Hi all just finished 18 weeks of neoadjuvant chemotherapy! Now I'm waiting on a date to have my surgery for a double mastectomy and reconstruction, followed by 6 weeks of radiation. My oncologist put me on Tamoxifen a week ago and all I have done today is cry. I thought i would be doing cartwheels when my chemo finished and starting to feel somewhat resembling my old self. Im so angry at how much this disease has taken over my life. I didn't feel these emotions when I was going through Chemo, is this a side effect of Tamoxifen or just normal?

Firstly congratulations on finishing chemo! You sound like a normally positive person but like most of us (no matter how positive we want to be) this process can have its down times. I had some very teary days when I started tamoxifen. Maybe it was the drug, maybe the hormonal adjustments or maybe just the whole deal of having Breast cancer and treatment catching up with me. It did settle though. It is so hard when you just want to start to move forward and feel 'normal' again but having a major illness does take over your life and does take a lot of adjusting too. I am now 16 months from when I finished treatment (mastectomy, 18 weeks chemo and 25 radio sessions) and still have the odd day when I feel a bit fragile but feel pretty good most of the time. Tamoxifen side effects seem to settle and life does feel 'normal' again now. Hope it helps to know that most of us have these feelings at some point and that usually time does help. I found keeping in touch with others on here very helpful. Take care and hope tomorrow is a better day for you. Deanne xxx

I agree with Deanne.I have been on Tamoxifen for 15 months now.In the beginning,I also was teary ,but looking back,I really believe it was a combination of the emotional side effect of finishing chemo,combined with the Tamoxifen.I feel really well now,amd taking Tamoxifen for me is no different to taking a Panadol.It wasn't always like this though,so perhaps be gentle on yourself,and realise that good old time will almost certainly help things to settle down.In the meantime,use this blog as a place where you can talk about your side effects,and hopefully see that you are not alone.CheersxoxRobyn

Hi Jussylee, I had triple negative breast cancer so no tamoxifen for me. Once all my treatment was finished I fell in a bit of a heap for a while. I was great whilst going through it, kind of like I had a job to do. When it was over everyone around me was ecstatic.Of course I was too. However whilst everyone else expected me to just get on with life I felt I was floundering a bit. I had some lovely phone sessions with a psychologist from the Cancer Council that really helped. I am now 4 years since treatment finished and doing just fine. Be kind to yourself, it is normal to feel a bit down. If it doesn't pass then maybe have a chat to your Doctor. Cyber hugs to you. Paula x

Thanks Deanne i do feel better talking to people that know what I'm going through. Thanks for your reply Justinexx

Thanks Robyn. It is good to feel that I'm not alone and i feel better knowing that things will settle down Justine xx

Chemo Finished | BCNA Online Network

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Deanne
Member
11 years ago
Firstly congratulations on finishing chemo! You sound like a normally positive person but like most of us (no matter how positive we want to be) this process can have its down times.

I had some very teary days when I started tamoxifen. Maybe it was the drug, maybe the hormonal adjustments or maybe just the whole deal of having Breast cancer and treatment catching up with me. It did settle though.

It is so hard when you just want to start to move forward and feel 'normal' again but having a major illness does take over your life and does take a lot of adjusting too.

I am now 16 months from when I finished treatment (mastectomy, 18 weeks chemo and 25 radio sessions) and still have the odd day when I feel a bit fragile but feel pretty good most of the time. Tamoxifen side effects seem to settle and life does feel 'normal' again now.

Hope it helps to know that most of us have these feelings at some point and that usually time does help. I found keeping in touch with others on here very helpful. Take care and hope tomorrow is a better day for you.

Deanne xxx

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Chemo Finished

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