Tamoxifen & Joint Pain

Same complaints ladies. just fibnishing my second year on Tamox all my arthritic joints are much worse now it is very hard to work out.Hip aches I especiallynotice them at night.

Ladies,  the tamoxifen has done a number on my body....so I quit taking it a month ago and unfortunately the bone pain seems to be getting worse. My left hip aches all the time, the joints hate me, and the bone pain makes me cringe!  

 Anyone who quit and didn't take up other drugs, I'd love to hear from you.

I've been on Tamoxifen for a year now & started with hip joint pain in October. It's so bad sometimes it wakes me up at night from a deep sleep. It's difficult to get up out of  bed in the morning, or if I've been on a long car ride, tough to get out of the car. I've always been one to walk or hike & over the last many years (decade or so) I walk about 3 miles every morning....so it's not like I've been sitting around. But this isn't easing up or going away. From time to time my knee joints have the same deep intense ache, as well as lower back, but the hips are definitely the worst.

If anyone has medical found articles published regarding findings that Tamox. does cause joint pain, could you share the link here? I'd love to take a copy to my dr. for my next visit! Thanks! 

Rox I have been on Tamox for 2 years nthis Jan.  The bad hip pain has just started for me last month and it is bad enough to wake me up and ruin my sleep.I am an active person go to the gym 5 days a week.But this is making me feel like an old woman.It must be a SE from this drug. Right now when its bad I take an Alleve gelcap right before bed.It does help some.But don.t take it on an empty stomach(doctor warned me about Alleve) he actually recomended Advil for arthritis.When I see him next month I will ask because this hip pain feels worse than arthritic joints.

I also have been having a lot of joint/muscle pain and fatigue since chemo and Tamox. Fatigue started with chemo then joint pain got really bad about 1 year into Tamox.  Been to a rheumatologist, did PT for core and muscle strengthening in thighs.  Still hurt a lot if on my feet more than normal.  Pain sometimes shifts to other joints shoulders, fingers, feet. Don't have arthritis, had negative bone scan, just found bursitis in my hips and elbows.  Rheumatologist thinks it is def. Tamox so guess I'll have to put up with this another 3.5 years.  Guess the benefits outweigh the risk of recurrance .  So take Aleve when it's really painful and Ambien to sleep at night.  Worry ab out the pain meds since I've been on PPI's for 10 years and have START of Barretts Esophagus, even though Rheum says the PPI's should protect me from digestive problems

Hi Gals,

 I've been on tamoxifen for 4 months for re-current breast cancer.  The last few weeks my knees have starting aching. I'm normally very fit and active and never have any kind of joint pains.  It only feels somewhat better if I straighten both knees.  I read a lot of your posts about joint pain and saw quite a bit of reference to hip pain.  Anyone else having trouble with their knees?  I have three kids at home (youngest in elementary school) and this joint pain thing just makes me feel old--I don't like that!  Is there any remedy or do you just endure?

Hi , These are side effects of Tamoxifen .. that is why I chose not to take it because I have a Naturopath who is an Oncologist (25 plus years) and has given me a natural way to do the same thing or better with not side effects. If you want more info let me know .. Jainey

I had a bone scan and hip Xray.  Nothing showed up, that is why rheumatologist believes my pain is the Tamoxifen.  Oncologist Appt. in early Feb.  will see what she says when I tell her pain has continued.

Here's my tale of woe: On tamox since July 07 and repeated fsh/lh bloodwork shows I am still pre-menopausal. I'm almost 55. Joint aches increased, along with weight. I then had a rupture of R Achilles tendon last June, with surgery, PT, etc. Still not healed from that. Last month L Achilles began to hurt, along with "tennis elbow" and L biceps tendonitis. I have to have surgery on the L foot soon. Onc finally said enough; he thinks tamox is weakening my tendons. I stopped tamox 4 weeks ago and have blood work tomorrow. Perhaps tamox was "artificially" indicating pre-menopause. If I am post meno, I have to decide on AI therapy, and we all know what kind of pain that causes. I am a nurse and out of work since June, broke and disgusted. Take your aches and pains seriously

Regards to all

Donna

First want to thank the moderators for upgrading so we can post using IPads. I am still having joint pain though the severity varies and I wish I could figure out why some days are worse than others. Turmeric capsules (available at health food stores) as does reducing amount of acidic foods (citrus, peppers, eggplant, etc.)

A blood test showed an abnormal antinuclear antibody result (anybody have this?) so I am following up w a rheumatologist this week, but I am pretty convinced that this is the tamoxifen or Zometa. I keep hearing that this is an uncommon side effect but not sure what else it could be. All in all, I am trying to push past the old lady feeling, exercising, living, etc. Not much else we can do.

Hi ladies,

I don't know if joint pain and foot/leg cramps are similar, but I have found that mine increase when I am dehydrated - evenly mildly dehydrated. I have begun to drink those "sports drinks" with electrolytes (you can find them with 0 calories) and the cramping has decreased tremendously. I used to get them when I did yoga. Now, before I even begin a workout, I grab a drink and down it throughout. Hope this helps. I also read that drinking two glasses of plain water before bedtime works for nighttime cramps and spasms. Tammy

I am so glad I found this post, I have been on tamoxifan for a year and most days I get up feeling awful. I finished herceptin in November and felt ready to go back to the gym but it is killing me, my hips hurt all the time. If I kneel down I can hardly get back up, I thought it was only me. Am trying so hard to get back to "normal" but energy levels are still very low. I obviously need to be kinder to myself. Thanks for sharing it helps alot.

Hi bcgirl59 - Tamoxifen is an estrogen blocker ... I was a very low risk for recurrence and Tamoxifen was prescribed to give me another 2-5% on top of my already 85% to the good. My Integrative ND Oncologist prescribed fresh ground flaxseed 1 tablespoon in am and one in pm. ECGC 3 pills @ 700mg; Grapeseed Extract 1 pill @500mg; VitE (all three phenols) 1 pill @ 400IU; Ultra Indinol Plus 2 pills = in one day , spread out from am to pm. Then Melatonin working up to 15 or 20 mg per night (only take between 9pm and midnite). He also recommended VitD3 (but mine was 156 and wanted it to stay around 125

Thanks for your reply Jainey... I don't know if my sister's cancer is a high risk for reccurence. None of her doctors are supportive. it is like you can't ask too many questions or else... So we sort of learned to read her results on our own.

Her lab tests shows her cancer is grade 2. I am so worried since she did not do any chemo or radiation. I try to tell myself that she is indeed doing enough to ward off any reccurence. I like your outlook about prayer and/or worrying.

I will forward your suggestions to her.

Thanks again!

bcgirl59

HI bcgirl59,

What do we do? You need to find out about her cancer .. some details .. ER pos? PR pos? her2 pos? Those are a must. Stage is very important ... for instance Stage 3 and 4 are not very good as they are spreading .. And the type DCIS, IDC or ILC .. lots of variations and even more kinds ... any lymph nodes involved? The  Pathology reports will tell all and one must request copies of all notes and results of tests etc in order to know what is going on.

An Oncologist seems to be the one who can determine the percentage of 'cancer free' .. has a lot to do with surgical pathological reports and margins etc ... General Health a very important factor ... staying within healthy weight and not gaining around the middle.

I can explain more to you when you know more about the cancer and treatments .. keep me posted ... PM me is you like. Or email me at jehughes@telus.net on my personal email.

Dont stop going forward .. and Smile while you go there!

Hugs, Jainey