Bringing in 2014 with Tamoxifen!

Bayou babe, Just started the day before you!  I didn't think I was having any side effects yet, but for the past couple of days I've been a bit dizzy with a headache and cough.  Hopefully just some "bug" I picked up somewhere and not what I have to look forward to as long term SE's.

I started Tamoxifen yesterday and so far all ok.

Only nausea at this time.

Hi.  I take in am as some people said they have a hard time sleeping when they take at night.  I am having hot flashes still due to chemo.

This sounds like the group for me to join.  I started Tamoxifen on Dec 18. I'm still struggling to discern between continuing chemo/rad side effects and actual Tamoxifen side effects. I've had thoracic back pain since about halfway through rads.  I've had hot flashes since Taxol but they've definitely become much worse.  I notice if I get over tired I get depressed and I've noticed some joint pain and neuropathy.  I had my blood drawn on Friday and my white blood cell count was down.  I guess that can be a side effect but of course it sends me straight into that "what's wrong with me now??" Funk.

Because it's a new year I'm hoping to start on a positive note with nutrition and exercise.  I got a fancy new blender for Christmas (smoothies). I'm hoping this group will share ideas and encouragement. I especially want to know about nutrition. And exercise has always helped me keep my pain levels down and helped with sleep issues.

Thanks for starting this group!

Hello ladies, Just wanted to send a few words of encouragement to you all. I am a Stage IV gal, and am taking Tamoxifen for treatment, not as a preventive. I started it in July, after seeing progression on Faslodex. My scans in December show my tumors are shrinking and they are not as active (SUV values are lower, if that means anything to anyone reading). I'm so happy. The side effects were pretty tough the first couple of months. But they did get better, unlike other medicine I have taken. I am very sensitive to medication, and on Tamoxifen, my body feels like it did when I took an aromatase inhibitor. My body is still making estrogen, but it doesn't feel like it. Our bodies thrive on estrogen, unfortunately it feeds cancer tumors, too! So when we take medicine that affects the estrogen, we are going to feel it all over, unfortunately. My hair is thinning, my fatigue level is high, and I can't sleep without wearing long pajamas, or else my night sweats will wake me up and the sheets will be soaked. But I feel a lot better than I did on Aromasin. I've lost 30 pounds since my diagnosis. My need for pain medicine has decreased, as the tumors have reduced in size. My joints don't hurt, as they did while on Aromasin. I can actually run a mile or two, and I am alive here, today, and able to hug my husband and my 15-year-old son, tell them I love them, and thank God for another day. One day at a time, ladies. I'm hoping that all of you have good results with Tamoxifen, and that it gives you a minimum amount of side effects. 

Thank you so much Michelle!  All of the encouragement from some of the stage IV ladies has kept me going.  This is my third try (see stats below).  So far tamoxifen has been fairly kind and I am hoping it stays that way.  I was almost ready to stop the meds altogether.  Those of you still on the fence - try, try, and try again.  I so want this to work for me.  My kids and hubby are also what keep forging ahead.  Best wishes and hugs Michelle!

Michelle...being new to this, relatively speaking your post here is inspiring.  I see you live in NC...I do also.  I'm originally from CT, but have lived here for 20+ years.   I am thankful for ladies like you that are willing to share positive stories about treatments and give hope to others so new and unsure where this journey maybe going.  

Day 6 on Tamoxifen for me...so far so good.   Few hot flashes but not unbearable.  Little fatigue but still getting over rads also could be a factor with that. 

hi ladies,

I too would like to join the group. I started tamoxifen on Dec 20, so far so good. Side effects have been fairly minimal. The hot flashes are crazy though! Thank you for starting this group!!

HI all

Started my Tamoxifen journey December 6th- I really appreciate Michelle's perspective here- I don't care if I have every side-effect identified by the manufacturer if the one thing I don't experience is recurrence of breast cancer.. 

I was nauseous the first week and do get that way sometimes but not regularly.  No real hot flashes and I kind of wish I would have them so I knew the estrogen was being blocked out haha. I take it at night but don't always fall asleep easily (true before I started the med). I have lost weight and am being very careful about appetite and portion control but most days I am not really overly hungry.

I have headaches, fatigue etc from time to time but I had headaches and fatigue before I knew I had breast cancer.  

I know I can do this for 5 year or 10 years whatever it takes to keep cancer at bay in my body

Hey LisaSp, thanks for telling me about Pristiq. I'm going to check into it.

Hello SandyMomto3, nice to meet you. I don't seem to come across many ladies from NC on here, so I want to give you a big wave!! PM me if you like. I enjoy meeting ladies near me who are traveling the same journey. I live in Winston-Salem. 

Hi Ladies,

I was on Tamoxifen for about 2 months after finishing rads and my only complaint was some "warm flashes".  Had to stop for reconstruction (had DIEP on Dec 17 in NOLA-oh how nice it is to have 2 boobs again) and now back on for a week.  Still having the " warm flashes" 2-3 times a night. I am on Lexapro (my happy pill) for my emotions that started midway through chemo.  MO wants me to stay on it for awhile because it will help with hot flashes.  I wonder if taking tamoxifen in the morning might help?  Anyway, I will suck it up with the hope it will keep me cancer free.  Have a great day ladies!  Who Dat!!

Corpor,

Take a deep breath.  Now call your doctor and ask for something.  I was ALWAYS strongly opinionated about "happy pills", but I started having feelings of depression which was so not like me.  So now I am on a low dose of Lexapro and it has really helped to even out the highs and lows.  We have a lot to deal with medically, not to mention the rest of our life's challenges.  Put yourself first, ask for help and breath!

All my best,

Shawn

monis, my moods were the same way. There would be no trigger for the crying jag, most of the time. All of a sudden I'd start boo-hooing. My poor husband! My moods did improve but as I noted before, going off my antidepressant helped. I discovered this by accident. One day I forgot my antidepressant and at the end of the day I realized I had not had a single crying episode. (3-4 a day was my average.) Then I tried skipping it again intentionally a few days later and again, no crying jags. So I stopped. 

Hugs to all. We endure so much. ....