tamoxifen

darla67
darla67 Member Posts: 6
edited June 2014 in ILC (Invasive Lobular Carcinoma)

ok ..so i am done with chemo and radiation and my onc wants me to tamoxifen.....what can i expect and why should i should i take it....

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited September 2010

    Tamoxifen  can reduce you risk up to 45 to 50%. After all you've been thru, it's like a little added insurance. I took it for 5 years and had very minor SEs, mainly hot flashes (I'm high risk due to LCIS and family history of bc-----mom had ILC and took tamox and is now a survivor of nearly 24 years without a recurrence. So tamox has definitely  worked for both of us.

    Anne

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  • darla67
    darla67 Member Posts: 6
    edited September 2010

    thank you anne....it helps to know others have benefitted....

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  • pickle
    pickle Member Posts: 1,409
    edited September 2010

    I think the benefit outweighs the risk for sure. I have a few side effects...leg cramps, moodiness, hot flashes...but honestly nothing bad enough to make me ditch it. Good luck and congrats with being done chemo and rads!

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  • Kleenex
    Kleenex Member Posts: 764
    edited September 2010

    Same here - not too hideous of side effects, and it kind of gives me something to blame if I'm having a bad day. It's a great tool to fight spread of hormone receptor positive breast cancer. You should consider taking it because it may give you peace of mind as it's been out there and tested for years and years - and because you CAN take it. I have a friend who was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer at age 39. She would LOVE to be able to have something to take so she could feel like she's still fighting the cancer...

    Congratulations on being done with radiation and chemo and hopefully all surgeries!

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  • zoey1
    zoey1 Member Posts: 42
    edited September 2010

    I was extremely reluctant to take Tamoxifen but I have to say the side effects haven't been bad. I do find if I drink more than one glass of wine I feel awful the next day since starting it 7 months ago. I began with 10mg. pills the first week and then moved to 20mg. pills which helped. 

    Warm wishes to all! 

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  • darla67
    darla67 Member Posts: 6
    edited September 2010

    thanks anne....do you ever drink at all...the new study posted on this sight scares me but i do like a wine.

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  • darla67
    darla67 Member Posts: 6
    edited September 2010

    Thx pickle

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  • darla67
    darla67 Member Posts: 6
    edited September 2010

    i never thought of it that way...still fighting brings some comfort...thx

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  • darla67
    darla67 Member Posts: 6
    edited September 2010

    i like wine...new studies say ilc is very sensitive to it and could cause recurrence...i know so many survivors thaat drink....whats your thought on that?

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