4 years on Tamoxifen

It's such a difficult decision isn't  it. I don't have any major side effects although co-incidentally I was just thinking today how crap my hair is looking. (I was even googling foods to eat for better hair.) It is nowhere near as thick and lustrous as it was prior to BC. I've been attributing this to a hangover effect from chemo but maybe it's due to tamoxifen which I've been on for nearly two years now.

I was aware of the potential for getting a fatty liver. My oncologist was very dismissive of this issue when I questioned her about it before starting on tamoxifen, virtually said fatty liver wasn't a side effect even though it was mentioned in the tamoxifen literature she had given me to read. I really don't trust all that she tells me as a result. I think she just wants me to do as I'm told and not question her decisions.

However, I am very wary of the liver problem as I have been told that my aunt (by marriage) who was treated with tamoxifen for breast cancer died of liver failure (she was cancer-free). My aunt was obese so I expect her liver wasn't in such good shape to  begin  with but you would think her doctor would have taken this into account before presecribing long-term tamoxifen. Afterall what's the point of avoiding breast cancer recurrance only to die of liver failure? I've read other material online too that says tamoxifen can be very damaging to the liver.

I plan to have a liver function test when I reach the two year mark. If there are any issues I may consider going off tamoxifen myself. I might also ask my gp if I can get a pelvic ultrasound done. That's another whole can of worms I haven't really thought much about yet.

I have mentioned here a number of times that I am also taking DIM a substance derived from cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, kale, cauliflower etc) which is thought to minimise estrogen in the body. My thoughts are that if it starts to look like tamoxifen is doing too much damage to my body I will go off it and perhaps increase my DIM intake. I know it's not a "proven" alternative but there does seem to be quite a bit of research suggesting it has a protective effect against hormonal cancers. There is a clinical trial underway at the Uni of Arizona into the effectiveness of tamoxifen alone compared to tamoxifen taken with DIM. When combined with a healthy lifestyle - lots of exercise, plenty of fresh fruit & veg, minimal alcohol, minimal stress - it may prove to be a healthier alternative. Livers are pretty damn important for our overall health. I don't particularly want my stuffed up by tamoxifen.