Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

Dodgersgirl---I believe it was you asking about turmeric and I said I'd check with my MO when I saw him. Well, that was today and I told him I had a number of people wanting to take it but some doctors were saying not to. Mine is one that is ok with it and I asked specifically why he was. He said there aren't any real studies out but the basic reasoning is that turmeric is considered SLIGHTLY estrogenic. The reason he lets me take it is that Tamoxifen blocks estrogen so even if it is estrogenic Tamoxifen will block it. But he's less likely to let someone on an AI take it because AIs don't allow your body to make estrogen but he feels it may not work when you're actually ingesting something that may be estrogenic. It's one reason he also allows me to to drink/eat small amounts of soy as long as it's in it's natural form. He also wanted me to know that he's tried to do a lot of research on turmeric because it seems to help so many woman with joint pain and he said any study done has been done on mice and we humans just don't translate that well to mice results. So! Bottom line, I can continue with Tamoxifen. He is running the BCI test as we speak which will tell me if I stay on Tamoxifen, swap to an AI or drop all therapy. He said it's 99.9% accurate. He is still not convinced I should swap to an AI. Said it only improves my odds by 2-3%. He said there's much more benefit for node positive. He even said he has found grade to not make much of a difference which is very reassuring for me since I was grade 3. So as of Feb 1st I'll hit my 5 years on Tamoxifen and will make a change then. If it's to an AI I may have to give up turmeric which would really suck!

Hello bc friends, I am usually on the metastatic threads. I had to stop by here and let you all in on something. I was dx 2yrs ago stage IV right out of the gate. I have bone metastasis. I have taken tamoxifen,turmeric and CBD/THC for the duration of the dx. Every scan has shown improvement and finally,my last scan came back NED no evidence of disease!!! I have never done harsh chemo or radiation. Tamoxifen se's are bad,but not so bad,now that I know that it's kicking cancers ass!!!

Love to all!!! ChelleG

Thanks, ChelleG, for the update! Hope you continue on a wonderful, healthy path!!!

ChelleG,

Thanks for checking in! Glad your regimen is working for you. What dosage of tamoxifen do you take?

Thank you so much ChelleG! Sometimes I do wonder, is this working? especially I have minimum s/e (just warm flushes sometimes)... I wonder, "how do we know it's working?" ....

Im only into my 4week of taking Tamox. I was wondering the same thing. If you don't have side effect such as hot flashes, does it mean its not as effective in reducing the estrogen as it may be in someone who is experiencing hot flashes. How would one know if its working to reduce the levels. I'll have to ask if getting a hormonal blood test at my 3mth check would be beneficial.

beach2beach...just want to say that most MOs will not test hormones. IMO its because most know very little about female hormones. Try asking your PCP or gynecologist if MO won't do it. Also naturopathic docs test hormones too. Good luck and keep us posted.

thank dtad. I will do that.

We all react differently to meds. Some people get se's and some don't on the same med. Doesn't mean you don't have se that it's not working. I have 0 se on Tamox thank God. Occasional warm flush but I am menopausal so expected.

Hi ladies, I was on tamoxifen for 5 or 6 weeks and tamoxifen made me blood for 3 weeks my MO took me off and i stop blooding. Had to go see my GYN and she dis a emotional biopsy came back negative and sonogram an internal sonogram had cyst on my left ovary thinking of the uterine wall from being on tamoxifen and the next month 2 weeks of blooding. I've been off for a few months and now my MO want me to go back on it I'm worried. Oh and when I was on tamoxifen I had anxiety. My MO had me on 20mg and I had to take 10mg in the morning and 10mg at night because taking 20mg gave me bad anxiety but taking 10mg in the morning and at night the anxity is not that bad but still had it. Anyone had this happen be on tamoxifen?

Thank you

Hi Robin1234 and everyone: I have been taking Tamoxifen for almost 2 years now. It did not give me bleeding like for you, in fact it quickly stopped my periods (I am 51 years old). However it does give me low mood and anxiety. This varies from day to day (usually better in the evening), and I don't know how my own background menapausal hormones are influencing things. I recently asked for a break from it for 1 month to get a rest and to see if I felt better. After 2 to 3 weeks I was almost feeling normal . It's annoying to have to go back unto it. I was still alright for 6 days then whumf! Feeling bad again. I've asked a breast cancer nurse (I am in UK) to ask a oncologist if I can have a one month break once a year from now on. I'll hear back next week. This will make me more likely to complete the 5 years. FYI: Taking tamoxifen reduces my recurrence percentage from 10% to 7% I'm told.

Variable,

I have stopped Tamoxifen before each of my surgeries, the main reason being that I have to take baby aspirin with the Tamoxifen and thiscould cause excessive bleeding.

I was told for Exchange surgery to stop two weeks before, three after. However, I did some research and stopped about 10 days before 10 days after. Doctors are over the place on this topic, from what I have read here.

Hello all - has anyone heard of Tamoxifen causing strokes? My story is a long one. I came down with sudden double vision almost 6 weeks ago. I have had every test under the sun. It is not cancer thank goodness! But my latest MRI showed a small "lacular infract" which is a stroke. I have no risk factors - I am 52. Not diabetic. No high blood pressure. Not overweight. Exercise daily. Don't smoke. So am wondering if this could be related to tamoxifen? I see my neurologist next week so will have more info. Meanwhile I have been told it should clear up in 12 weeks. So I am about half way there. It has been very difficult as you can imagine. I stopped taking tamoxifen the day this happened to me and I have serious doubts whether I will ever go back on it. Also seeing oncologist this week and will see what he says.