Tamoxifen and esophageal spasm?

Options
Herculesmulligan
Herculesmulligan Member Posts: 175
edited February 2018 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Something weird happened today. I was eating my breakfast as usual when I got an intense epigastric pain that built over 10 minutes or so. It felt like an intense pressure in my lower esophagus or upper stomach. Then I vomited part of my breakfast and felt fine. I thought I had caught a stomach virus so I called in to work but I've been absolutely fine. So my question is.... I have horrendous muscle spasms from tamoxifen but usually in my feet legs and occasionally shoulder/neck. Could this spasm be a side effect of tamoxifen too?

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited January 2018

    Wow, does everything have to do with Tamoxifen???

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Herculesmulligan
    Herculesmulligan Member Posts: 175
    edited January 2018

    Well I don't know if this is a side effect or something entirely different. That's why I'm wondering if anyone else had experienced it.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • pupmom
    pupmom Member Posts: 5,068
    edited January 2018

    I've never heard anything about esophageal spasm being associated with Tamoxifen. I'll leave it at that.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Peregrinelady
    Peregrinelady Member Posts: 1,019
    edited January 2018
    It sounds like acid reflux to me. What were you eating? Have you experienced this before?
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Chiarara
    Chiarara Member Posts: 44
    edited January 2018

    Sounds like gastritis, or something of that type. Yes, vomiting is listed as a less common SE. But there are many other things that can cause vomiting. Hopefully, it is a one-off occurrence

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited January 2018

    While I don't think it was Tamoxifen, anything is possible. I understand you wondering about that. I also had absolutely ridiculous muscle spasms while on Tamoxifen - leg and feet cramps every night repeatedly but also occasionally in my abdomen or neck. Those were especially disconcerting.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited January 2018

    Esophageal spasms is a real condition usuall found in women between 60 and 80.


    https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/eso...


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Herculesmulligan
    Herculesmulligan Member Posts: 175
    edited January 2018

    Thanks fir your input guys. Marijen I read that article and I'm pretty sure that's what I had. But I just finished eating the exact same breakfast (Greek yogurt with honey, bagel thin with peanut butter, banana, tea, ice water, and a big handful of supplements and my tamoxifen) and it all went down fine. Very weird.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Artista964
    Artista964 Member Posts: 530
    edited January 2018

    i think because we are scared into side effects, and on this board, many more people posting problems than doing fine, that that the hormonal med is the first thing to think of over other possibilities.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • marijen
    marijen Member Posts: 3,731
    edited January 2018

    I knew about the spasms because a relative gets them. Not all the time, once in a while and no she doesn’t have bc.


    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • 1116lucky
    1116lucky Member Posts: 3
    edited February 2018

    I have experienced the same thing in the last month or so. Been on tamoxifen for 10 months.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited February 2018

    YES!!!!

    I have experienced this too, twice in the past month. Well, I think that's what happened. Sudden building back pain that started after swallowing food that was either quite dry or really cold. Chugging ice water makes it start feeling like that. It's hard to explain. Weird feeling. No vomiting though. I haven't been to the doctor about it because it went away both times (once after a couple hours) and the second time it took a day and a half---it was over the weekend and not an ER level issue especially during flu season--so I waited it out. By Monday it was gone. Reflux meds did nothing for it, and clearly I wasn't having a heart attack. Sure matches esophageal spasm symptoms though, except for I am only 39 and it's usually later in life... I have been on tamoxifen for 11 months or so. I have no clue if it's connected or if my (39 year old??!!) Esophagus is getting tired or something...

    In any event, awful feeling. Interesting to hear others are getting it too.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Herculesmulligan
    Herculesmulligan Member Posts: 175
    edited February 2018

    maybe the tamoxifen relaxes that sphincter through loss of estrogen.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories