What time of day do you take Tamoxifen?

mitziandbubba

I was taking it at night before bed, hoping to sleep through side effects. Now I am realizing that I am not sleeping when around when my period is due to arrive. So now I am trying in the morning in the hopes of sleeping through the night again.

What works best for you?

pupmom

I've always taken it in the a.m., but am way past menopause. When I first started taking it I had fierce hot flashes, no other s.e.s, but that has subsided completely.

DorothyB

I started taking 10 mg at night. When I tried to ramp up, I took the extra in the morning and kept getting nausea 25 - 27 hours after taking the extra.

Then I started taking just 12.5 mg at night. I had trouble sleeping - which had been an issue off & on before cancer also. I also had a lot of muscle cramps, some hot flashes and turned into a zombie. I went back to 10 mg at night.

Then I switched and have been taking the 10 mg in the morning. When I switched, that meant taking one pill 9 hours early. I had slight nausea the next day, but it hasn't returned other than very slightly now and then. So, still taking it in the morning and still having trouble sleeping.

mitziandbubba

Thanks pupmom! I am in perimenopause so still get my period for now. I took it for the first time in the late morning so I will try that for a bit an see how I do. I thought that if I took it at night I would sleep through any side effects for some reason! I originally thought anxiety was responsible for my sleep issues but I'm less anxious than I was during and right after treatment. I think it is the Tamoxifen b/c I am having hot flashes now when I wake up.

mitziandbubba

DorothyB I am sorry you are still having issues! I am hoping that changing the time if day could help with sleep. Otherwise I have to do something about the sleeping b/c it is really affecting me big time. I went to bed before 10pm last night and slept until 8 but of course, about 3 hours of that were tossing and turning. I have no trouble falling asleep at all and I can get back to sleep once I wake up, but I wake up at least 5 times in the night when my period is on the way. So I'm not getting great quality sleep. My husband even told me he listened to me for a few hours one night when I thought I was sound asleep but he said I was constantly tossing and turning. So I'm not sleeping well even when I think I am.

WC3

I take it in the morning.

mitziandbubba

I took it in the morning yesterday and I did sleep better. I only woke up once but it was at 5am - Sleeping 10.30 to 5 is actually decent. I was able to get back to sleep after that for a bit too. I took again in the morning today so hopefully it will be ok tonight. Some nights I wake up 5 and 6 times so this is better.

bcincolorado

I had 2 pills and did one first thing in the morning and one at night. It helped minimize SE from meds and kept levels even.

mitziandbubba

bcincolorado - thanks for your input. I wonder if my onc might let me have 2 pills. For the last few days I have taken Tamox in late morning. I slept beautifully last night, better than in months (although I did wake up to pee which is annoying)

DorothyB

You can also split the pills in half

mitziandbubba

DorothyB I may try this. All I know is, I'm feeling much better today than I have in a very long time.

mitziandbubba

And update - taking Tamoxifen in the morning has been WAY better! I am sleeping through the night every night now. The only issue is that I want to be in bed very early but this is only on days that I workout. Which lately is almost every day! Then I sleep like a baby thank goodness.