mood changes on tamoxifen

Yes - mood changes. Not so much angry as depressed and problems concentrating.

I hate that the answer to every problem or side effect is more drugs.

knots, I had "tamoxifen Rage", thought I was loosing my mind. I was exercising 5 days per week, and it made no difference. I broke my cell phone, my tablet and my crock pot. I would become volcanically angry. I just couldn't take it, stopped after 9 hellish months. The last straw was when I was screaming like a crazy person at my 7 year old. Frightened her and me. I hated feeling out of control. I also had several other problems, like ovarian cysts occur. Too many side effects from tamoxifen.

Pi-Xi, good one "tamoxifits". Horrifying, dreadful side effect that should be frankly discussed with patients, BEFORE it occurs. Way too, too late to tell me later, after all the damage has been done.

Notverybrave...I totally agree that taking another drug to combat the side effects of the drug you are on is disheartening. More natural remedies would be nice. Also better treatment options would be even better!

omg my body reacts to tamoxifen badly. I have been on it for over 4 months and I started to notice the accumulative effect. Nothing was happening during the first 3 months. After the 4th month, I started having rage, and anger fits, trigger with irritability for minor reasons, and was depress and stressed so easily. At first I thought it was the chemo side,effect. The fit of rage and outburst of anger has me worried. So I got a natural serotonin and dopamine drop and it help my moodiness and depression. However, the rage continues. The night sweats are intense and so is the hot flashes. My cloths and blankets are wet waking up. But after taking dim-amine and serotonin drop I don’t have them as bad. I am determine to stay on hormone therapy no matter what. I have incorporated exercise and raw food diet. However, I’m still managing my mood swings and anger and rage. I have been working through my bitterness and forgiveness issues and that has help. I wonder if it is more sensitive to people who are already emotionally sensitive. My doctor prescribe antidepressant but I have not taken it yet. I will try the natural route first.

I was stage 2iib, level 3, 1 lymph node invaded, er positive 95%, pr positive 55%, her2 negative, 4.6 cm cancer size on right breast. Had mastectomy and reconstruction on right breast. Took chemotherapy-ac and taxel for 5 months 16 treatments (4 on ac every two weeks, and 12 weekly on taxel, is on tamoxifen for 5 years after chemotherapy. No radiation.

I think there's maybe something to the thought that people who are already somewhat emotionally "sensitive" have a harder time with this. I probably already had some emotional baggage before cancer and had not really dealt with it. After going through diagnosis, chemo, and surgery - I was worn down and had little reserve for dealing with anything else. My MO put me on Tamoxifen while I was still getting Herceptin, too.

I'm currently in a holding pattern for what to do with hormonal therapy. After I had already quit Tamoxifen - my uterine lining was very thickened (1.6 cm) and I had a septated ovarian cyst. Then I had a period after none for 18 months but none since (5 months). My hormone levels look more like menopause, but I worry about AI's due to Osteopenia and a number of joint aches and pains already.

I keep saying that I'll try Tamoxifen again, but I have a problem with the "one size fits all" and would like to try taking only 5-10 mg. My MO disagrees with that, but there have been some studies about the effectiveness of much smaller dosages. And I cannot believe that the SE's would not be reduced with a lesser amount of drug.

I just had so many negative side effects from tamoxifen , aside from the madness and insane rages, I used to get these CRAZY cramps of my big toe that would wake me up out of sleep. I would actually have to get out of bed and STAND on my toes with my other foot. If I tried to just take care of it by rubbing my foot my entire leg would go into an excruciating spasm. Also painful ovarian cysts too. Too many negatives for me.

I took it for 9 hellish months. Never again.

I took it for 4 years. Started out on Arimidex but MO switched me to Tamoxifen because Arimidex attacks the bones and I had osteopenia.

It was no walk in the park but I did have difficulty concentrating sometimes and joint pain at night. It was manageable though so I made it through the 4 years and when I reached my 5 year milestone she told me I could quit. There is also the SE of blood clots and I had one at 16 years old. She said the fact that I had had 2 children meant I could handle it despite having a blood clot.

Personally if I had the SEs you guys have had I would have asked to be switched to another med. I can’t imagine I would have gone without for 4 years but that’s me. I was afraid not to take anything. I was 7 years out last August.

I know women who have stopped taking anything and so far so good. One in particular is over 10 years out but to me that’s just too risky. No guarantees but I always looked at it like another insurance policy against a recurrence.

Diane