Starting Tamoxifen - Spring 2015

Midlifecrisis-----I took tamoxifen for the full 5 years with little to no SEs. (I am high risk due to LCIS and family history of bc (mom had ILC); I do high risk surviellance and now I take evista for further preventative measures.) If you have already been thru chemo, you don't need to be anxious about tamox. While it does have it's own set of SEs, it is much easier on your system than chemo. (chemo is actually a toxin to the body, while tamox is not--it is an estrogen blocker.) However, I would recommend a yearly transvaginal US to monitor both the uterine lining and the ovaries.

Anne

Thanks Teri and awb for the positive examples. It's so easy to get nervous reading all the posts about SE's until you realize that the people who feel really good are probably off living their lives and moving on. Looking forward to doing the same...

Just took my first pill today. Hoping it goes well. Nervous about it but nothing to do but wait and see.

Has anyone heard that Vitamin E can help reduce hot flashes and night sweats while on Tamoxifen? If so, how much do you take?

I'd like to join in. I'm in my last week of radiation (no chemo), and am supposed to start Tamoxifen when I'm done next week. I think I'm way more scared of Tamoxifen than I was of surgery. I just turned 40 and was not planning on menopause this soon.

Joining the topic.

I have been on Tamoxifen since march 2015.

Like MidlifeCrisis, 5mg then 10mg... then stuck to 10 mg because SE: hair thinning, neuropathy (I was on Taxol), asthma and joint pain. I have currently a cruralgia and take ibuprofen to handle it.

Jeeper4 the Vitamin E is ok for hot flashes. But the most effective is Megace, a progestin which has an indication for metastatic breast cancer. But I think it is only for severe hot flashes (I had 40 hot flashes per day and the drug took me to... none per day which is a blessing: I was close to the nervous break down).

Just finished my first week of tamoxifen! So far the only possible side effect I've noticed is increased intensity of hot flashes. But it also got suddenly warmer around here - upper 70's into the 80's, so that could be the reason as well.

Happy pill taking everyone!

I started Tamoxifen in Nov 2014. The hot flashes and night sweats hit me within a week of taking it. I ended up being put on Effexor to help with the flashes and night sweats which has helped about 85%.

By Jan 2015, I started having chronic consitpation issues - now on Linzess for that and it sorta helps.

Now here we are in May and my new SE are short term memory issues, brain fog and weight gain. I have suddenly started really putting on the weight even though I have been working out hard 5 days a week since Feb this year.  Its not muscle weight, its fat weight. Every time I get on the scales, I am up another 2 lbs. I have gained 10 lbs this month alone. My clothes are getting really snug. I am going to meet with a nutrionist next week to see if there is some helpful advise in curbing the weight gain. I feel I eat pretty healthy now but have room for improvement.  I am also hoping the weight gain is a temporary thing and I will eventually start losing.

Feeling pretty frustrated.

Hi Ladies,

I'm set to start Tamoxifen in a couple of days. The biggest worry in SE for me would be depression and/or mood swings. My boyfriend says he can't live with a woman with mood swings and depression. Though the SE like that might be rare, has anyone experienced them? I'm almost considering not taking the drug to avoid possible mood swings or depression.

I like your style, Jackbirdie.

I struggled with the decision to take Tamoxifen as well and what finally made me decide to take it is the doubt in myself that I would feel if I didn't take it but did get a recurrence.

Be the best you that you can be, but I wouldn't risk something like cancer recurrence to pacify someone in your life. Not that tamoxifen is for everyone and that you shouldn't feel empowered to decide to take it or to not take it but you have to be at peace with your own decision.

Thanks Jackbirdie,

He never said living with him would be easy, and he's not a coddler. At all.

Piscean- I never meant to make your situation seem easy, and I apologize if I seemed offhand about your other half's comments, your life, or your choices.

Although I could never understand your situation fully, I think I understand a little. I have fought depression and severe bipolar issues all of my life that have brought me to the brink of self-destruction several times. I live alone. I have no family within 500 miles. I had moved to a new town to try to start a new life six weeks before I was diagnosed with bc, so had not a single friend locally to lean on during my bmx surgery, recovery, and now I'm in the middle of chemo and the middle of a fairly friendly divorce. It has been pretty hard being alone through all of this.

I have to say that I felt pain for you when I read that you were setting aside your own needs and fears because someone didn't think they could live with you during treatment to avoid the scariest thing you've ever faced in your life. As alone as I am, I would never trade the appearance of support for the honesty of knowing right where I was with myself. I am not particularly enjoying cancer. But I am still enjoying my life.

I wish with all my heart that you find some true support and friendship on these boards. Again, I apologize if I appeared insensitive because I don't know your whole story. Nobody does except you. But please never forget the beauty and value of yourself as a person. Don't let cancer take that away. And certainly don't let one selfish person take it away either.

The best of luck and a gentle hug,

Katy

I started Tamoxifen about two months ago. I haven't had any SEs yet. My MO says that only about 25% of her patients experience any SEs and only a handful have severe SEs. She also said that it's easier to transition to tamoxifen if you had chemo since you're already likely in chemo pause. I was scared silly to take it after lurking on Tamoxifen related boards. I'm glad I tried it.