How long does tamoxifen stay in your system after quitting?

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rianne2580
rianne2580 Member Posts: 191
edited August 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Also wondering, if one quits then starts again, do you lose benefits? And if one skips a few days, do you lose benefits. I also read here that tamoxifen can damage the organs (but cannot find that statement again). I thought it came from a M.D. I'm done with it after 5 years and understood the benefits last several years but do the SE go away? I get terrible headaches (never had them before Tam.) gained 15 lbs. and I work out and watch diet religiously and of course joint pain. Thanks for responses!

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  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited August 2016

    The benefits might last a couple of months, but no more. I'm doing it for 10 years. The research is clear that 10 years dramatically cuts the risks of recurrence. I have not gained weight, or suffered severe side effects, but even if I had, not getting a metastasis trumps everything else. Disclaimer, I was on an Al, but the SEs were difficult, so my MO switched me to Tamoxifen, which is very doable, FOR ME.

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  • coraleliz
    coraleliz Member Posts: 1,523
    edited August 2016

    The "half-life" of Tamoxifen is 7-14 days. That's when 50% of it has left your body. So, when I stop the medication at the 5 year mark, I'm giving myself a month. Hoping many of my SEs are really SEs & find their way out of my body.

    The benefit for me to continue would be about 2-3%. This is in line with the reduction being up to 30%, since my reoccurrence risk if I stop at 5 years is 10%. 7-8% sounds a lot like 10% to me.

    Neither my MO or BS are pushing 10years for me. Maybe I complain to much

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