Tamoxifen vs holistic

Karenlynn

I am schedualed to start tamaxifen in 2 weeks. However,the more I review it , the less I want to do it. Is there anyone who has gone the other route(Natural) ? Please give me your imput as I am very confused. Thank-you Karenlynn

nancyh

Karenlynn,

You'll get lots of feedback on this question I'm sure.  I'll kick things off by saying that I am a big proponent of Tamoxifen and WISH I would have taken it religiously back when I was stage 2.  I'm stage 4 now, with mets to my liver, lungs, and spine.  I'm 41 years old and my prognosis is not great.

I know people talk about the side effects of tamoxifen, but as one oncologist explained it to me, it is about the same as birth control pills.  And...if you end up with stage 4, you'll be dealing with a heck of a lot worse side effects than tamoxifen can dish out.

Good luck, I hope you'll strongly consider taking tamoxifen.  It is a proven, safe treatment. 

kira1234

Karenlynn, I'm going to be starting AL's today more than likely. I see the Onc. today. I understand your fears, I have them as well, but I don't want to play around with alternatives unless the SE's prove to much. As nancyh said, if we end up with stage Iv we'll be dealing with a lot worse side effects.

Claire_in_Seattle

Karen, I have no idea what your diagnosis is, but I will say that the more advanced your cancer was, the more important it is to take Tamoxifen.  I urge you to go to the Cancermath site which will help you understand the true benefit.

I also don't believe that diet can do the same thing that any of the hormonal drugs does.  The NP explained this concept to me when they perscribed acidophilous pills to me with an antibiotic.  I asked about yogurt, and she said I would have to eat something like 50 gallons to get the same benefit.  (I may have the quantity incorrect, but you get the point.)

These really are wonder drugs for any of us who are ER+.  I have a friend who didn't get Tamoxifen at the get-go and got lung mets.  She is just fine as long as she takes hormonals, and has been NED for more than 10 years.  It can be that important.

Remember too that most of us do well on any hormonal therapy.  A minority of women have severe symptoms, but most are minimal.  With Arimidex, I have a slight dry mouth and a bit of achiness.  That's all.  I think it is well worth it, as I am 50% more likely to be here in 10 year's time if I take it.  A major no brainer.  - Claire

thenewme

Hi KarenLynn,

Since my breast cancer is triple negative, Tamoxifen is not an option for me.  I wish I had the option, honestly.

You'll get some very passionate responses to this issue, I'm sure. 

If you have some specific concerns about Tamoxifen, and/or if you wouldn't mind sharing more details about your situation, you will likely get more specific information that may help with your decision. So much depends on your unique circumstances and in the end, the best you can do is sort through all the information, being sure to look at both "sides" of the issue with an open mind, and then work with your treatment team and make the decision that is right for your situation.

Best of luck!

Member_of_the_Club

There have been several threads about this recently and the debate can get ugly.  My advice would be to try it for 6 months (enough time to get past the temporary side effects) and see how you are tolerating it.  Most women do just fine.  I was on it for the full 5 years without a problem.  If it really is going badly for you, you can discuss alternatives with your oncologist.

gutsy

I have my concerns about tamoxifen also and discussed it with the MD who does integrative complimentary cancer care. She said that in the ten years she has been in practice, she has seen minimal side-effects from tamoxifen for most women as they were also doing complimentary therapies. I had expected her to say something like, there are lots of natural complimentary therapies you can do instead of the tamoxifen, but she did not. I think it is important to look at what else you can do to minimize potential side-effects.