how soon tamoxifen after radiation (or with radiation)?

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yan123
yan123 Member Posts: 13
edited July 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi,

How soon should my mom take tamoxifen after radiation therapy? She has IBC (3 stage, HER2+ ER+), she had neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, and starting radiation soon.She is postmenopausal, I hope tamoxifen is a right choice for her.

Thanks

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  • RV6gal
    RV6gal Member Posts: 331
    edited July 2016

    I started Tamoxifen about 1 week after starting radiation. Seemed like there was no reason to wait 4 more weeks. I am post menopausal also.


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  • Carlsoda
    Carlsoda Member Posts: 249
    edited July 2016

    I personally am waiting until after radiation. I just want to deal with one set of side effects at a time. Being stage 1, I don't feel in a rush to start it since the radiation should be killing off any stray cells. I think it's a personal choice

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  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 2,753
    edited July 2016

    There is no time per se. Whenever you feel ready. I just went right in to it. No reason to wait. SEs from rads are still fatigue and sometimes pain, lots of redness and starting to peel. It's going to take awhile for it all to resolve. I feel better just popping the pill now whether it matters when after rads or not.

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  • Lovinggrouches
    Lovinggrouches Member Posts: 530
    edited July 2016

    I would have started right after, but had to put on hold until 6 weeks after hysterectomy since it can decrease white blood cells. Oncologist told me that it is ok to wait as long as it's started within a year of diagnosis

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  • Frill
    Frill Member Posts: 311
    edited July 2016

    I didn't even know there was a choice. No one has brought it up to me since my initial consult when I yelled that I would never take that crap (something along those lines). It's in the MO notes that I'm doing it, maybe he's trying to bribe someone to bring it up. Lol.

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  • Kali44
    Kali44 Member Posts: 65
    edited July 2016

    I too didn't realize that there was a choice since my dr. decided to start me after radiation. I did however, ask the radiology onc what the reason was for my dr. to make that decision and she said every dr. is just different in when they start. She also said that it was very common to begin after rads. I like ur mom did neo adjuvant chemo, surgery and now awaiting an app for simulation.

    Makes things kinda confusing when others seem to have a choice and u weren't given one ThumbsDown

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  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 723
    edited July 2016

    I wasn't told when to start so I waited until I felt like I was ready. I finished rads on Dec 23 and started tamoxifen on Jan 10 or 11th. I've had few side effects and I take it at the same time every day 8 pm. Or so. All the best

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