Tamoxifen

Thank you Eliisa

Appreciate your comments. I am on Arimidex and do have some unpleasant side effects but am not thinking of coming off it. I hope that the side effects will lessen. That would be nice. They do not stop me from doing anything so that is good.

Ady :-)

Hi Ady

This is Eliisa from BCNA's Policy Team. Thanks for sharing your post about your concerns with hormone therapy. It’s normal to have fears about taking a drug for a long period of time, especially when reading about the potential side-effects.

Clinical trials have shown that women who took a hormone therapy for five years were far less likely to have a breast cancer recurrence than women who did not. Even after five years had passed, and the women were no longer taking any hormone therapies, the women who took a hormone therapy were still much less likely to have a recurrence. This means that the beneficial effects of hormone therapy are ongoing and will last well beyond the five years you take them.

We are aware there are a number of side-effects possible with hormone therapies such as Armidex, and everyone will experience these differently. As many women on this thread have already commented, most symptoms and side-effects will ease over time. Some women may not experience any at all. If you are concerned about side-effects, speak with your doctor as there are ways to manage many side effects.

You may also be interested in BCNA’s Resource Hormone Therapy and Breast Cancer, which can help you understand how hormone therapies such as Tamoxifen and Arimidex work and why they are beneficial to you and what to expect.

There are currently no effective ‘alternative’ treatments that reduce breast cancer recurrence. There are, however, additional ways women can help in reducing their risk of breast cancer returning, such as not smoking, watching alcohol intake, exercising regularly, eating healthy and maintaining regular appointments with your oncology team. There are also some complementary therapies which have been shown to reduce the impact of some of the common symptoms of hormone therapies.

It’s important that you feel okay with taking any medication. Before considering any therapeutic product, consult with a member of your medical team.

Hope this helps

Eliisa x

Hi jandy23

The Oncologist put me on Arimidex in the end. I have been on it for nearly two months. Yes I get side effects but at this stage they are not too bad. I just wonder what it will do to my body later down the track. Thank you for the information and I will google it and have a look.

Cheers

Ady

Hi Ady,

I just came across your post (I realise it is from a while ago). 

There is a natural alternative to tamoxifen. It is called diindolylmethane or DIM. It is a derived from cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, brussel sprouts and cauliflower. It is thought to help regulate excess estrogen in the body, reducing the type of estrogen that feeds BC.

However, it is not a scientifically proven therapy. So I wouldn't want to rely on DIM alone to prevent recurrence. It may help, it may be better than nothing but then again we don't really know for sure.

I too was hesitant to take tamoxifen after reading about all the possible side-effects and considered just taking DIM as an alternative. But then I read about  a study under way at the University of Arizona into whether taking tamoxifen and DIM together is more effective in preventing recurrence than taking tamoxifen alone. 

In the end I didn't want to take the risk of not taking tamoxifen so I have been taking both for the past 3 and bit years.  I don't have any major side effects from either substance and so far - touch wood - no recurrence. I do try to do lots of exercise as well, eat a healthy diet with lots of vegetables and I have cut way back on drinking alcohol. 

If I were you Ady I would try the tamoxifen first (maybe you already have.) Not everybody has bad side effects from it and at least you know that it is scientifically proven safeguard against recurrence. 

If you're interested in the DIM perhaps talk to your oncologist about it. Mine didn't have much to say. She didn't specifically advise against it but she didn't support it either. 

My plan is to finish my five years on tamoxifen and continue taking the DIM indefinitely, perhaps for the rest of my life. I order it from a US company called BioResponse Nutrients because that's where the Uni of Arizona source the DIM for their study. I figured it must be okay. It is a little pricey though  - about $50 for 2 months supply - but I look at as a bit of extra protection. 

Anyway, good luck with everything. Hope you stay well.

Hi Maryrose

I don't think there is a natural alternative. It is a case of going to a natural therapist or the like and changing your diet and do exercises and perhaps chinese medicines. I have read about a lady down the GC who helps people like that.

Ady

Howdy 

I was on tamoxifen for just over 12 months with no issues except for hot flushes. I am now on arimidex and have been for close to two months as i am now post menopausal.

I would suggest you talk to your doctors if you have any concerns about medication. I am not aware of a natural alternative.

Maryrose 

Thanks

I did find it interesting but not really what I wanted to know. I know everyone is different so I will be having a long chat to the Radiation Oncologist next week plus the other Oncologist who I see in March. I do have something wrong with my triglycerides and the stuff I read about Tamoxifen said if you have that to mention it to the Dr. I will be.

Thank you everyone else for your comments and hope that you all have a great weekend XXX

Hi Ady,

I just wanted to share this link with you from other members who had questions around Tamoxifen - https://www.bcna.org.au/online-network/posts?from=&topics=&query=tamoxifen

~ Ann-Marie

I have just finished 5yrs on Tamoxifen with not much trouble at all. Had pretty bad hot flashes at the start but now take Gabapentin as well which got rid of them. My oncologist now wants me to continue for another 5 years and I have no problem with that.....after having bc twice, I want to do everything I can to stop it from coming back again

I finished my 5 year stint on Tamoxifen a year ago, only side effect I had was very minor with discharge, weight retention also but was able to get rid of that once finished.  Such a personal choice though, do what you feel is right for you.