what's so bad about Tamoxifen?

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Sunflower64
Sunflower64 Member Posts: 166
edited June 2014 in IDC (Invasive Ductal Carcinoma)
what's so bad about Tamoxifen?
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  • Sunflower64
    Sunflower64 Member Posts: 166
    edited October 2009

    hello,

    it seems like everything i read on here about tamoxifen is bad. what are the bad SE's?  i'm scared because i will be taking it soon.

    thanks,

    diane

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  • jancie
    jancie Member Posts: 2,631
    edited October 2009

    According to my oncologist, worse case scenario - blood clots and uterine cancer but that is really a minimum percentage 1-2% and when  you look at the benefits of Tamoxifen - personally I think taking it outweighs the cons.

    Hot flashes, mood swings are the most common SE's that I have read up on the past week.  Those SE's are nothing compared to what I endured going through chemo.  I am on my 2nd week of Tamoxifen - it is definately doable for me.

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  • Sydney6
    Sydney6 Member Posts: 172
    edited November 2009

    I am happy to take that pill everyday!  I did not have chemo due to a low Onco Dx score so I feel like it is all I have to protect me at this point.

    Sue

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2009

    I start it next week, but know lots of women personally (too many women in my community with breast cancer!) and all have felt fine on it.

    I do not expect to have any significant issues.

    I think there are women that have had some (rare) side effects, and overall the biggest issue is fear - and not wanting to take a pill.  

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  • Warrior517
    Warrior517 Member Posts: 355
    edited November 2009

    I have been on it a year w/nearly no side effects. You may want to find out if you metabolize the drug properly. Mayo has a test that lets you know if you are a extensive, intermediate or poor metabolizer. I fell into the intermediate so I may have them up my dose a bit...we will see at next appt. There is lots of blogs on metabolizing this drug. But, overall, do not FEAR it!! I am doing just fine on it!

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  • scrapmom40
    scrapmom40 Member Posts: 165
    edited November 2009

    I have been taking it for about a year and a half.  No real side-effects other than the hot flashes and I had weight gain (which I have recently lost with changes in diet).  I know there are alot of women who have lost weight on tamoxifen, but I was not that lucky.  I am an intermediate metabolizer but my oncologist suggested I stay on it so that's what I am doing.  Not crazy about taking it for another 3+ years, but also feel like I have to trust the doctors that say the benefits out weigh the risks.  Good Luck.  Here's hoping you do not have any SE's.

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  • JanMarch
    JanMarch Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2009

    I've been taking tamoxifen since April and in the beginning I had hot flashes and night sweats.  But those have subsided and are pretty infrequent.  I've lost over 30 pounds since July by changing my diet.  Like Sue, I'm happy to take it since I didn't have chemo.

    Good luck!

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2009

    I have been on tamox since August and really the only main se's I notice are hot flashes, some periodic insomnia and a little achyness in my joints every now and then.  Really nothing huge at all, and I am very sensitive to most medicines.

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