Any "older women" on tamoxifen?

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Triciaski
Triciaski Member Posts: 145
edited June 2014 in Older Than 60 Years Old With Breast Cancer

I've read a lot about the side effects of tamoxifen in the Hormonal Therapy forum, but I'm wondering if the side effects might be worse for younger women. Are any of my older sisters here taking tamoxifen?

I stopped Arimidex because of the horrible SEs. My oncologist seems to think tamoxifen is just fine and thinks there should be less SEs. I hope so.

Tricia

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  • Jelson
    Jelson Member Posts: 1,535
    edited July 2009

    I am soon to be 59, just finished rads today and will be starting tamoxifen in a few weeks. Tamoxifen is the standard of care for ER+ DCIS ( my diagnosis) regardless of menopause status. I asked my med onocologist about AIs and he said NO, I asked about SEs for post menopausal women and he said up until recently everyone ER+ was offered Tamoxifen, so studies on Tamoxifen SEs included pre/post menopausal women. I am curious too because the Tamoxifen SEs sound as individualized/variable as ordinary crazy-making menopause symptoms.I don't look forward to 5 more years of hot flashes, but who knows what would have been or what will be!

    Good luck to you!

    Julie 

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  • Jorja
    Jorja Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2009

    Hi Tricia,

    I'm 72 and have been on tamoxifen since Oct. 08. Having a hard time with hot flashes during the summer and ask for some suggestion. Got some good replies and going to start by taking magnesium. This is my second time around and the first time was 14 years ago and was on HRT before the diagnosis. It's going to get better hang in there.

    Jorja

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  • Triciaski
    Triciaski Member Posts: 145
    edited August 2009

    I've been on tamoxifen for over a month now, and other than hot flashes, I don't have any side effects -- in fact, I'm feeling really good. I think I might even have fewer aches and pains than I did before BC, but I can't be sure about that.

    The hot flashes, though, yikes! They are frequent and accompanied by sweating, which is something new for me. I decided to ask the doctor for Effexor, so I started that about a week ago. It seems to help a bit. It made me feel funny and perhaps a bit headachy for the first few days, but now it seems fine with no side effects. I will stay with it for a month to decide whether I want to continue with one more medication.

    Jorja, please say more about the magnesium. Is that supposed to help hot flashes?

    I feel so much better on tamoxifen than on Arimidex that I'm really glad I made the switch. Like Julie said, it was the gold standard for everyone for a long time, and it's actually the drug that the OncoType statistics are based on. I think one of my biggest bugaboos about Arimidex was the risk (virtually 100%) of osteoporosis. That's not an SE of tamoxifen; in fact, tamoxifen should help to prevent osteoporosis.

    Tricia

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  • Jorja
    Jorja Member Posts: 9
    edited August 2009

    Here are the hints about hot flashes:

    Aug 2, 2009 03:15 pm Angel10 wrote:

    Jorja,

    Check the alternative holistic thread...there is info on using magnesium 600mg. along with Vit D 400U and calcium 1200mg that you might find interesting!

    Good luck and God Bless!

    Angel

    Angel
    Dx 2/6/2009, ILC, 2cm, Stage IIa, Grade 3, 0/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
    brewer2
    Joined: Jan 2009
    Posts: 14     		Aug 2, 2009 06:06 pm brewer2 wrote:

    effexor has really helped me.  37.5 mg in the mornings..same at nite.  Oncs alway seem to start at one a day but research shows 2 is more effective.  It is one med that doesn't interfere with effectiveness of tamo.  Takes about a week to kick in tho.

    Jorja
    Joined: Jul 2008
    Posts: 8     		Aug 2, 2009 10:45 pm Jorja wrote:

    brewer2 thanks for the reply,

    Back 1999 I tried effexor-venlafaxine 25mg and it gave me headaches. I am going to ask my Oncologist to try again -  treatments have changed in 14 years and I'm sure medications has also.

    [Edit] [Delete]
    Jorja
    Joined: Jul 2008
    Posts: 8     		Aug 2, 2009 10:51 pm Jorja wrote:

    Angle,

    Thanks for the info.

    I take the calcium 1200mg and lots of Vit D but no magnesium I'll try that.

    Jorja

    [Edit] [Delete]
    seagan
    Simon_leodec08
    St. Paul, MN
    Joined: Apr 2009
    Posts: 27     		Aug 2, 2009 11:31 pm seagan wrote:

    I've been doing acupuncture and I think it's helped a lot with my Tam hot flashes.  A "healing coach" at a big hospital recommended it and I'm glad she did!

    Dx 2/19/2009, IDC, 1cm, Stage I, Grade 2, 0/3 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
    Angel10
    NYC, NY
    Joined: May 2009
    Posts: 240     		Aug 2, 2009 11:34 pm Angel10 wrote:

    Jorja,

    The magnesium is the key ingredient...there is a study attached to that thread regarding that addition.

    Good Luck!

    Angel

    Angel
    Dx 2/6/2009, ILC, 2cm, Stage IIa, Grade 3, 0/15 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-
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  • karenjaninaz
    karenjaninaz Member Posts: 6
    edited November 2010

    I am 68. Arimidex was not a good choice because I have hardware in the spine and bone loss cannot be measured there.  If I lose bone thenI I will die of a collapsed spine before CA.

    I was wiling to try Tamoxifen. I had such terrible leg pain that I went for an u/s which was clear. I could hardly walk. We cut it to half a dose. I ended up with such heartburn despite my regular GERD meds, eye pain and irregular heartbeat I was willing to try 5 mgm but then my leg hurt so bad I couldn't walk. I drink quinine water but it doesn't help and get plenty of calcium/magnesium. I think the T affected my varicose veins and I see a vascular doc tomorrow. It's not really cramps because cramps can be walked out; this gets worse with trying to walk. My doc says I am low risk so it should be OK.

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  • Leah_S
    Leah_S Member Posts: 8,458
    edited November 2010

    My mother was 78 when she was put on tamox. She has osteoporosis so wasn't a good candidate for AIs. She did fine with it, finished 5 years, and is still NED (8 years after).

    Leah

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  • gentianviolet
    gentianviolet Member Posts: 316
    edited November 2010

    I, too, am on tamoxifen.  I am 70 and was first put on Arimidex (after 6 month I could not deal with the hip/knee pain) and was then put on Aromasin but only lasted two weeks because it caused depression and mild pain in my joints.  After a short recess from medication I was put on tamoxifen and quickly realized that it also caused a problem.  However I now take 10 mg. of it and find the side effects tolerable.  I have a meeting with my onc this next month and will inform him that low dose tamoxifen seems to be the only thing I can take and still function with only mild aches.  Is anyone else taking half-dose tamoxifen?  Did you discuss this with your onc and did he approve?   My oncotype score was 11.

    Barbara

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