Tamoxifen lots of hot flashes after 5 weeks

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Jnnmn7
Jnnmn7 Member Posts: 66
edited December 2017 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

So, I've been on Tamoxifen for 5 weeks now. No real issues besides the hot flashes which I've been having since chemo but they seem to be more frequent lately (the past few days). Is that normal? I remember the nurse telling me that the side effects mellow out after 6 weeks I think.

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  • jabo
    jabo Member Posts: 1
    edited November 2017

    I was on Tamoxifen for about a year and had hot flashes constantly throughout. Onc. suggested Gapentin to combat hot flashes, It worked a little. Then Onc. suggested a low dose of some type of anti-depressant for hot flashes and that worked better, but I still have them multiple times day and night. I then took Arimidex and had just as bad hot flashes , but the anti-depressant helps. I'm back on Tamoxifen. All together it's been a little over 2 years.

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  • Cpeachymom
    Cpeachymom Member Posts: 518
    edited November 2017

    I honestly don't think I had hot flashes the first month at all, but they did slowly build. I doubt they're going to lessen at the 6 week mark.

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited November 2017

    I agree, my understanding is that side effects build. Every time you have a hot flash remember what the medicine is doing for you!!!

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  • ready2bedone
    ready2bedone Member Posts: 95
    edited November 2017

    I had terrible hot flashes with the Letrozole I am on, but my plastic surgeon gave me gabapentin for nerve pain after my mastectomy, and again with my reconstruction surgeries and it has helped considerably with the hot flashes too! I was pleasantly surprised - it's a great thing to be able to actually sleep at night.

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  • Mumzy3
    Mumzy3 Member Posts: 18
    edited November 2017

    Iwas having like 40 hot flashes in a 24 period after chemo and on Tamoxifen. My MO gave me a half dose of Clonidine in the AM, another half in PM and it has shut the flashes off! It is a miracle pill!


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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited November 2017

    I took effexor, lowest dose (not enough to treat depression, but enough to treat hot flashes). My MO gave me the rx. You might consider it.

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  • voraciousreader
    voraciousreader Member Posts: 7,496
    edited November 2017

    i, too,take a low dose anti-depressant for a host of symptoms and it seems to diminish, NOT eradicate most of my issues....


    That said, are you taking it at night? Moving the med to night time helped me.


    Also helps, because I am in a constant state of simmer... a Frogg Togg Chilly Pad... no orher brand works as well. Gave one to my MO and he shares it with his paients. He always thanks me for the recommendation!


    A ceiling fan also helps. I have them in every room in my home.


    Finally... I have a new wardrobe! Light layers of clothes! Amazing! I am the Queen of layering! What a difference the proper clothes make


    Good luck!



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  • runor
    runor Member Posts: 1,798
    edited November 2017

    One of my first side effects was leg cramps in bed at night. But those have eased off. Constipation was next, but that is no longer an issue. (hooray!) BUt the night sweats and hot flashes...oy! All I do all night is flail the covers off, on, off, on ... My poor husband! The hot flashes in the day are not as numerous as the night sweats, but they are certainly miserable. Also I have not had a period since I started Tamoxifen and I was regular up until that point. Although I was 53 I had no menopausal symptoms and still had my periods. Tamox ended those instantly.

    I hope some of your symptoms level out although not likely to go away entirely.

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  • SiameseX2
    SiameseX2 Member Posts: 30
    edited December 2017

    I'm about 8 weeks into Tamoxifen. After about 4 weeks, I noticed my inability to stay asleep, and blamed the hot flashes. (they are mostly at night; I am 42).

    I was then prescribed effexor as well (75 mg, seems like a lot!). It worked well to stop my hot flashes, but I still can't sleep. Going to try taking Tamoxifen during the day since it gives me a burst of energy 5 hours after taking it.

    Unfortunately, the effexor dilated my eyes... so I won't be taking it again anytime soon!!

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