Start Tamoxifen-April/May 2011

MDG (Maria), welcome to the Tammy party! I have been on it since March 24.

I was perimenopausal prior to BC (have had hot flashes off and on for the past 2 years). My last period was Dec. 31st. The Tamox made the flashes a little worse (it takes me longer to cool off) BUT the hot flashes occur less frequently. That is the good news! Also, my aches and pains have resolved, as had my dry skin. What my doc said seems to be true....the SE's work themselves out.

I am still playing with the time of day I take the Tamox. It def. makes me more tired when I take it in the AM. But I still need the Xanax at night to fall asleep, even when I take Tamox at 6PM.

hi everyone, just found this thread. i started tamox at the end of March. In the beginning I had extreme thirst and constipation - both of which are gone now, and nightly leg cramps (I take magnesium every night which keeps them mostly away). The only SE I have remaining is that I can't sleep - i find it really hard to go to sleep and then i wake up after a few hours - i am a single parent with a 3 year old, so i don't want to take sleeping tablets. I am taking melatonin, which worked in the beginning but i guess my body got used to it because it doesn't help any more. but all in all, this isn't as bad as i thought it would be.

TonLee...I had 2 bouts of dizzyness last week. (NOT the kind you get when you drink too much, but the kind that feels like vertigo.) Is that what you are experiencing?

Randi: Give Tammy a little time. {{{hugs}}} 

Latte: I have had insomnia from Tamox and also extreme tiredness. If you are taking it at night, try taking it in the AM. Some women also split their dose in half and take it AM and PM. I haven't tried that yet, but I may! 

GirlFriday: There is a test you can have done to see how well Tamox is metabolizing in your body. I haven't had it yet, but I plan on getting it when I see my doc in a couple weeks.

For me, the SE's came one at a time, resolved, then another presented itself. Initially I had excessive thirst (and excessive urination). That lasted about a week. Then insomnia. Then I switched to taking Tammy at night, but then I had extreme fatigue. THEN I had itchy dry skin (that was the worst SE for me). All of my usual moisturizers irritated my skin. So I switched to cocount oil for a couple weeks until the SE abated. No I am using a "natural" moisturizer that has aloe in it and my skin is back to normal. I also had a little vertigo as I stated above.

My hot flashes have changed since I have been on T. Before they were frequent and fast (I am 52). Now they are less frequent, but it takes me a LOT longer too cool down from them. That has been a consistent SE since I started taking it in late March. 

Ha Latte!  Love the FB and BCO ref for interupting sleep!  I heard the metabolizer test is not used as much either. My onc said it was not something she does any more. I'm almost 38, and I just figured I'd have hot flashes, as they seem to be the most common...I would consider I have night warm flashes, but nothing to write home about.  I take in the am...insomnia has been prevalent in my life for years, but I haven't noticed an increase since I started.  I guess time will tell. 

Latte, I agree! LOL!

wenweb, thanks for sharing that! I'm gonna still ask for it. But I'm gonna still take my Tammy.

BTW, has anyone had fewer SE's by splitting the 20mg pill in half and taking 10mg in AM, 10mg in PM?

browless grumpy old women .....i like that   funny

Hi all!

 I thought I'd join this thread, although I am trailing behind you girls by a month or more, but your SE are fairly recent and that should help.

I took my first Tamoxifen yesterday morning, exactly two weeks after my last Taxol. So far I hate it. A mild but persistent headache started few hours after the first dose and its still there, even after extra strength Tylenol. I had hot flashes from Taxol, but they seemed to last longer last night. Lots more sweating and chills too. 

How is everyone doing with weight management, considering it's been a month or more since you all started Tamox?

I've been experiencing some short term memory loss already... I attribute that to all the stress we've been through, not too happy that there's more of that to look forward to!

Shannon, I haven't heard of Clonidine before. I used to take several high blood pressure medication, but lately with all the talk about how some of them cause BC recurrence, I've only been taking beta blockers and its not enough. I will talk to my cardiologist about introduction Clonidine to my daily drug menu, as it seems to be harmless enough. And if it helps with Tamox SE, all the better!