Tamoxifen for life

SL448

I am 47 now. I was diagnosed BC at 37.

My period came back last week after stopping tamoxifen for three months. I took tamoxifen from 3/2019 for almost 9 years. I attended the GYN appointment today and I was suggested to keep on taking tamoxifen until completely menopause then switch to another medicine for post menopause.

She said I am still young, I should not give up tamoxifen. May I ask if anyone still taking it after 10 years!

Thanks

farmerlucy

I would want an opinion from an oncologist. I think I'd also “Ask the Expert" on the Johns Hopkins Breast Cancer site and see what they suggest, or who they'd recommend you follow up with.

Lisey

I was diagnosed at 41 and my oncologist says the default should be 5 years only.  At five years, I'll take the endopredict test to see if I need another 5 years or can stop.  But the optimal plan is to switch from Tamox to AIs after about 3 years because Tamoxifen can stop working.  I decrease my recurrence rate 3% if I switch to an AI... so I'm getting a hysterectomy/ooph in Nov (at 43.5 years old).  Tamox gave me a fibroid and there's increased uterine lining which has a small chance for uterine cancer.   So in November, I'll move to an AI and stay on that for the last 2.5 years.. then take the test to see if I should continue. 

SL448

@farmerlycy Yes, I have scheduled to see my oncology this week. In fact, he told me I would stop to take anymore tamoxifen after taking it for 10 years.

@Lisey. Tamoxifen gives me a lot of side effects. I really don’t want to take it anymore. No matter what I still insisted to complete it for 9 years, however, GYN told me I need it for a whole life. My god! After stopping it for a few months, I really feel myself back to normal. I don’t want it :

NotVeryBrave

My MO told me that the recommendation for five years would probably be increased to ten. And that by the time I reached ten years, they'd probably recommend it for life. What?

I've read conflicting info on that. And a second opinion MO said five years and if no problems with it then continue for five more. BUT - if having SE's then stop. I'm trying to gear myself up to even try starting the initial run again!