.

Had a rough night last night. Didn't sleep due to hot flashes. They were constant through the night. I weighed myself. Thought I would have lost a few pounds. NOT.....

OK my memory is beyond bad.  I repeat myself all the time.  I'm playing memory games ect. However, most of the time I forget to play them.  It is so frustrating, especially when people try to finish my sentences.

Redninrah, I hear you on worrying over the small stuff. Before the Tamox the small stuff didn't bother me. Now I am getting worked up over the smallest of things.  I'm making a list of things to do, and start getting anxious over whether or not it gets done. Definitely hormonal. 

On a positive note, I didn't cry today over anything:)

Jules

JustmeAlicia

Tink ~ thanks for asking, I think your pixie dust worked ~ I am feeling much !

Sherry ~ whew, so glad to hear all is getting better with hubby's back.

Jules ~ Flip flops lucky you.  I cannot wait ! 

Have a good night all, wishing you no hot flashes and some sound sleep.  (hoping for some myself of course too)  LOL

Sherryc

Jules must be the position of the moon.  My hotflashes were horrible last night and I did not sleep very well either (already bad).  And then today the hot flashes were worse than normal.  Maybe tonight will be a better night for both of us.