Can tamoxifen cause extreme fatigue

Persist @sister. If you can. Going back to work is difficult. I worked through treatment in 2006  and while it  wasn't easy I now understand why runners waiting to cross the road keep up that mad trotting business--if you lose momentum it's really hard to start again. Sometimes we have no choice but to stop, the traffic is just too heavy and we have to wait. And then deal with everything that has seized up in the interim.

Thanks Sunshine, I have only taken 8 tablets, and have finished radiation, but seemed to get extreme fatigue occur very suddenly last week, so am wondering if its tamoxifen related.I haven't been able to go to work today, and if this is what I feel like now, I wont be able to go to work full stop!!! its bloody terrible.

For what my experience is worth, I took tamoxifen for 5 months. I was so foggy and tired.

I have just started exemestane (day10) and zoladex( month 2). Touch wood 👐🏻 I continue to feel as good as I feel now. 

The problem is we need these drugs. Need them badly. 

X

@spillsy It could very well be that you just did too much.  I went back to work this term so I've now been back 3 weeks.  I only do 30 hours but live miles away and the kids go to school miles away too so there's much more than just going to work.  I am absolutely shattered.  This weekend I said that I wasn't doing anything and I think that was almost too much.  I probably should have taken another term off to get my strength back but financially and mentally, I needed to get back.  Counting down the days now until the end of term.

I think tamoxifen makes me tired I don’t feel like that all the time,but I definitely have moodiness at times and it’s those times I feel exhausted too,so must be hormonal changes with tamoxifen. I’ve been taking tamoxifen for 20 months now.

Fatigue from what you have been through thus far will be in the forefront.  Hits unexpectedly!  Early days I could walk 2kms and then all of a sudden I'd be lucky if I could walk 200m.
Tamoxifen or any other meds takes time for the body to adjust added to our already tired bodies. One thing to consider is what time of day you take your Tamoxifen.  I settled into midday!  It's all about routine!  I was on Tamoxifen for 3 years and have now changed to Letrozole.  Letrozole is giving me curry but the Onc wants me on it for 6 months to allow the body to adjust before he reviews and changes again, or at least that is my hope!  As to Tamoxifen, I managed however I became high risk for uterine cancer and am also now under a Gynaecology Oncologist, as well as the Medical Oncologist, mind you, that doesn't happen to everyone!  That was my luck instead of winning Lotto! 

Give your body time to adjust and settle into a routine

Take care and best wishes

Hey all, thanks for all your comments, and advice, again it’s so nice to have a supportive network of people who get it.
 I actually felt much better later today, about 6 pm, and think that maybe I was going too hard last week,  it’s so frustrating that fatigue is so unpredictable, and it caught up with me, maybe.
I think the radiation effects are the more likely explanation, but who knows. 
I still have to have my ovaries out, so have to take tamoxifen until then, but I just need a break from being messed with. 
This sure is the gift that keeps on giving!! 

Let your Onc know asap if you really hate the side effects - it took me 6 weeks to hate Letrozole and changed to another AI! ......

I am assuming you were not in menopause before being diagnosed with BC?  

All the best with your ongoing treatment xxx

I only finished Rads Oct 17. I felt alright all week, a bit tired, but was doing fine at work,  but on Thursday night, I felt so exhausted, and have been in bed all Friday, and am still here now. Did use my time most effectively yesterday and binge watched the ‘ bodyguard’ on Netflix! 
I only started tamoxifen last Friday, can’t stand it already. I missed two doses already, as I couldn’t hack the hot flashes. 

Tamoxifen has never made me tired, it has done every other bloody thing but not that. 

  In saying that though, chemo and rads never gave me fatigue either so maybe that's just me.  I'd blame the Tamoxifen rads combo.   
Actually if my house burnt down I'd probably blame Tamoxifen. :wink: