Has anyone on here NOT had side effects while taking Tamoxifen?

right there with you. I start Wednesday. I saw a thread recently about this. Several women responded that they were good on it. Fingers crossed for both of us.

Welcome, Aprildawn714!

We're glad you've joined our community, and hope you find this to be a place of support! As you can already see, there's lots of information and conversations happening about Tamoxifen here. We do want to emphasis that everyone's experience will be different, but we know how helpful it can be to hear from others - the good and the bad!

The Mods

Hi rubyredslippers,

Due to my BRAC2 mutation, I was being monitored quarterly for ovarian/uterine cancer by having transvaginal ultrasounds/ultrasounds before starting Tamoxifen. These show your insides-ovaries, uterus, etc.,to check for malignancies. During my last ultrasound it showed my uterine lining to be 17 mm (2mm when I started Tamoxifen) after only 4 months on Tamoxifen. I wasn't told that Tamoxifen actually gives estrogen to some tissues like the uterus while blocking estrogen from breast tissues. Since having a thick uterine lining is a cancer risk and taking the medication would probably continue to grow it, I ended up having a hysterectomy to get rid of that problem.

You would need to be monitored somehow to check on possible developing endometrial cancer. I was also getting periodic tumor marker blood tests and the numbers were increasing indicating a problem.

I had depression and emotional lability, as well as a PMS type heaviness in my lower abdomen for the first few months but all of that has mostly resolved. I've noticed that I get some mild swelling in my foot from time to time, which I used to get before my period. I say foot because I only get it in the left one.

I get hot flashes but that might just be from the chemopause.

All in all, I don't feel horrible on it, but my endometrium has thickened from it and I do worry about endometrial cancer.

Hi April, I just posted on another thread that tamoxifen hasn't made my migraines worse and may have actually brought some improvement. I have less trouble with joint/muscle aches, leg cramps, and general malaise when I remember to take my magnesium supplement. It's all better than a recurrence.

My first couple years on tamoxifen were fine. A rechallenge after not tolerating aromatase inhibition was much different however. I then took no anti-estrogen therapy due to quality of life issues and became metastatic in 2018. Several months on Faslodex injections are going OK. My night sweats are controlled by gabapentin.

Endometrial concerns will often reveal themselves via abnormal bleeding so that's the thing of which to be aware.

Aprildawn, I have been on tamoxifen for a little over two years and have had very little in the way of side effects. No hot flashes at all. The only thing i have experienced is vaginal discharge, and I think my hair may be a little thinner. But not sure if the tamoxifen is causing it or if it would have happened anyway. I feel pretty good on tamoxifen.

April I've been on Tamoxifen for almost 5 months and have done well. I get a few warm flashes usually when my blood pressure goes up. I did go the route of 10 mg in the morning and 10 mg in the evening, when I took it all at once the hot flashes were a little worse. I also am losing a little bit hair but it is not coming out in clumps, just a few strands getting ready in the morning. Here's to a SE free journey for you.

Aprildawn, I have been on Tamoxifen since April and to date have had so side effects at all.