The Tamaxofin Pill

ccdh

Just wondering if you are on this pill or have taken it, have or did you experience any of the side effects? I know everyone is different but just curious.

I just started taken this pill and nothing yet but my Dr. has filled me in on some of the side effects and although I believe and respect him, he always seems to down play the cons.

I am more curious to see  what the ratio of woman experiencing the side effects are versus those of you who have been fortunate enough not to ( please include your age). I am 30 and have been told that 9 chances out of 10 I will experience menopausal like syptoms and my menstraul cycle will disappear. So again my curiousity has got the best of me.

Thank You and God Bless You

mbscruggs

Hi-

I am somewhat hesitant to reply, because things have been going well with me re. side effect with tamoxifen

I don't like to kick a sleeping horse.

I am pushing 47 (next month).  Have been taking tamox. since january 09.  I have a little more discharge than normal (but nothing awful) and have hot "flushes", not flashes...at this point I just get a wave of warmth that last 1 mintue or so.  Not too bothersome as I am on the thin side, and usually chilled!    I had already started pre-menopause, my periods were getting pretty wacky.  I had one in Jan and haven't had one since.

Best of luck to you.  I know it is hard to not worry about everything.  I am trying to let faith replace fear!

Mary Beth

Anonymous

I just finished my 5 years of tamoxifen in October. I tolerated it very well overall with mild SEs--mainly hot flashes  (i do remember one yeast infection very early on, but it was treated and never happened again); my situation was complicated--total hysterectomy 4 years ago---so my increase in SEs was due to the depletion of estrogen from the surgical removal of ovaries, not the tamoxifen.

Anne

orange1

Tamoxifen is a pro-drug; it must be metabolized from its inactive form (tamoxifen) to its active form called endoxifen.  The enzyme in your liver that is responsible for the transformation of inactive tamoxifen to active (effective) form endoxifen is call CYP2D6.

About 10% of caucasians are poor metabolizers and about 30% are intermediate metablizers.  The rest are extensive metabolizers.  Poor metabolizers, and possibly intermediate metabilizers may have poorer outcomes on tamoxifen because they do not metabolize it well.

There is a simple blood test that can tell you if you are an extensive (good), intermediate, or poor metabolizer.

See the thread on the Hormonal Treatment Forum, especially the thread titiled CYP2D6 Test and Tamoxifen.

Abbey11

I am 44 and started taking tamoxifen in January.  I have had almost no side effects.  I do seem to wake up in the middle of the night feeling too warm, but it's not really uncomfortable.  I had my period the day after I started the tamoxifen, then I didn't get it for 6 weeks.  It's been 29 days since then and I haven't had it. ??

My doctor says that 30% of women have no symptoms on tamoxifen.  This can be explained a bit by the 10% of women who are "poor metabolizers" based on the CYP2D6 test.  But that leaves 20% who are just lucky, I guess.  I have a friend who is 35 (closer to your age) and has been on tamoxifen for three years; she has no side effects.  Good luck!

lolatx

Hi I was diagnosed with BC in May 2007... almost my two year Anyways I began tomoxifen about 18 months ago I think and I have entered into menopause. That could have happened though because I had a compelte hysterectomy. Besides the hot flashes, nothing to bad. I think the worst part of the tamoxifen is that I have very achy bones, I am only 40, it feels like I have the bones of a 60 year old. My legs get up they crack, my back is killing which I think is the worst because I always have that fear that what if it has gone to my back? I go though for CT's, MRI's etc and it doesn't show anything. I talked to my dr's about stopping the drug, but so far the good seems to outweigh the bad.

Good luck! 

roseg

Tamoxifen will give you menopausal sympthoms - like irregular/missing periods, hot flashes- but it does not put you into menopause. Only time and age, or sometimes surgery, will do that.

Even if you don't have a lot of sympthoms it doesn't mean that it's not working.

SuzyG

I was on Tamoxifen for four months.  Switched to Femara becuase I had a total hysterectomy.  While on Tamoxifen I didn't have any problems. 

marlenet

Hi

That is nice to hear..about the s/e.  I started Monday... I know a few ladies who were on it with no or very little s/e as well.  The one i hated to read about was the blood clots.  I guess less then 1% develop that.. That scared me at 1st. 

Stephanie-5

My sister (38) was diagnosed last October - she has been on Tamoxifen since then.  Her pain is tremendous to the point of non-functioning.  She takes the Tamoxifen in the morning, has the Aredia IV every four weeks.  She's tried morphine, fentynol patches, dilaudid, tylenol 3, percoset.  She hates them all.  She has a strong constitution and tolerence for pain but this can't possibly be normal.  She can't function - she's sick to her stomach most of the time, doesn't sleep, paces the floors at night when she can walk and is unable to do anything more than just suffer with this pain.  Ironically enough - her bone scans indicate the Tamox is working and working well beause her bone mets are shrinking in both size and density.  I'm debating on calling her oncologist myself because I don't think she actually knows how debilitated she is.