Tamoxifen-scared to take pills!

I'm not on Tamoxifen (am on Aromasin), but why not give it a try? Many women have no side effects from Tamoxifen. Why do you only have to take it for 20 days? If it's only 20 days, what's the big deal? I'll be on my hormone therapy for ten years. By the way, some women do ramp up to their hormone therapy by taking partial pills, so that is an option.

I have had no SEs from Tamoxifen. My MO says that only a handful of women in her practice have serious side effects from Tamoxifen. Give it a try, you will most likely tolerate it very well

Echoing what the above ladies say. I'd be more afraid of a misdiagnosis of some aspect of breast cancer because you chose not to take this short-term rx of tamoxifen before I'd be worried about all the possible (many rare) side effects listed by the drug companies because they are fearful of possible litigation if they don't tell you about every hairy-scary detail.

Tamoxifen is one of our drugs that's been time tested--been out there for years--so have some confidence that because it's been used for so long with little side effects overall to the typical healthy user (that's you), you'll 1) be in that vast body of users and 2) get the correct dx you need from taking it so you can move forward with tx and put this all behind you.

Claire

Hello quest,

Everyone is different. There are many people who do very well on Tamoxifen, in fact I am one who actually feels better on it, I used to get wicked hormone swings that made me feel terrible. Initially I had a lot of hot flashes but gabapentin brought me through them. I have been on Tamoxifen for 2.5 years now and am officially in menopause. My docs asked if I wanted to switch to an AI and I declined to switch because I am afraid the new med would have side affects . Good luck in your decision .