Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

That is funny Helen!!!!! IT IS SO CUTE WHAT KIDS CAN SAY!!!!

AND THE MEMORIES OF THEM DAYS ARE ALWAYS AWESOME TO REMEMBER!!

OH Paula...... just when YOU said that it reminded ME of a funny story!!
In third grade there was another Paula.....and guess what.......her middle name also was Jean! as mine!         They finally decided to call me PJ and her Paula.......

I went by that for a long time.......it was hard getting use to it tho! AND I HATED for them to call me Paula Jean........my mom would use it only when I was in trouble!!!!!!!

Some of the family just calls me Paula Jean anyway........oy!    heheee

Hi all,

 I've been on tamoxifen for just about two months, with minimal side effects.  But I have begun to notice that I am turning into a complete space cadet, and wonder if this is a side effect from tamoxifen (I did not have chemo, just radiation).  I cantor at my church, and I am having trouble remembering what verse to sing.  It is most noticeable at work, I'm helping someone at their desk, walk back to my desk to get something to show them, and then forget all about them, and move on to my next task.  When they eventually show up at my door, it doesn't even trigger "I forgot", I just ask them if I can help them.

I know at my age (58) we are all prone to forgetting things, but lately this is a marked increase for me, and I was wondering if this can be a side effect.  I see MO next week, and am certainly going to ask him about this, but wondered what your experience might be.

Thanks,

Pat

Pat I am 43 and I am defitnely more forgetful on Tammy it is ridiculous sometimes and fustrating!

Hope all my Tammy ladies are having a great day! hugs

Maria

hi ladies - for those of you that have been on Tamox a while...I understand there is bloodwork that shows if you are through menopause.  One question...do the hot flashes go away once through menopause or are they here to stay? 

I read a lot but don't post often.  I always wish all of you well.

In Canada we have celebrated our Thanksgiving (in October) and so I wish to send only wonderful thoughts your way, my American friends.  May this special day be filled with wonderment. 

Hi Ladies, This is only my second week on Tamoxifen but I'm wondering...IF I will get side effects how long does it take for them to start showing up?

Just curious

Sarahsweety - I had an ooph/hyst 2 weeks ago today, and the hot flashes have been MUCH worse since then.  Lovely!

Hot purrs,

Jenn

Sherry - Let's hope the neck pain is related to the old injury.  I would hate to see you have to go through another surgery but the techniques today are so advanced that it is pretty safe - I would also be concerned about cutting near my spinal cord.  Hopefully your PT can work with you and give you come exercises to reduce and/or eliminate the pain.  You know you can always come here to whine even if it is not bc related.  This could very well be related - regardless - this is the place to come to.

Sending gentle hugs

I have been away for a while - have been trying to catch up with all the posts, but this train moves so quickly that I have no hopes for actually catching up, so I will just say hello, and missed you all a lot!

Sherry, you go ahead and whine!  This just really sucks that you have so many other issues to deal with.  Life is so complicated and challenging for some of us, and it seems like others just sail through without many problems.  Is there any thought that you may have neuropathy from rads?  Rads can injure the axillary nerve, and sorting this out from previous neck injury, new problem, mets, or radiation-induced neuropathy isn't always easy (especially if they don't even think about it as a possibility).  Hope it turns out to be the least of these and that conservative therapy will work for you.

Jo, how are you doing with the smoking cessation?  Did you get an IPad yet? Or other neato technological gadget/tool/toy that you can enjoy?

I don't remember last time I posted here, but had "recurrence" of BC, so had BMX on Oct. 3, followed by allergic reaction to topical antiseptic (not betadine - something they use now called Chloraprep), followed by wound infections, infected seromas, reaction to antibiotics, axillary cording, etc etc etc.  I feel like I have been in a fog for the past 6-8 weeks, but am finally coming out of it and getting stronger every day.  The hot flashes have changed - I don't have the flushing now, but have drenching sweats nearly hourly.  I have had some of the bone and joint pain again, but not nearly as severe as I had when I started Tammy in January.  Since I only took it for about 8 weeks and quit, my recurrence was not considered resistant to tamoxifen, so it is my best option right  now, and I think that has been a factor in my better acceptance of the drug and less severe SEs.  I think I am just ignoring them as much as possible, and the emotional stuff doesn't even seem as bad now as it did last winter.  In fact, I wonder if there is a difference in generic or brand name.... I worry that it may not be effective.  I am also on Effexor for chemotherapy-induced neuropathy, and that is also supposed to help reduce hot flashes, but it can also reduce tamoxifen effectiveness in some people, and my MO doesn't think that is a problem for me, but I am going to ask her again when I see her in December.

OK, long story short, I am on the T, taking it, dealing with SEs pretty well, praying that it is effective, wondering if I would have had a recurrence if I would have stuck with it earlier this year and just gotten used to the SEs then.  Not beating myself up, but the occasional thought crosses my mind.

I have definitely turned a corner and am feeling stronger every day.  I was able to participate in a 3-day watercolor workshop, learned some new techniques, produced some bad work but it's work in progress and was a lot of fun.  And good for my soul.

Hugs to all of you tonight.  Are you still having pillow fights and weekend parties? 

Tink if your mood swings are that bad I think I would give the effexor a try,. If it does not work you can always quit taking it.

Linda recurrence just plain sucks. So sorry you have had all that to deal with. Actually my pain Dr first thought all this was related to rads and the nerves, but we did an MRI and it showed that I have a herniated disk right above my fusion. But he his not ruling it out, but is leaning more towards old injury.

I came home and luckily I had put supper on in the crock pot this morning so did not have much to do to get dinner going. After dinner took a pain pill and soaked in a hot bath. Felt better after the pain pill kicked in. I hate taking them very often and I don't function the best in the world so don't really like taking them when I have to go to work. I'm not scheduled to go back to the pain Dr until Jan but if this does not get any better by next week I am calling him and going back in. He is really very good about trying to deal with pain without narcotics. I'll keep you all posted. Thanks for being here for me and letting me vent.

Dear Chabba,

I read your post and wanted to respond right away. Most of the women on this list are sleeping now, but all the way here in Israel, it's tomorrow already! In the Pacific northwest it's late late at night and I imagine you aren't sleeping and thinking the worst. Just wanted you to know you're not alone.

I don't blame you for feeling scared. It is all just damned scary. On the other hand, it could be nothing or could be something small and contained. My docs often tell me that those of us who are recently dx are being very closely watched, so if something is to be found, it is most often early and treatable. Of course, no one wants that either, but in the big picture, that's what's most important. My cousin went through this twice and is so fine now, four years post second time. There are many, many stories like that. My Dad, who beat leukemia that had a horrific prognosis (10%!!! We just celebrated his 20 year cancerversary this summer, along with his 75th bday) says that one of the most important things, is to decide on your own narrative, that you believe you can make it, and then say that all those other bad stories are not yours! Everyone is different and that they are not you. I don't know if this is helpful, Chabba. I know that his words, as well as deep personal prayer, (in whatever form it takes) helped me in those dark, scary times.

Just know that you're not alone and we're here with you.

Hugs, Shari

Chabba, I'm thinking of you and we're here for you.  I know it will be a long weekend, but I will be praying for benign results for you. 

Shari, I think your post was perfect. 

((((chabba)))), we are all here for you! Hoping for B9 results.

Sounds like a few of our dear sisters are having a tough time right now.  We are all in this together ... whether we post hourly, daily, weekly, monthly or whenever!  We have thoughts and fears that no one else will ever understand.  That's what makes our bond strong...

Thoughts, prayers, hugs, love to all our BC sisters in this fight - no matter what phase of treatment! 

'Friendship isn't about whom you have known the longest ... it's about who came and never left your side!"

Vicky