Forum Discussion
Tamoxifen side effects?
Hi Everyone
I have read in a few people' s posts that they suffer from some side effects from taking Tamoxifen. I am 42 years old and after I have my chemo I will be put onto Tamoxifen for 5 years. What sort of problems do you have and what have you done to ease these problems?
I don't know much about cancer treatment so I am unsure whether there are alternatives or what sort of questions I should be asking my oncologist....I see her again on 27th October when I start Chemo.
Any info would be appreciated!
Thanks,
Louise
ps I have read the info in the My Journey Kit but it is very general and if possible I would love to hear some personal experiences if you are willing to share :)
109 Replies
Hi Doot doot, good to hear that you are having less side effects this time around. Some women have recommended acupuncture or acupressure for reduction in hot flushes.
- Hi ladies, I hope you are all doing well, thought I would follow up on my progress with starting tamoxifen again. Well after a two week break I have found that I am symptom free, which is amazing considering I had every side effect listed when I first started meds. I have also started taking Indole 3 carbinol, I'm not sure if that's why I'm symptom free but if it helps then I'm all for it... Indole 3 is a completely natural supplement, taken in conjunction with the tamoxifen seems to stop all menopause symptoms except for the odd hot flush.. Hope this information helps any other suffers Keep strong Denise
Hi, I am on Tamoxifen and have been on it for only a month and already It is causing me feelings of anxiety, depression, (currently have begun taking anti depression pills) , fuzzy head lack of concentration, insomnia, I feel that I cannot tolerate this treatment anymore as I feel like I am losing myself. I have not looked into any other treatments but it good to read these blogs and get an idea of other options out there. I am really scared as I have three year old daughter and if I continue with this drug she is the one that cops all my frustrations and moodiness but If I stop it then I run the risk of developing cancer again. I have had a double mastectomy and finished chem a month ago and am now on herceptim. I have also gone back to work after taking 8 months off and the stress of work has had an effect on me too. I still have numbness in my fingers and toes which is annoying and these things just add to my moodiness and frustrations....... do I stop or not?
- Thank you so very much for your advice, I have spoken to my surgeon and he has recommended I stop the medication for a couple of weeks and then restart them, I think he may be concerned that it might be depression causing symptoms, although I disagree am happy to have another 2weeks freedom, I guess once I begin treatment again in a couple of weeks we will see what side effects I get... So thankyou one and all for your support and advice, I'm really glad that I made the decision to look on BC website for answers for the first time since my diagnosis I didn't feel alone with my thoughts,fears and feeling, I will certainly post results from this experiment and will hopefully get some answers for all my fellow BC girls Hugs to u all Denise xx
Doot-I have been on Tamoxifen just over a year and have put on 3kgs. Depressing when I eat well and go to the gym. From what I've read it seems that as you get older you just have to eat less and exercise more as our metabolisms slow down. We don't need as much food. This plus Tamoxifen doesn't help! Tamoxifen also stops oestrogen reaching our cells, so our body tries hard to hold on to fat reserves as oestrogen is also stored there. I blame this too. You have the right attitude. Stay informed so you can make the right choices. Your GP will guide. Cheers!
I haven't put any weight on whilst on Tamoxifen. I have been on it now since the beginning of 2011 (so 2 years). I have taken up running and find that this has helped a lot with my metabolism (and this is from someone who said that they would NEVER run!!). Another benefit of the running is a big reduction in the cellulite on my thighs - great!
The hot flushes and night sweats are my only problems and after having breast cancer twice, I think I can put up with those. Yes, there are nights when i get little sleep and am tossing and turning a lot. I find a fan in my bedroom that I can put on when I am at my worst helps no end. The hot flushes do tend to come and go.....sometimes, particularly around the time of my period, they are worse than others.
Keep positive ladies. We are lucky to have made it this far :)
ps Tamoxifen doesn't stop you producing oestrogen. It turns off the cell receptors that are triggered by the oestrogen production.
Happy New Year and stay healthy,
Louise
Hello ladies,
Stay positive, life is a one day at a time commitment, give your kids husband boyfriend friends a hug, and kiss yourself because your determination and commitment to getting better and looking after yourself are the guiding lights to the path ahead. You are the torch bearers or those that come after, they take the lead from you, take comfort in your achievements and see that there is a life beyond.
9 months to go to my 5 year mark. that is my goal. I still have the RLS and insomnia. I am looking forward to the day that I will finally be able to not worry about pills and just go for my yearly mammograms and once a year check ups. at least they stop after 10 years as well. thank friggin god
xxxxxxxxxx to all my fellow surviviors.
- Thankyou so much for all the feed back, I think I will stick to my plan of having a chat with my GP, figure it's best to work with her more closely as she's more readily available than oncologist. Could I ask how much weight you gained, I have always kept myself fit and healthy, will this play a part or is that also out of my control
I forgot to mention that technically you are in menopause for 12+ months with no cycle or period. Give your body some time to adjust, you will notice changes every 6+ months and each year after. I am aware that oncologists have prescribed Arimidex or Femara for post menopausal women and I guess this can be discussed down the track.
- Thankyou for your reply Diane I appreciate your feedback, I will certainly find out about alternative brands, before I started tamoxifen I was showing signs of menopause, my period had stopped a couple of months prior and the hot flushes had started, but nothing like they are now I feel like I'm going to explode, I have just turned 47 so I guess that's age appropriate for menopause, my ? Is if I'm going through menopause why do I have to take tamoxifen? I think I will make an appointment with my GP...
