Start Tamoxifen-April/May 2011

Oh and hot flashes suck!!  Just saying!!

Hey Wenweb:

 I have been on Klonopin (clonazepam for panic disorder) for years. My doc gave me Ambien which I have only used occasionally - I seem to sleep okay (wake up but fall back asleep) on weekends . I think work stress and the SE's from Tamox plus coming up on that 5 year anniversary are all a part of it. I just began waking up a few times a night and sometimes having trouble falling back asleep. Gotten worse since then though when you wake up enough it is SO frustrating. Because the Ambien and Klonopin are similar in class, I have to be careful not to take often but right now I think I need some help now and again.

 Any other good sleep tips besides all the usual stuff? I did buy some melatonin but haven't used it regularly enough to see if it helps. I've heard some things do and some don't.

Thanks for the post!

Thanks wenweb,,,,,,,,,,,,I think what works for one doesn't work for all and even then it changes!

I really think my anxiety spiked a lot lately due to work stresses so I may revisit w my doc taking an antidepressant with my Klonopin. Used to have Paxil w it but needed to get off that when I started Tamox.

I think its going to be trial and error awhile........on weekends when I have a few glasses of wine and don't have that "I need to get up early for work" thought in my head I fall asleep okay and when i do wake at least I fall back asleep even if its several times. I have a feeling getting the panic and anxiety (which I've battled and had my ups and downs but I keep going!) under better control may help w the sleep issues.

You have a great day - thanks for the post. Always appreciate another survivor's point of view. We have to stay strong!

I had rads right after srgy, prior to chemo, and been off hard chemo since early Feb, still doing hercptn trtmts, and now been on Tamox since July 1. I used to take things pretty much in stride this past year, feeling that while this ride really sucks at least I'm still here to see another sunrise each day and that's more then I can say for a lot of folks I know that have gone to the other side this past year.

However, lately it's been hard to take things in stride because since starting the tamox I've noticed a lot of changes and my doc blows them off as not being related to the tamox. Like irritability with a capital "I" and depression, both have been bad since starting this. Now I have a very stressful job and my boss is totally unsupportive, so I don't know if it's all of that piling on or the tamox, but the doc seems to think these aren't SE's of tamox, but I wonder why so many of us taking this experience the same thing then.  

Then there is the leg cramps! I had to have an ultrasound to see if I had blood clots because the leg cramps cause my legs to stay sore for days some times; there were no clots so it was all the cramps. I get them all the way up at the hip/leg joint, the calf, and the foot. Really bad when sleeping,  wakes me up two and three times a night where I have to just walk around for about 5 to 10 mintues each time to walk 'em out, but they also happen a lot during the day, like when I'm driving or just sitting. I never know when one will hit. I already take prescrp pottasium and walk between 2 to 3 miles a day - I've also tried not walking, still happens and they are way worse when I don't walk for a day a two. Does anyone have any remediies to get these things to stop, or make them go away quicker once they start, so that they don't cause the stiff pain for days on end? (other then stopping the Tamox that is!)

I think it's going to be a long five years.

Wenweb - I get cramps in my feet abut once a week and they usually happen in the evening - I do yoga and wondered if that was it or the Tamoxifen. I will be at 5 yrs in on Tamoxifen in a few more months so once i finish the course it will be interesting to see if they go!

Abdominal charlie horse, oh my gosh, If I turn and reach left or right for somethig, I get the worst cramp in my side/abdomen, it feels  like things are turning inside out in there. 

Also, anyone else notice an extremly dry nose too? I have to use saline spray all the time now or my nose stays so dry it actaully bleeds. It only started after I started the tamox so I'm pretty sure it's from that.

Golly, I would say what else is going t show up or happen on this stuff, but maybe I better not jinx things anymore.

I CANNOT HANDLE THESE tamoxifen SIDE EFFECTS... UUUGGGHHH....

Double Ugh...it's taken me years to put down my sword, I have a bit of a warrior princess nature.  It's not that I don't have patience, it's that I constantly want to tell most people around me..."Shut Up, I really don't care about your petty BS."  I just struggle with the day to day drama of cubicle land at work.  Luckily, it's a new job for me, so I'm able to stay out of it!