Tamoxifen makes me sick -- literally

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Peggy802
Peggy802 Member Posts: 5
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer

I've been on tamoxifen for about a year.  I had herceptin up to August 09.  I've been waiting for my constant low-grade nausea to go away (and it hasn't).  The doc switched me to Femara, which I couldn't tolerate at all.  When he told me to go back on tamoxifen, I became really depressed.  I've stopped both medications for the time being and my nausea has finally eased.  It looks like I might go back on tamoxifen sometime in the future, but I'm dreading it.  Has anyone else experienced nausea related to tamoxifen.  Any hints on dealing with nausea?

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited February 2010

    My heart goes out to you.  I know you will follow your heart about further treatment with it and make a wise decision about Your life.  For a drug which most can take and have a fine quality of life with no side effects, it's always so sad when we are the one who gets the side effects.  Been there.

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  • gratefulsurvivor2008
    gratefulsurvivor2008 Member Posts: 14
    edited March 2010

    I am sorry to hear that you are having a tough time with tamoxifen. I have been on it a little over two years and the first year was the worst. I was constantly plauged by hot flashes that typically began every morning at either 3:30 or 4:30 AM. Fortunately, I discovered that as long as I exercise fairly regularly, I am able to keep them at bay. In the last year I have also experienced nausea upon taking it, which did not occur previously. In an effort to ensure that I remembered to take it daily, I had made it part of my routine and ingested it with my morning coffee. I now only take it after I have eaten breakfast which has eliminated the nausea. If taking it with food does not help, you want to consider eating ginger (either fresh or in capsule form) which seems to be quite effective in combating nausea and was helpful to me during chemo. I hope this helps. Good luck to you. 

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  • Bren-2007
    Bren-2007 Member Posts: 6,241
    edited March 2010

    Peggy ... I'm another one who had nausea from Tamoxifen.  It was severe and I tried different prescription anti-nausea meds, but they didn't help.  It also caused depression.  The daily vomiting and sadness were more than I could manage.  Armidex was the same, plus vertigo.

    I had a total hysterectomy prior to breast cancer and my cancer was Stage I, less than 1 cm, with 6 mm margins.  I had a lumpectomy and radiation.  I was 51 when diagnosed.  After much research and soul-searching, against my doctor's recommendations, I quit taking hormonal medications.  The overall benefit to me, with my specific diagnosis and age, was at best about 6%, which did not outweigh my quality of life issues for the next 5-10 years.

    I should also add, I tried the Tamoxifen at lower doses, different times of the day or night, with and without food ... anything I could think of. 

    I am not recommending this .. just sharing my decision.

    Best wishes ...

    Bren

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited March 2010

    I lasted 2.5 yrs. on tamox beginning at age 59.  I already had joint problems and tamox made this worse plus many other side effects we had tried to relieve without success.  My onc and I agreed that  my quality of life was more important.

    There was no testing available at that time to determine effectiveness for me, personally.  It was just a decision I had to make. 

    I suppose nausea for a few months would be acceptable if you're pregnant, but I am unsure if I could do it myself for tamox.

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  • Peggy802
    Peggy802 Member Posts: 5
    edited March 2010

    Thanks everyone for your thoughts and ideas.  It really, really helps to know that I am not alone in this experience, that I'm not crazy (even though sometimes my oncologist looks at me like I am).

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  • saskie
    saskie Member Posts: 205
    edited March 2010

    Peggy I got really sick on Tamoxifen - they decided to do surgery and remove my ovaries which does the same thing as Tamoxifen - Now I am only taking calcium and vitamin D and my stomach is finally starting to settle down. 

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited March 2010

    Sorry, saskie, estrogen is also produced in the adrenal gland as well as fat cells of our bodies.  So removing the ovaries is Not the same as taking tamox, which keeps cells from absorbing Any  estrogen, from any part of the body.

    +

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  • BrittaA
    BrittaA Member Posts: 56
    edited April 2010
    Hi Peggy802, Thinking of you as I read this thread and hoping that treatments are going fine. I wanted to let you know that I suffered terribly from nausea when I was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin's Disease. I could find very little information on dealing with the side effects of chemo treatment so I started a blog, www.cincovidas.com, that is a resource for other cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers. I did a post that deals with nausea and natural solutions to cope with it during your treatment http://blog.cincovidas.com/chemo-side-effect-nausea-vomiting—we-have-natural-solutions . I also did a post on what to eat when you have no appetitie http://blog.cincovidas.com/i-have-no-appetite-on-chemo-tips-to-help-keep-the-calories-up I hope this helps. Love, strength and survival - Britta
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