Migraine

Mimand

I am currently on tamoxifen after recently being diagnosed with Mets. I am 49 and this was my first diagnosis. As I am not post menopause my Oncologist has put me on this medication and a planned surgery to remove ovaries in next month.
I have developed a horrible migraine slowly over the last 2 days which has worsened considerably. I usually get a migraine when I am due for my period . I am trying to get through to after hours help lines with no luck to see if I can take pain killers . Did anyone experience migraine while on tamoxifen and if they were able to take stronger pain killers other than panadol whchbdid zilch for me . I don’t know whether to go to ICU or if this is extreme 

lrb_03

@Mimand what would you normally take for a migraine? Most things should be ok, I think

Zoffiel

Sunday's are a mongrel time to have issues. If you have previously been prescribed pain meds, you should still be able to take them. Tamoxifen doesn't generally muck you up when taken with anaelgesic meds, the problem may be what a causing the pain.
That you have already had similar pain is nasty, but maybe should inform what you do next. If the pain is familiar perhaps do what you have done in the past. If the pain feels different (after you rationally filter out all the BC extras) you may have to think about getting more advice.
I miss panadeine. 

primek

I do know of a lady who just couldn't take tamoxifen due to migraine issues. I guess it might be too early to tell if its the medication. Ibuprofen might be a good option for pain. Yes go to ED if no relief and contact your oncologist Monday. Hope things improve soon.
The best way to tell if medication is a short break then restart and see if happens but speak  with your Dr about doing that. It may be the sudden drop in available estrogen...so like menstrustion changes. ..it might be something tjat eases off when your body adjust. Your body may well still  be doing it's cycle thing regardless. 

Sister

I went through menopause naturally the year before diagnosis - migraines were one of the banes of my existence during that time so I'm guessing that tamoxifen just mirrors it.  Much as the docs don't like codeine, Panadeine Forte was the only thing that helped.

Chantellep

Hi @Mimand
Migraines are the pits, only really understood by those who get them! Like you, I used to get the monthly ones associated with menstruation. I went cold turkey into menopause with chemo at 40. Since then, my migraines have been all over the place and I've had to look much more closely at other triggers such as stress (or rather, drops in stress), foods and environmental factors. They tended to be further apart but more severe. I've done five years of Tamoxifen and five years of Arimidex but didn't find the effect on migraines significantly different from later years of simply menopause. They did get more frequent again, up to several weekly sometimes, when i went back on chemo but the upside for me is that now my migraines have become less severe -- less flashing and much less pain -- but they do last longer. Through all this, i got some effective medications from my doctor -- one that if I take it early enough prevents a migraine altogether and some powerful codeine if I don't! From my research in my family (and I know people are different), most female migraine sufferers stopped getting migraines when they stopped hot flushing, so in my family it seems definitely hormone related. (Sadly, 20 years on, I'm still hot flushing... And getting migraines.) Hang in there; talk with your doctor, and persist until you get some medication that will help. You've got enough going on not to have to deal with migraine problems as well.

bakerr

Hello, I have just finished 6 rounds of Chemo, I had the worst headaches I have ever had, I had great relief using Mersyndol  Forte, you need a perscription but its worth it, I also used a cheap heat bag from the Chemist. I found all the muscles in my shoulder were really tight so I got out the massager and that helped too. So a combination of these really helped.  hope this is of use to you. xx