Refusing tamoxifen
hi friends i am off to see my doc tomorrow to discuss tamoxifen. I am NOT KEEN. I am already suffering hot flashes and vaginal atrophy and muscle aches and no periods for nearly a year thanks ...
Forum Discussion
@@Jailbirdstreet Hi there .... I am about to start radiation next week for 4 weeks - and my radiation specialist asked if I wanted to go on a "TRIAL" that would assist them in working out if other 'early/good detections/surgeries' would assist them in making decisions on what regime they should use in future early/good detections/surgeries!!! (I wouldn't know if I had the 'golden bullet' or on the placebo!)
I was lucky. My GP found my lumps early - I had them removed with minimal surgery (the surgeon removed my tumours and nodes from a single ring of cuts that isolated my nipple and everything was done 'under the skin' - so no cut under the arm for the node removal ....) and everything has come back clear! (Lucky ME!)
HOWEVER, because my cancer was aggressive - they've suggested 4 weeks of radiation - with the possibility of tamoxifen for 5 years after the radiation!
SO - when asked about my 'current' aches & pains - I said that I went thru early menopause (started at age 45) and it took 10 years to go thru. (I am now 65.) I had appalling menopause symptoms & copped the lot, I reckon! Anger/rage, depression, vaginal atrophy (that has not abated! :neutral: ,) aches & pains throughout my body ..... so when told that Tamoxifen would bring back 'Menopause symptoms' - I was not that keen!!
My surgeon has said that if I want to 'try it' - I can - but if I find it bringing on MORE menopausal symptoms than I am prepared to put up with - I can/could stop it immediately - as he is pretty sure that with my surgery & radiation I should 'have it 'covered'!!
I have heard of many women who have had the tablets and not had ANY side effects - many who started the tablets at my age.
I will be referred to an oncologist after my radiation & I will be making my decision then. I am leaning towards NOT taking the tablets!!
Good luck with your decision making - it is not easy! xxx
I was lucky. My GP found my lumps early - I had them removed with minimal surgery (the surgeon removed my tumours and nodes from a single ring of cuts that isolated my nipple and everything was done 'under the skin' - so no cut under the arm for the node removal ....) and everything has come back clear! (Lucky ME!)
HOWEVER, because my cancer was aggressive - they've suggested 4 weeks of radiation - with the possibility of tamoxifen for 5 years after the radiation!
SO - when asked about my 'current' aches & pains - I said that I went thru early menopause (started at age 45) and it took 10 years to go thru. (I am now 65.) I had appalling menopause symptoms & copped the lot, I reckon! Anger/rage, depression, vaginal atrophy (that has not abated! :neutral: ,) aches & pains throughout my body ..... so when told that Tamoxifen would bring back 'Menopause symptoms' - I was not that keen!!
My surgeon has said that if I want to 'try it' - I can - but if I find it bringing on MORE menopausal symptoms than I am prepared to put up with - I can/could stop it immediately - as he is pretty sure that with my surgery & radiation I should 'have it 'covered'!!
I have heard of many women who have had the tablets and not had ANY side effects - many who started the tablets at my age.
I will be referred to an oncologist after my radiation & I will be making my decision then. I am leaning towards NOT taking the tablets!!
Good luck with your decision making - it is not easy! xxx