What time of day do you take Tamoxifen?

mitziandbubba · December 2019

I was taking it at night before bed, hoping to sleep through side effects. Now I am realizing that I am not sleeping when around when my period is due to arrive. So now I am trying in the morning in the hopes of sleeping through the night again.

What works best for you?

pupmom · December 2019

I've always taken it in the a.m., but am way past menopause. When I first started taking it I had fierce hot flashes, no other s.e.s, but that has subsided completely.

DorothyB · December 2019

I started taking 10 mg at night. When I tried to ramp up, I took the extra in the morning and kept getting nausea 25 - 27 hours after taking the extra.

Then I started taking just 12.5 mg at night. I had trouble sleeping - which had been an issue off & on before cancer also. I also had a lot of muscle cramps, some hot flashes and turned into a zombie. I went back to 10 mg at night.

Then I switched and have been taking the 10 mg in the morning. When I switched, that meant taking one pill 9 hours early. I had slight nausea the next day, but it hasn't returned other than very slightly now and then. So, still taking it in the morning and still having trouble sleeping.

mitziandbubba · December 2019

Thanks pupmom! I am in perimenopause so still get my period for now. I took it for the first time in the late morning so I will try that for a bit an see how I do. I thought that if I took it at night I would sleep through any side effects for some reason! I originally thought anxiety was responsible for my sleep issues but I'm less anxious than I was during and right after treatment. I think it is the Tamoxifen b/c I am having hot flashes now when I wake up.

mitziandbubba · December 2019

DorothyB I am sorry you are still having issues! I am hoping that changing the time if day could help with sleep. Otherwise I have to do something about the sleeping b/c it is really affecting me big time. I went to bed before 10pm last night and slept until 8 but of course, about 3 hours of that were tossing and turning. I have no trouble falling asleep at all and I can get back to sleep once I wake up, but I wake up at least 5 times in the night when my period is on the way. So I'm not getting great quality sleep. My husband even told me he listened to me for a few hours one night when I thought I was sound asleep but he said I was constantly tossing and turning. So I'm not sleeping well even when I think I am.

WC3 · December 2019

I take it in the morning.

mitziandbubba · December 2019

I took it in the morning yesterday and I did sleep better. I only woke up once but it was at 5am - Sleeping 10.30 to 5 is actually decent. I was able to get back to sleep after that for a bit too. I took again in the morning today so hopefully it will be ok tonight. Some nights I wake up 5 and 6 times so this is better.

bcincolorado · December 2019

I had 2 pills and did one first thing in the morning and one at night. It helped minimize SE from meds and kept levels even.

mitziandbubba · December 2019

bcincolorado - thanks for your input. I wonder if my onc might let me have 2 pills. For the last few days I have taken Tamox in late morning. I slept beautifully last night, better than in months (although I did wake up to pee which is annoying)

DorothyB · December 2019

You can also split the pills in half

mitziandbubba · December 2019

DorothyB I may try this. All I know is, I'm feeling much better today than I have in a very long time.

mitziandbubba · December 2019

And update - taking Tamoxifen in the morning has been WAY better! I am sleeping through the night every night now. The only issue is that I want to be in bed very early but this is only on days that I workout. Which lately is almost every day! Then I sleep like a baby thank goodness.

What time of day do you take Tamoxifen?

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