Tamoxifen for ADH??

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pattimay
pattimay Member Posts: 72
edited June 2014 in High Risk for Breast Cancer

I am so confused right now.  Everytime I forget for awhile that I'm high risk I get my MRI and I'm reminded about my chances of getting breast cancer and the anxiety starts again.  Wondering if someone can give me the most resent and accurate odds of my ADH turning into cancer and how much would Tamoxifen reduce my chances.  First my history.  I am 53 and still having periods.  Less then two years ago my mammo came back with microcalcifications which led to biopsy and then surgery.  Two papillomas were removed and an area of ADH.  Three month followup led to more surgery for the Adh left behind.  Just had my six month mri and my surgeon called that area was still lighting up but it is smaller.  Radiologist suggested biopsy but surgeon explained my history to him .  I originally went to the hospital to have the mri done but it was very costly so switched to radiology medical arts center in my area.  So my surgeon did not feel I needed biopsy againso soon  since he feels it is the same ADH.  He said Adh does not have clean margins and he would never get all of it.  He received results of mri the same day I had it done and I spoke with him on the phone but will see him again next in his office.  I imagine if it shows again in another 6 months he would suggest another biopsy.  I don't know.  But he said it's good that area is smaller and it's good I'm taking the tamox.  I nearly started crying in fear because my bottle sits on my dresser and I did not take it.  He laughed and said he didn't want to cause that anxiety in anyone but by me not taking it I am opting to get cancer.  I am just so afraid of a blood clot.  I have restless leg syndrome and spinal stenosis with a bulging disc.  I get all sorts of strange leg sensations and I know that if I took this I would think each time I was getting a stroke from a blood clot.  I wouldn't be able to distinguish between the tingling from the sciatica/spinal stenosis and something dangerous.  I think anxiety could cause so many health problems also and I feel I would have nothing but anxiety from being on this.  But my surgeon makes me feel that I will get cancer for sure with ADH if I don't take it.  I have no family history of cancer .  My mom is 80 and never had an abnormal mammo.  Also I have been on Paxil 10mg for over 15 years.  I had bad anxiety attacks and the paxil was a life saver.  I have read that Paxil takes away all the benifits of the Tamoxifen.  So what now I have to wean off Paxil?  I feel so quilty for not helping myself.  Please I'm sorry about writing a book but can someone put things in perpective for me. 

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  • momoschki
    momoschki Member Posts: 682
    edited May 2011

    I was also recently given a dx of ADH, found through microcalcifications.  My situation is like yours:  53 years old, still getting periods, no family history at all.  My breast surgeon told me that my chances of this developing into cancer over the next 15 years are between 25-30%, so I imagine your situation would be the same.  No one pushed tamoxifen on me-- in my case, it would be tricky for me to take because of past issues with endomentrial hyperplasia, which tamoxifen promotes.  However, my wide excision tissue came back completely clean, as all the ADH had been removed by the initial needle biopsy.  Of course, all this is very recent in my case, so time will tell how I do.  My oncologist told me that taking tamoxifen would cut my risk by about 45%. 

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