I Can't Get My Oncologist to Listen!!

Your symptoms are most certainly side effects of tamoxifen.  After almost 5 years on tamoxifen, I've experienced all your symptoms with the exception of tinnitus.  My side effects improved after about 6 months.  Oncologists often play down side effects of tamoxifen because it works really well at protecting against hormone positive breast cancer.  They really want you to stay on it.  My oncologist  gave me a prescription for gabapentin to alleviate hot flashes.  I didn't end up taking it, but you could ask your oncologist about it. I hope you get some relief soon!

I second Momine. Since you are menopausal due to having your ovaries out, you should be on an Al anyway (more effective in preventing recurrence & less side effects). Here is what the BCO information page says:

"A number of studies have compared aromatase inhibitors with tamoxifen to see which type of medicine was more effective in treating early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in postmenopausal women. Based on the results, most doctors recommend that after initial treatment (surgery and possibly chemotherapy and radiation therapy):

• an aromatase inhibitor is the best hormonal therapy to start with. When treating early-stage, hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer, aromatase inhibitors have more benefits and fewer serious side effects than tamoxifen"

Another upside to the Als is that, since there are 3 of them, if you experience side effects from taking one aromatase inhibitor, you can try a different one. Arimidex and Femara have similar chemical structures. Aromasin has a different structure. You can play around to find the best fit for you.

Get back to the doctor and demand to switch.....he is working for you, not the other way around!

I agree with everyone here; get a second opinion and/or a new MO.  The best thing for me is to think of all my relationships with all my medical team as a business agreement: I'm paying THEM for their expert service.  I've hired them to work for me. If a flooring guy came in and argued with me that he wanted to lay my hardwood floor in another direction than I had told him to, and he refused to listen to me, I'd fire him on the spot.  

Good luck with all this. I'm sure you'll get it straightened out, and it seems that you could stop  the med temporarily at least until you find someone who will work for you, not the other way around....

Claire

OK, by "L" medicine she means letrozole, as noted above. It is standard of care AND a really good idea to do a baseline DEXA before starting letrozole, because it can accelerate bone loss. So she is not off her rocker on that score. Also, effexor is commonly prescribed for this situation. Not that I would want to take it, but it is helpful in reducing hot flashes for many women.

As for those hot flashes, I had them on letrozole as well. Like you I had a hysterectomy as part of my cancer treatment, followed by starting letrozole. It is a major double-whammy, no gentle slide into menopause.

However, it eventually passed, just as it normally would in "natural" menopause. I think for me, the first 6-9 months were kinda killer, and then it slowly and gradually eased up. I am now 2.5 years out from the hyster and start of letrozole, and I really have minimal SEs and only very occasional and minor hot flashes.