Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

Miss TW-My DH and I used to work with the kids during confirmation class.   It was so exciting to see the kids that really took it seriously and grew during the process. I remember getting all choked up when they did confirmation and we were not their parents.  It is a true blessing.

I switched taking my tamox to the morning as of Saturday. I know today is only #4 but gee I think my hot flashes and insomnia have gotten worse.  I can't wait to see my MO on Friday. However I'm sure he will want me to start taking Effexor.  But I have kinda come to the conslusion that it is better than taking a sleeping pill every night.

June - Hope you get the tummy settled down soon.  Will be thinking about you on Friday - you will have to let us know the results.

Sherry - Sorry to hear that Tammi is still giving you fits.  I would hate to think you have to take another pill - Effexor - but I am told it is good for relieving hot flashes.  I have to take Lyrica to offset the SE of toe joint pains.  Guess we gotta do what we gotta do to get through this.

Teklya - Sherry was having the same tummy problems.  I told her I take mine all at once at breakfast with milk and it solved my tummy problems.   You may want to give that a try.  Even with the split dose a small glass many do the trick.

Teklya yes I had tummy issues at first as well.  I started mine on a Sunday and by Saturday was having tummy issues.  Was really bad by the time I saw my MO on Tuesday but I had so many other issues with the tammi that I did not make a huge deal of it. By Thursday I could not get to work until 10:30am.  So he took me off of it for three days and put me no reglan and then when I went back on tammi he put me on prolosec twice a day.  I have not had any additional tummy issues since then and I have back off on the prolosec to once a day when I take my tammi.  You might want to give prilosec or Zantac a try and see if it helps for awhile.

Has anyone had problems with their eyes?  I've had corneal ulcers, light sensitivity, blurred vision and eye pain the past three weeks.  Have been to the eye doctor 9 times and they are treating my eyes, but I'm wondering if the tamoxifin is the underlying cause of all this.  I read the eye problems that it can cause and some are very similar to what I've been having.  Have a call into my oncologist to see if I should change dosage or stop taking for awhile to see if my eyes get better - then we'll know for sure.

June - I am glad that my response helped you in some way.  I wish I had answers for you.  I am having a colonoscopy on May 18th.  I am hoping that leads to some kind of answers.  It sounds like your stomach issues might be worse than mine.  Mine typically lasts only a day or two, then goes away.  It can happen 1 or twice a week, but it doesn't typically last all week.  I noticed you mentioned getting your period.  I got mine the first week of February after not having one since October and haven't gotten yet this month. 

As far as Tamoxifen, it has been my experience that the doctors never want to admit anything we are experiencing is a side-effect of the medication.  Not sure why that is.  I never had stomach issues before, so why now?  If not from the medication, then what.  I start to go a little crazy trying to figure out what the cause could be.  Now I am thinking maybe it is licorice.  I do eat Twizzlers some times and maybe they don't digest well?  I know its grasping at straws and sounds ridiculous, but the nausea is enough to drive you bonkers!  Good luck with your Ultrasound.  Let us know how you make out.  I will be thinking of you.

 Take care,

Karen

Fran518

I just started on a low dose that I am increasing weekly...am now up to 15 mg/day.  I am having eye problems, but I live in an area where the pollen is just going crazy right now, so I'm pretty sure that's the main cause.  You might look into this as a cause for your problems.

I'm not sure if the Tami is even working for me..three weeks on it and not one SE yet, not even a warm flash. I am highly ER+ but am long past menopause, so I'm just hoping I may be one of the lucky ones.  Not counting my chickens for a couple of months yet, though.

Tink - We have summer like temps today - 85 degrees & breezy.  I have the capris and sandals on today.  Oh yea! I forgot to mention, the air conditioning is on as well.

worldwatcher - If you have no SEs don't complain - you are one of the lucky ones and I hope it stays that way for you.   If your ER+ percentage was high - that just tells you your prognosis for recovery.  My ER/PR percentage was 100%. 

Bloating and gas pains. Having my yearly colonscopy soon to make sure it has nothing to do with my 2007 colon cancer diagnosis. My gastro thinks it is due to the tamoxifen since it began recently. Thank you all for the kind words and blessings!

Jo I am jelous about the capris.  Since I have lost so much weight none of mine fit and when I went shopping for some new ones they were not in the stores yet and have not had a chance to go shopping again.  So went online and purchased a couple of pair, I hope they fit.  They weather is ready for my capris I just was not.

The last couple of months have been really crazy for me, I finished rads and told you guys about my Dad.  What I did not tell you guys was also during all this my husband was having sever back and leg pain.  So MRI and then it showed a spot on his liver that thankfully with CT scan was B9 on to two specialist to find out that really his back is OK.  He has degenerative bone disease (spin) but OK for his age and the fact that he was a bullrider when he was in college.  Hurt his back and had to stop.  But what was the major cause is that he has neuropathy.  Runs in his family and now he realizes he has had it along time it just flair up with his back issue.  Back is OK now and they finally put him on medication yesterday and it is working  He has been in so much pain and the stress of everything was doing me in.  Maybe that has something to do with my insomnia  Oh well at least he is getting relief now.  He is not such a good patient.

Hi all,

I wore flip flops today. And yes, my toes are FREEZING!  I make it a rule to get out of my boots come late March/April.  If I waited for warm weather in WA I wouldn't get my feet out until August.

Had a rough night last night. Didn't sleep due to hot flashes. They were constant through the night. I weighed myself. Thought I would have lost a few pounds. NOT.....

OK my memory is beyond bad.  I repeat myself all the time.  I'm playing memory games ect. However, most of the time I forget to play them.  It is so frustrating, especially when people try to finish my sentences.

Redninrah, I hear you on worrying over the small stuff. Before the Tamox the small stuff didn't bother me. Now I am getting worked up over the smallest of things.  I'm making a list of things to do, and start getting anxious over whether or not it gets done. Definitely hormonal. 

On a positive note, I didn't cry today over anything:)

Jules

Jules must be the position of the moon.  My hotflashes were horrible last night and I did not sleep very well either (already bad).  And then today the hot flashes were worse than normal.  Maybe tonight will be a better night for both of us.