Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

Went to Chili's and it was soooo good.  Had the sirloin steak & veggies ( guiltless menu) and lots of their wonderful blackberry ice tea.  I am stuffed and really sleepy about now.  But, dinner would not be complete without dessert.

I am in the mood for cheesecake and I brought enough for everyone.

                                 

PAULA. wonderful news! so good to hear. Have a good night!

JO Glad you enjoyed dinner and that dessert looks might fine!

Oh my! Had 4 pages to read through! Wow. Lots of new people...hello all!!! and Jo you are on FB.....pm me and I will send you a friend request!! and anyone else I may have missed who would like to hook up on FB as well.

Ok, funnily, things I'm dealing with I read here in these 4 pages....

June, I just went to the podiatrist Tues because I noticed about 5 weeks ago that my toenail on my right foot had not grown. I always paint a french style manicure and noticed the left toe (and all the little baby toes,lol) had grown out quite a bit and looked in need of new paint. BUT, the right big toe looked perfect and the same length as when I painted them....approx 2 months before. No growth whatsoever and looked like I had just painted. I then looked a little closer and noticed my cuticle was away from my nail and a bit puffy and pink. Not much pain and haven't had that much since either. Just mild pain if I wear a shoe that is too tight there. Cuticle is still swollen. Nothing is helping. The Pod. clipped part of my nail off and sent to check for fungus. Won't know for 2 weeks. Never had anything like this ever. Hope it's not fungus, doesn't look like anything funky but the nail is lifting farther down underneath then it should?? So bummed...I'm a girly girl and always have my nails nice...ugh. I'm guessing my immune system was down also...this all happened right around my BMX surgery. 

Almost cute sandal, flip flop and open toed shoe warm weather season coming up and guess I'll be bandaid toe girl this summer. Superficial I know, sorry....especially with cancer dx but gah...just one more thing. I went for my hist and phys for exchange surgery yesterday and the nurse told me I should probably have some antibiotics if it doesn't resolve in the next week just in case it's infection. Don't want an infection going before surgery. So making another call to the Pod. monday to see about that..................

Anddddd, I had a really unusual first period on Tamox. To recap, my bloodwork came back showing anemia in Dec (was normal in Sept) but it was within days of my period. I'm wondering if my period's are actually heavier then they should be? I know that in last few years they've changed a bit. Really heavy (like changing every hour...to every 2 hours, for 2 days...then mostly nothing)  And this period I just had was more like 3 1/2 days of very heavy bleeding and lots of clots (sorry TMI I know )....not usual for me. I would sometimes have clots but not for 3 days. Weird. I read online that "normal" period blood loss is approx 1-6 oz. Well, I would estimate this last one was about 30 or more.....no wonder I'm anemic!!...anyone else with something like this after taking Tamox? ...and so soon after taking? I'm not even on full dose yet. 

I go for followup bloodwork this coming week for onco to check...I don't even know what else, can't keep up ,lol, but do know one of the tests is to see if the iron pills are helping with the anemia. Oh yes, one of the other tests are my Protein C test (I think). It came back just slightly out of range. It's one of the blood clotting tests for Tamox. I had an IV related vein thrombosis (on the top of my hand and has still not completely resolved but is much better...I had the IV in for 3 days in the hospital for BMX)  ,she thinks is an IV injury and thinks that may be why that one test was off since all the rest were fine.  So she is retesting that.

I'm also getting the followup to the US I had 5 weeks ago before starting Tamox, next monday, to check that ovary again ...good timing because I will tell them about the period and have her check out my uterus also. Oh, and exchange surgery Friday of the same week. Wow, I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed.

Sorry so long, bad time today, feeling really blah....just want it all to go away and resolve.

I know people have mentioned toe pain while on tamoxifen. Is this a sharp shooting pain or a dull ache? I have had the most horrible pain in my big toe for the past half hour, it feels like there is a piece of glass embedded in there when I touch it.

Paula - Great news! No biopsy for you and that you did not have to wait the entire weekend to get your results.  Relax the rest of the weekend.

 EastCoastGrl - I sent you a PM for FB friend request. Trying to catch up and sorry to hear you are having a bad time right now. Hope you are better today and sending best wishes on your exchange surgery.

Tink - Good Morning!

Chevyboy - The breakfast looks wonderful - that's what I'm talking about. YUM! 

ECG Ahhhhhh the toes, so frustrating....my POD never sent mine out for culture, just gave me Formula 3 nail polish ($55.00) to be used 2 times a day and one toe is looking fantastic, it is just the other foot that I never really treated as I just really thought it was on one foot.  Now that summer is here I notice the other nail is lifting up as well.....The way he explained it to me is, my  toe next to my big toes are almost the same in length.  So when I am walking they tend to rub more against the sneaker than the big toe itself.  He thinks the walking along with being radiated aggravated the areas and is why I am having a problem.......it took from last August till now, just to grow out a new nail completely.  Now it looks like the other foot is doing the same thing. I wish I paid more attention..... I cant help but think it is my walking, but I need to do it and i wont give it up.......if it does come back positive for fungus at least you can treat it and hopefully it will never come back......I am like you.....I love to have my toenails done and never have been without polish when I am wearing flip flops.....I never did the band aid thing as it looked stupid being the 2nd toe.....

As for your periods, mine are starting to get a little funky as well......the week before last I was crazy HORMONAL and was supposed to get my period on that Wed.  What I got was a little spotting each day for 3 days and then nothing......so I am 11 days late and wonder when it will rear its ugly little head.  I also wonder is it the Tamox or am I just getting older.....I really hate the unknowns.......please know that we are all thinking about you and good luck with your exchange surgery....Hugs and miss seeing you on here.....

Tink and Jo how are you lovely ladies this morning?  JoI took my kids to Chili's on Friday night and I had chicken and steak fajitas....yum yum......

Chevyboy did you make that?

What are ALs? Do they serve the same purpose as tamoxifen?  Are they similarly effective, should I consider them, should I ask my Dr?  Where can I learn more about the after chemo anti-cancer drugs and their side effects?  I only had one chemo session, instead of the 6 they wanted me to because it was just too hard on my body so I'm thinking I really should be taking tamoxifen or something to prevent recurrance.  Thanks for all the info, you girls are the best!

dksindistress - The AIs are for post menopausal women and in the end do the same thing as Tamoxifen.  The AIs are harder on the bones and do stop the production of estrogen.  I tried two of them and had severe stomach problems with both.  Some do well on the AIs - some start on it and then go to Tamoxifen.  I would recommend you talk to your MO about what is best for you and just go for it.  If the first one does not work, don't get discouraged, there are others.  

June - Good Morning Lovely Lady!  In spite of the toe pains, I am feeling so good these days I can hardly stand myself. LOL!  After 5 1/2 months of pure living hell, I can't believe I am pretty much back to my old self.  Still have to deal with some doctor appts but that is going to be routine anymore.  Really just added one to my normal list - the MO and I am seeing him every 4 months right now.  

 

Hi all,

My oncologist said that I would be on Tamoxifen for 5 years and then an aromatase(?) for another 5. I'm 53 and premenapausal, so I guess by the time 5 years go by I'll be postmenapausal. 

Vikki

Tink - It is like everything else we have found about BC.  Each MO is different in how they prescribe medications.  The time frame will vary between each one.  All I know right now is, I will be on Tamox for 5 years.  I can not take the AIs.  I have read on here some have done their 5 years and are going off for good.  Ask your onc on your next visit.  There is no hurry and nothing to worry about right now.  I am going to take one day at a time and cross that bridge when I get there.

LUNCH IS SERVED! 

                              

Welcome Carrol2, Sorry to have to meet you here, but you will find a lot of loving and caring support here as we go through our journey together.  My daughter did her undergrad on Long Island, 2 years at Southampton and 2 at Stony Brook so we got to go be tourists whenever we went to visit.

Welcome Carrol2 - Like phxsunshine said sorry to meet you here and will help you through your journey.  We also try and have some fun along the way.

The group has dubbed me the "Queen of Food".  I feed them well so if you have any special requests, just let me know. LOL! 

Hi Gals....I'm going off for at least 2 weeks....My hearing is much worse...going to be fitted for hearing aids tomorrow...but I googled "Can Tamoxifen cause hearing loss"  and came up with 3 different sites, which I printed off...even one post from a Tamoxifen thread on BC.ORG!   I just hope this is not permanent...And hearing aids are quite expensive....Damn! 

Seems likely that my "nerve damage" "could" have been caused by Tamoxifen.  I just cried when I read this, because I DON'T want to quit taking this, but I DO want to hear.  I'm calling my Oncologist tomorrow, & going to the Audiologist tomorrow, & I'm taking the 3 pages I printed off for them to read.   I think it might also have something to do with me being older...I am so bummed!   My DH has been saying all along, that he thinks it has something to do with the Tamoxifen....  I think so too, now.

ok June...I have to inerupt the flow (excuse the pun) and just say "SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE?" huh????? oh right...I am in Nova Scotia!!! thatbeing said, I am delighted to report tht the snow from two weeks ago is almost gone as it has been sunny and raining all weekend...(yep...in NS it snows, rains and beams with sunshine all in the same afternoon. crazy!)

So I have a fungus question...not related to toes but an issue nonetheless. Anyone getting yeast infections because of Tami? I usually use a mix of Myrhh and Goldenseal and vinegar but this time I had to break down and buy Canesten....

Also I seem to be getting forgetful lately...only word related...has NEVER been an issue for me...at age 48, I am still the queen of multitasking and if anyone at school wants a question answered, they toss it my way...lately, I am having trouble remembering individual words and lif edetails that are normally not an issue...I was not affected by memory loss during peri-menopause of the 18 months pre-tami when I was menopausal...Anyone else going through this too?

As for the Vit D etc., I have my little pile of pills on the counter and I take them every am. the only thing I take at night is my 2nd tami half...and sometimes another calcium if I remember. I have not forgotten it in the 3 months I have been following this little regime. I just set it all up at night.

My oncologist said 5 years tamoxifen but I could always switch midway through if I wanted (why oh why would I want to if tamoxifen is working and has fewer side effects??) but also mentioned possibility of something else after the five years...I am not quite fully menopausal according to my blood test (111 estrogen #)...much lower to be considered fully menopausal.