Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

lala1

For me, turmeric and ginger for the joint/muscle pain from Tamoxifen. The magnesium glycinate helps with the pain as well as helps reduce hot flashes. Magnesium chloride to help with regularity which Tamoxifen seems to mess with for some. Probiotics because Tamoxifen sometimes makes me nauseous and bloated. Fish oil and baby aspirin because it can cause blood clots. And Vitamin D because most of us are deficient and the thought is that encourages cancer. Gotta love that stupid little pill!

Bcky

I started magnesium two days ago and a heavy dose of B12. My knees feel better today. I have been on Ginger and Tumeric quite a while.

Giazuc

Thank you momwritter for taking the time to reply. I'm gonna give magnesium a try. 10 years on tamoxifen, oh my goodness, I was hoping 5. Guess I better start getting used to it.

gardengypsy

Musosgirl~

We are in it together. I, too, will start my Tamoxifen this week.

Another thing we have in common: I switched from Paxil to Lexapro. I am happy to hear that Lex does not interfere with Tamoxifen. It was a good transition, so if your current RX continues to be a problem, try the Lex.

Good luck!

~gardengypsy

TinyDancer5

Thanks for the info about ginger and turmeric. Would the magnesium help with the weird tingling feeling (maybe it's peripheral neuropathy) in my toes and the muscle spasms/charley horse in my calves?

ORgal

Magnesium definitely helped get rid of my leg cramps - muscle spams/charley horses. They were really bad until I started to take it.

TinyDancer5

ORgal - which kind of magnesium helps with leg cramps?

ORgal

I was just taking the easy to get one, the oxide type. I just bought a different one to start trying to see if it will help more with the hot flashes, and still keep the leg cramps away.

ksusan

I use a magnesium citrate powder that you mix with water. It's working better for my cramps than magnesium carbonate. I'm about to try magnesium glycinate because if it works for me, it's less hassle than mixing up and drinking the magnesium citrate powder twice a day.

lala1

My holistic doc said magnesium glycinate for muscle and joint pain as well as hot flashes and magnesium chloride (SloMag) for regularity. I take both and have no problems!!

nccb

After almost 5 years of taking tamoxifen manufactured by Teva, the pharmacy refilled my Rx with tamoxifen mfg by Mylan. I feel like I am starting all over again - hot flashes, sleeplessness, moodiness to the point of rage (could be related to lack of sleep). After about 6 weeks it finally occurred to me that it could be due to a change in the manufacturer. I called the pharmacy about it and was told that Teva was having production issues and there was none to be found. Has anyone else had this happen to them when they changed manufacturers? and has anyone heard of a shortage or problem from Teva?

jojo9999

nccb

I do not know about any shortages from Teva, but when my harris teeter pharmacy switched me to a Watson brand (even though the bottle said Teva - the pill imprint number was Watson), I called Costco, gave then the pill imprint number that I wanted. They looked it up and said, yep, it is a valid number, and they had it for me in a few days. Harris Teeter has merged with Kroger, and I was told was caused the change. j

BBwithBC45

El_Tigre, I take melatonin, but only 3mg a night. I think it's helping me a little with sleep.

As far as magnesium goes, I was told by my MO to take magnesium oxide. I do not remember the reason behind it, but I've been taking it.

KateB79

I take magnesium malate and magnesium oxide. I think it helps with hot flashes, though I'm not so sure now that it's almost 85 degrees and about 90% humidity out there. . . HOLY SWEAT, Batman.

Re: brands - I was switched, by my pharmacy, from Teva to Mylan after a month on tamoxifen. The switch was brutal--tamoxi-rage, crying jags, depressed mood, more joint paint--but now I'm leveling off, I think. These things take time. . . .

gardengypsy

I am beginning  my Tamoxifen any day now. Gotta get over my fear of it, though.

molliefish

garden gypsy. I took a lot of deep breaths and then just jumped in. I'm about halfway through my second script ... so 4.5 months. I only have one minor side effect that I can't blame on something else (that's the damn gas but truthfully even that is subsiding). I was menopausal before cancer and chemo and Tam so I've been having hot flashes and sore feet for a long time. irritable- uh yeah, i had breast cancer and I'm a little po'd about it, lack of sleep..yes, stress, breast cancer, husband who snores at about 20 decibels..

You won't know til you try. And if it's really that bad, you can quit. Not one of us here will tell you any different. it's a very personal choice ....

ksusan

Every morning before I take it, I say, "Thank you, Tamoxifen."

gardengypsy

molliefish and ksusan~

I appreciate your responses, and yes, molliefish, I also know what the menopausal symptoms feel like already.

I like the idea of thanking the Tamoxifen.

~gardengypsy

Trvler

I just got a new bottle and I have noticed fewer hot flashes. I was out of out town but I am going to research to see if they gave me a different brand. I can't even tell what brand I am taking. Sometimes I get it in a sealed bottle and sometimes not.

gardengypsy

It's scary to think that a different brand would cause different side effects. I hope they all act  on Esteogen the same way!

Bcky

nccb

That happened to me. I was given a bottle of Mylan my last refill. I went in and told the pharmacist I need Teva or Watson as the Mylan has increased my knee pain to the point where it is very difficult to walk. I was told Teva is no longer making Tamoxifen. I said that I did not care what really has happened but I cannot take Mylan. They will put me on Watson my next RX refill.

StillWater

I take melatonin all the time. It does work to help falling asleep but not staying asleep. I have tried silonor, a prescription non-habit forming sleep aid, and it works well. I just don't want to use it all the time and then there's the cost.

My onco precribed 10 mg of Brisdelle/Paxil (I believe is in the same drug family as Lexapro, Effexor). I took 5 mg at night and the next day I was so tired my jaw hurt from yawning. There's also other side effects and since my blood pressure is already too low (naturally and from Lumigan eye drops) adding Paxil wasn't working for me. 10 mg of Paxil, which is a way lower dose than what is usually prescribed (for other issues like depression?, sorry not informed) has been shown to lessen hot flashes but not in everyone.

gardengypsy

Stillwater

Are you still on the Paxil?  Certain anti-depressants lessen Tamoxifen's effectiveness.

I switched from Paxil to Lexapro. Ask your doctor.

~gardengypsy

KateB79

ksusan, I feel the same way. I thank that little bugger every night, and then it's down the hatch.

Update for those who are just starting: most of the SEs, other than the hot flashes, seem to lessen as time goes on. I have my fingers crossed, per usual.

ksusan

I'm doing a magnesium experiment. I took magnesium glycinate (capsules) instead of magnesium citrate (powder dissolved in liquid) for the weekend. Almost immediately I noticed a return of what I think of as "surface electrical" sensation and mild superficial cramping in my calves when using glycinate at the level recommended on the bottle. I'll continue to play with dosage but if I need more to get the desired effect, citrate is less expensive and more effective for me, even though powder is more of a hassle when I'm away from home.

Trvler

I am not sure what I think about melatonin. I think most people can fall asleep on their own and have trouble staying asleep.

ksusan

My ND really wanted me to use melatonin because breast cancer and low melatonin are correlated (note: causality isn't established). I find it causes me rebound wakefulness, but typically after a period of deep sleep, so I'm willing to continue it until I have some reason not to.

LynnBM

gardengypsy I'm starting Tamoxifen today! I'm so nervous I just keep looking at the bottle. Have you started yet and if so have you had any SE?

iammags

Lynn- I started today, too. Woot woot! Hopefully it'll all go well and no SE's

gardengypsy

ksusan

My naturopath said the same thing - breast cancer, sleep and melatonin. She prescribed 20 mg.

-~gardengypsy