Osteoarthritis After Starting Tamoxifen

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Bcky
Bcky Member Posts: 167
edited November 2017 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

With no signs of arthritis previous; after starting Tamoxifen I developed Osteoarthritis in my right knee. It is so bad I need a knee replacement. There was once some cartiladge in the knee but now after the Osteopath monitoring for 6 months it is bone on bone. My feet are really hurting in the last year as well. I have been a licensed massage therapist for several years and just Wednesday I am not only having agonizing foot pain but the joints in my hands are really "tight" and sore starting on Tuesday. It hurt to drive to work. It hurt to hold the steering wheel. I see my oncologist Nov.7th. After starting Tamoxifen my periods have gotten lighter and have disappeared since August. I seem to have SEs more common with AIs or is Tamoxifen known for this too. I am having to use a cane lately. The knee brace the osteopath gave me is for my knee. I find my knee less troublesome than the kind of agonizing foot pain I am enduring. During work at dinnerbreak I could get up from my chair but could not move from the table. It hurt too much.Then when I did start moving I had to limp all night I was in such pain. Anyone else have these issues?

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  • Quirky74747
    Quirky74747 Member Posts: 16
    edited November 2017

    Yes! In fact, I have been working with my MO on a break from tamoxifen to see if it improves. I had always had bad knees, but a year ago I started getting what I thought was arthritis in other joints too, mainly hips and hands. My MO ordered a hip x-ray and my regular doctor saw no signs of arthritis. He thinks it’s arthralgia caused by tamoxifen. AIs are notorious for this side effect, but you can find plenty of people complaining about joint pain on tamoxifen too. My hands improved literally days after being off tamoxifen. I went back on the tamoxifen to test it, and the joint pain in my hands came right back. I’m pretty bummed, as I only had two years on it and I wanted to make it the full five. But I’m not going to be in pain for three more years, that’s ridiculous. I’m premenopausal so I can’t try raloxifene to see if I’d have better luck with i. Oh well, 2 years will have to do. Good luck!

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2017

    Thanks Quirky!

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  • Francesj19
    Francesj19 Member Posts: 81
    edited November 2017

    HI Ladies,

    I have been having the worst back pain since on tamoxifen last august. I could deal with the knee and ankle pain, but the back is progressively worse. I had X-rays today and they did say that I have arthritis now. I just can't continue on like this. I meet with me MO tomorrow to discuss getting off this pill.

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2017

    Frances did you get off the Tamox pill?

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  • Bcky
    Bcky Member Posts: 167
    edited November 2017

    Frances. Hi. I did not get off the Tamoxifen pill. I saw my oncologist a few days ago and she did not leave me the option. I am scheduled in February to have gastric sleeve surgery and then a new knee after that heals. She wouldn't say if the tamoxifen has caused this arthritis. She said the weight loss and new knee will help. Seems oncologists never discuss bad Se's. I am too afraid to get off it because I had grade three cells. I would rather be riddled with arthritis than get BC again. I am also considering switching Oncologists because it feels she never has enough time for me to really discuss things. I have my annual MRI tommorow to check my chest. I am worried as I have to start PT next week because I have developed lymphodema around my ribs on the mastectomy side. What have you decided to do? Is the back pain worse as the winter comes in? Back pain is really the worst. I am a massage therapist so I see allot of people that suffer from that.

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