Tamoxifen

@TanyaS I also did like a rehab 8 week course through Epworth in Melbourne, it was fantastic, encompassed everything from diet, exercise, occupational therapist, social worker and Psychologist. Definitely talk to your Oncologist, mine said I could only come off for 6 weeks and regardless of the outcome of my diary I had to resume immediately, so not sure they'd agree to 12, certainly worth a chat. So I have had to pull my appt with him forward by many weeks to discuss as am struggling badly with the pain even with increased exercise nothing is combating the pain. 

Hi I'v been on Arimidex, Femera & Tamoxifan & had severe side effect with them all. In consultation with my specialist I'v stopped taking them (I have other medical issues that needed to be taken into account). You have to trust your medical team. There's no way I would have made that decision on my own. Everyone's different, the decision was right for me but wouldn't be for others. I'd speak to your doctor again & trust what he says
Paula

Thank you for all your responses.  I have just done a 12 week wellness study which incorporated diet & exercise.  I feel my diet is on track, exercise - i do pilates and yoga as well as walk 5km every second day.  My thyroid function is fine.  I think my next course of action is to see if I can drop tamoxifen for 12 weeks and see what the difference is.  

Hi Tanya,
we are all different and some women have no side effects at all on Tamoxifen.I had the full works!- hot flushes every 15min(the type that blow your head off) sleepless nights,low mood. I only put on a few kilos but I found it hard to take them off whilst on T. I knew I HAD to take Tamoxifen as my bc was a recurrence.So I took a small dose antidepressant(10mgs Endep) and this really helped and enabled me to take Tamoxifen for 4 years. Tamoxifen shouldn't bother your bone density or cause you to gain so much weight.I agree with the other ladies about checking your diet and perhaps getting thyroid and iodine levels checked.Dr time! Don't suffer darl,you've done enough of that! We should  try and give Tamoxifen our best shot but we also need quality of life.

Well, I think it depends also your age and where you are in regards to menopause? I took Tamoxifen at 43 for 4yrs I was pre menopausal, had zero symptoms at all, and I mean nothing! Recurrence 2015 at 47 same spot :/ inspite of Tamoxifen and radiation. I am now on Arimidex 16 months now, but same thing horrific side effects, but am sure its the combination of being thrown into menopause plus post chemo then Arimidex. My Oncologist made me come off for 6 weeks and keep a diary, difference was huge!!! so Im going back to him in a few weeks and he will say OK probs Femara and thats all I have to go to..if that is worse...I'll be stopping. 4yrs on tamoxifen didnt do a thing Ive managed nearly 2 on Arimidex so I'll see what he says. x M

More reasons no-one wants this disease. I was 43 when I started on Tamoxifen. After the first month or so, I didn't notice I was taking it. No weight gain. My periods resumed after about 6 months. The oncologist I was seeing just shrugged, I would be surprised, 10 years later, if they would be as sanguine as they were then. I took it for the recommended 5 years.
After my recurrence last year I decided, at 53, to get rid of my ovaries as I still wasn't menopausal. Now on Femara, it's too soon to tell how that will go.

Tanya, 18kgs more me would trigger the same response as you are having. No! No, no, no, no, no! Like everything else BC the links between cause and effect are difficult to determine because there are so many variables and such different responses from person to person.

If you are seriously thinking of ditching the drug, it's important to understand the ramifications and have other options explained. You may have to have a bit of a shop around and ask a couple of different doctors. They generally don't like taking risks so will usually not support you deviating from best practice.

 Maybe ask what the feeling is about you taking a three month hiatus from it and see if that makes a difference to your weight gain. If it does, you may be able to say the drug is the culprit, if it doesn't logically there must be another cause. They may advise you the risk isn't worth it--which would be a totally reasonable stance. I guess you are the only one who knows where the line in the sand is for you. What ever you decide, please get the best advice you can first. Good luck

Try to look at what else might be different from before treatment that be contributing to weight gain. You shouldn't just keep gaining weight. Women after menopause can gain a little bit or slight fat distribution change but wouldnt normally be gaining continuously.

So consider : 
Your exercise now as to before.
Dietry change from now and before.
As Brenda says...coffees,  cappacinos etc can be sneaky extra cals.
Alcohol intake now as before.
Have you stopped smoking in this time?

Also worth discussing with GP and have a thyroid function test done to ensure all efficient.

Hope you find a solution soon. Kath x

It certainly is a balancing act - weighing up the benefits of various treatments with their side effects. @TanyaS please talk to your GP about your concerns with the weight gain. You may be able to see an exercise physiologist and a dietician to help you control your weight. Good luck. 

So not fair any of it. I will be on tamoxifen too after chemo and surgery and I'm also worried about weight gain. I'm already taking zoladex injections and am told I may have to take it post chemo. So far I've maintained my weight only because I've no appetite on the chemo . Guess we have to weigh up what's important to us and what we are willing to put up with.

I think they like you to be on it for 2 years before considering going off and or taking something else. I was gaining weight too but I noticed the sheer amount of milk ingested with cuppas so I now drink black coffee which only has 7 or 8 kilojules. I also take pro magnesium and Vita D3 which are supposed to aid with bones.

My psych Dr put me on apo-escitalopram for my mental stress but the side effect is diarrhoea every morning. I am actually losing weight.