Tamoxifen - different brands, different side effects

Hi @TonyaM. Thanks for sharing. Interesting you mentioned that about Titanium. Titanium Dioxide is no longer authorised as a food additive in the EU, effective from 7 August 2022. There's all sorts of articles about it. Apparently, it's found in Skittles too so that's biw banned in some parts of Europe as well. 

Thanks @Afraser. Yes, I have been looking up the active and inactive ingredients on all the different brands and their individual side effects. I do not have lactose intolerance. Hopefully I won't suffer too many side effects. Thanks ❤️ 

I haven’t had any allergies myself, unfortunately it’s a trial and error thing. If you know you have allergies, such as lactose intolerance, you can look up the ingredient list for a particular brand online. But mostly it’s unknown so you just have to try an alternative if you have an odd reaction. After all, you may have none. 

Thanks @Afraser. Is there any particular brand that is least likely to cause side effects? So far it seems like its Sandoz or Noveldex. 

The different binders in medications may cause side effects particularly if you have (and don’t know) an allergic reaction to something. The active ingredient is always the same, which is why you may be offered another brand, but if you have a reaction it’s worth switching. 

@StrongCoffee - Thanks that's good to know 

Thanks @TonyaM. Good to know, do you know which brand was it that gave you the rashes? Thank you 

I took Genox and then one time the chemist didn’t have it and gave me another brand. I broke out in a rash and she said the only difference was a carrier chemical called Titanium. I stuck to Genox after that!

I've been on tamoxifen for almost a year. My first 2 packs (60 days each) were Genox brand. Then I was supplied with Apo-Tamoxifen and within a few weeks felt that the side effects (feeling agitated, vaginally dryness) were worse so next time I asked for Genox again and it all settled down. My chemist now makes sure he always has a pack of Genox on the shelf for me. They are both "generic" brands.

I'd recommend to just start on what your chemist has in stock, see how your body reacts and change if it seems no good.

Hi @ARichies, I am on tamoxifen. I  think it hard to advise side effects for brands because every person reacts differently to treatment. For me I have been taking tamoxifen for about 20 months. I was going along fine but the last couple of months I have noticed fatigue, breathlessness and weight gain and it has impacted my mood. My oncologist has given me a months break from it. I have an appointment with her next month to discuss what next. She flagged with me perhaps restarting on a half dose. However we need to discuss it further. I was a really strong advocate for tamoxifen but given my recent experience i am not sure. I will be discussing the side effects with my oncologists and weighing up the risks of those and the risks on my bc returning. Unfortunately my bc pathology showed a high return risk and I don't want that. I am meant to be on tamoxifen for 5 yrs so still a way to go. My suggestion is to discuss the issue of side effects with your medical team because we are all different.