Bringing in 2014 with Tamoxifen!

Thank you Deb!  Very interesting.   I will look forward to your next report.   It is very kind of you to share with us!   

I have been doing a minimum of 10,000 steps daily (for about 6 weeks)  and I do think it is helping! 

I have not ha

I started tamo. while rads was going and did good. I did have some muscle issues with rads that got blamed on tamo. but disappeared and that's OK by me Back of my knees hurt and I move like an ole lady but when I get going I feel great. Back to running and soccer is in fill swing . I warm up slowly , stretch like crazy then use heat at night seams to work for me Sure beats the alternative !!! 

Thank you, thank you, thank you Deb!!!  I am one of those ladies having the breast pain in the non-affected breast but hadn't found too much information on-line about this particular SE.   It's such a relief that this is common and talked about in such a class. 

In regard to walking: I am participating in a research study for BC survivors at a local university.  The study is to look at how physical exercise effects cognitive recovery in recent BC survivors.  They had us do some cognitive tests early on and then 12 weeks of exercise, I am in the treadmill group and am walking between 2 - 3 miles a day, 3 times a week.  I started the study 2 days after I started Tamoxifen and have had only mild aches and pains in my fingers and toes, certainly nothing that affects my quality of life or requires any pain medication.  I have only an occasional foot cramp or stronger pain in my hand.  I am sold on the fact that walking can help, I also walked as much as I could during chemo (given weather conditions and how much energy I had/didn't have) and I got through those scary drugs fairly well given what some of the SE's can be.  I would say if you can do nothing else on the exercise front a good walk every day will help you feel better physically, emotionally and mentally.  

thanks for the info, Deb. I'm a bit confused about the paragraph on what estrogen does because my MO told me that the tamoxifen is good for my bones, heart and cholesterol.  My grandpa's 98 yr old girlfriend fell down a flight of wooden stairs last year, didn't break a single bone, and her doc said it was because she had been on tamoxifen in the past after having BC. As for the SEs, I have nothing except no periods since I've been on it, and the occasional breast pains, usually around when I should be having a period.  I do exercise daily, walk/run at least a mile, then lift weights pretty heavily.  I'm building muscle really well, and my husband who has always been a weight lifter said some male body builders take tamoxifen to block any small amount of estrogen they may have and it helps them build muscles bigger and quicker.  I don't know how they get ahold of the tamoxifen though.  I guess the same way they get illegal steroids.  Keep sharing what you've learned. It's greatly appreciated!  Kim

I live in Florida and try to get most of my exercise by walking on the beach on weekends. I've been on Tamoxifen for a month now after radiation and chemo and haven't had any issues with the sun or the beach. I'm hoping that continues..... 

I have an appointment at the end of the month for nerve conduction studies for carpal tunnel.  It started after four months on Aromasin and has continued on tamoxifen.  Some days it is bad, other days I barely notice it.  But I have been sleeping with wrist braces since December.  And now my elbows hurt too.  My PCP says it is musculoskeletal .  I took a light (2 lbs.) weight class at the Y and my elbows let me know not to do that again.  So now I take a bit of pain med for the elbows when it is too much.  Can't take aspirin or ibuprofen due to reflux.  Yes, reflux is new too since tamoxifen.  If not for the supposed bone density benefits of tamoxifen I would not be taking it or anything else.

Dawn, I do mainly free weights.  I do shoulders and legs one day, biceps and chest one day and triceps and back one day.  I had my surgery the middle of December.  The lymph node dissection has caused me the most problems, but I started with 2.5 pound weights on shoulder presses and I'm now up to 20 lbs.  I'm a small person, but I've finally gotten my shoulders broader than my hips and I'm loving it!  Lol. I definitely feel better as far as the under arm and chest go after I'm done working out.  I still have a lot of numbness with pain (oxymoron I know), and quite some pain and swelling in my back/side area where my drains were, but after I work out, it definitely is a lot better.  I thought it was lymph edema but have been told it's not. They probably left a sponge in there or something during surgery.  I have to admit I'm becoming somewhat addicted to the weight lifting.  I was very into it years ago in my 20s, then stopped for all these years, but BC got me back into it.  They say estrogen likes fat, so I'm trying to be lean and mean. Once you start seeing the results, it makes you crave more.  Good luck, hope you enjoy it as much as I do.  

Deb....that is great information. I certainly appreciate you passing it along.  I don't exercise much.  But I did go hit a bucket of balls at the driving range today....and then played 9 holes.  I walked.  Felt great....except for the darned blister I got! 

Does anyone find that the joints that ache are ones you've previously injured?  

Laurie

For example I sprained my thumb....didn't bother me for a year.  Then tamox....sore thumb again.  Coincidence?  

Laurie

Thanks Deb!   I can really relate with that "cancer on the forehead" situation.   I had that with my MIL.  I thought " you can't really be considering that a curable basal cell skin lesion is comparable to Breast cancer!".  That's good advice they gave you. 

Also - I have been doing 10,000 steps a day since I started my Tamoxifen on Feb 23rd.  It is helping me to feel more energetic,  I think.   I saw my Oncologist yesterday and I have lost 10lbs in 3 months.   He was so happy!   

Keep plugging away at the walking.   It gets easier.  

You said that you have joint pain.   Did you see the article about vitamin D as treatment for joint pain? When I was first diagnosed my vitamin D was tested at 25 which is low.   I have been taking a supplement and it is now 37.  So,  the supplements work. I am not currently having any joint pain. 

Hi

I'm new to this board.  Have only been taking Tamoxifen for about a week.  I will go back and read through the thread as soon as I have time, but my biggest complaint as far as the drug goes is that it's killing my sex drive and I feel like a tired old woman all of a sudden.  My MO said I have a 20% reoccurrence chance and the Tamo will cut that in half.  I'm not sure that is worth not wanting or enjoying sex anymore and feeling like this....   I exercise and eat right and am very healthy, but my desire is just gone.  

Hi ladies. I will ask about previous injuries, lack of serial drive and reflux next week. Thank you for the suggestions.  

Cari, tamoxifen's job is to kill estrogen. Which, unfortunately, is a big part of what gives us our Sex drive! If you find yourself mentally balancing your checkbook or worse reading a book during sex it's time to ask your doc for help. There is stuff out there. My doc gave me a recommendation which I can only buy at the (blush) Stag Shop. I'm sure you have the equivalent near you. Ask - don't be shy. You aren't alone. Hugs'n'kisses 

Deb

So I am new to this post, but NOT new to Tamoxifen.  I have been on it for 2 years, (after a bi-lateral, chemo, and radiation) and have some minor issues.  Overall, I am doing well.  New boobs are settled in nicely, tattoos done and all that.  And I have been walking this journey with a couple of friends who are in the middle of treatments, etc.  I always feel comfortable speaking my mind here and don't think I will offend anyone, but there is no other place to say certain things since most people don't understand! I have not read all the posts, so I may be repeating what some of you have said...does anyone else miss having a sex drive?  Does anyone who had a bi-lateral miss having breasts that feel and respond?  Because I do!  I have a wonderful patient husband, and I just have no interest in sex.  And it is painful.  I have started a vaginal cream after trying 2 others that irritated me.  Now I am using Estrace with my doc's approval, but haven't tried anything since using it so I don't know how things will go.  

Kruise, awhile back I started a thread on reflux and tamoxifen but there weren't many responses.  But searching the keywords brings up quite a few.  My reflux is "silent", with dry throat, sore throat, and cough.  I am taking Prilosec for six weeks and if the problem comes back after treatment then my PCP wants to send me to a gastroenterologist for an endoscopy.  There are also foods that should be avoided and some that should be eaten.  Avoid carbonated drinks, caffeine, citrus and chocolate to start.  And many bottled beverages are actually quite acidic.  Oatmeal and banana are good to eat. 

I suspect the tamoxifen because it reminds me of a non-enteric coated aspirin, the type that is really unkind to the stomach in sensitive people.  When I used to take aspirin I always took the enteric-coated kind.