Hi all you lovely ladies and gentlemen,Havent been on here much as 11 hour work days and life just leave me exhausted but I thought I would provide you with some feedback regarding my tamoxifen holiday.Unfortunately, it didnt really make much of a difference. The hot flushes, joint pain and sleeping were marginally better but I didnt notice a significant difference. I think unfortunately this is just me now since I was thrust into menopause.I started back the pills on Monday and almost immediately the hot flushes worsened, I have had 2 nights of horrendous sleep despite temaze and gaba and yesterday the joint pain in my feet and ankles worsened.So, on the upside - I dont really get too many detrimental side effects from the meds so there is really no point in me taking a "holiday" but on the downside I just need to live with the menopausal symptoms, decide the best way for me to deal with them and hope they lessen over time.I suppose the operative word in that paragraph is "live" - at least I get to do that when so many others dont.Hope you are all travelling along well - just thought I would give you all an update.xoxoxox

Five months on Tamoxifen and I finally ended up in a foetal position thinking very bad thoughts about not wanting to live. And then feeling so ungrateful because I have been given the opportunity to live. This drug totally messed with my head. After a few ‘breaks’ from it my Oncologist changed me to Arimidex. I was terrified to start because as @"Kiwi Angel" said sometimes it’s better the devil you know. I hated my devil. It’s still early days on Arimidex (now on tablet number 18) but I’m glad to report I’m now on 5 straight days of feeling like my old self. Still awake between 2am and 5am but not struggling with anxiety/teary/mental stuff. Get some warm glows at night but nothing extreme. I’m really hoping this is the right drug for me now. Maybe it’s too soon to tell. Tamoxifen seemed ok at the beginning but over time built up into a nightmare. We are all different and respond differently to meds. It may be worth trying other options if having a break is not working. Hugs to you all xxx

@JulieVT11 - my onc said it takes a month to get out of your system but really very minimal difference. I’m really hoping the flushes settle down too - dreading summer.

@"Kiwi Angel", @Brenda5, @Milly21, @JulieVT11 - You may already know about this but if hot flushes are a major side effect of treatment for you, there is a clinical trial being led by a team at The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. They have hospitals participating in each state around Australia. You may be eligible for the study if you are aged between 18-70 years old; experiencing at least 50 moderate to severe hot flushes per week, are on a stable dose of tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for breast cancer, and you are not taking other treatments for hot flushes or you are willing to stop current treatments. If you would like more information you can ring the Clinical Trials coordinator on (03) 8345 2217 or email: gynaecology.research@thewomens.org.au

@arpie just over a year. I’m scared to try another one in case I do get lots of side effects. Better the devil u know!!

That's good news @Wonk. I hope it continues for you. K xox

6 week Tamoxifen Break | BCNA Online Network

12 Replies

kmakm
Member
7 years ago
That's good news @Wonk. I hope it continues for you. K xox
Wonk
Member
7 years ago
Five months on Tamoxifen and I finally ended up in a foetal position thinking very bad thoughts about not wanting to live. And then feeling so ungrateful because I have been given the opportunity to live. This drug totally messed with my head. After a few ‘breaks’ from it my Oncologist changed me to Arimidex. I was terrified to start because as @"Kiwi Angel" said sometimes it’s better the devil you know. I hated my devil. It’s still early days on Arimidex (now on tablet number 18) but I’m glad to report I’m now on 5 straight days of feeling like my old self. Still awake between 2am and 5am but not struggling with anxiety/teary/mental stuff. Get some warm glows at night but nothing extreme. I’m really hoping this is the right drug for me now. Maybe it’s too soon to tell. Tamoxifen seemed ok at the beginning but over time built up into a nightmare. We are all different and respond differently to meds. It may be worth trying other options if having a break is not working. Hugs to you all xxx
primek
Member
7 years ago
Well at least niw you know.
My menopause hot flusshes lessened iver 2 years and no worse on ai treatment (but were on chemo) . So hopefully over timevit will lessen for you.
Kiwi_Angel
Member
7 years ago
@arpie just over a year. I’m scared to try another one in case I do get lots of side effects. Better the devil u know!!
arpie
Member
7 years ago
That’s a bugger @"Kiwi Angel" . Tamoxifen is the only one that I haven’t tried so far!!

How long have you been on it? Are you able to try another one? A change in meds May help?

take care xxx thinking of you xx
JulieVT11
Member
7 years ago
@Rosie_BCNA thanks for the info I will follow up, I had thought it was just for Melbourne
Rosie_BCNA
Member
7 years ago
@"Kiwi Angel", @Brenda5, @Milly21, @JulieVT11 - You may already know about this but if hot flushes are a major side effect of treatment for you, there is a clinical trial being led by a team at The Royal Women's Hospital, Melbourne. They have hospitals participating in each state around Australia.
You may be eligible for the study if you are aged between 18-70 years old; experiencing at least 50 moderate to severe hot flushes per week, are on a stable dose of tamoxifen or an aromatase inhibitor for breast cancer, and you are not taking other treatments for hot flushes or you are willing to stop current treatments.
If you would like more information you can ring the Clinical Trials coordinator on (03) 8345 2217 or email: gynaecology.research@thewomens.org.au
Kiwi_Angel
Member
7 years ago
@JulieVT11 - my onc said it takes a month to get out of your system but really very minimal difference. I’m really hoping the flushes settle down too - dreading summer.
JulieVT11
Member
7 years ago
Well that’s interesting I just had a 3 week break and didn’t notice the slightest bit of difference either. Fingers crossed the damn hot flushes settle back down for you, I am seriously not looking forward to summer
Kiwi_Angel
Member
7 years ago
@Milly21 - I have been on a diet so have lost some weight and I do get abit of swelling in my ankles and still had that even when on a break. I did start taking a probiotic because of all the other medication I take. Hopefully I wont have any problems with bloating or weight gain going back on the tamoxifen - Ill keep you posted!

@Brenda5 - I do notice mine are always worse with stress or if I get angry - hence I get a lot when Im at work!!