Topic: Newbies on Tamoxifen

Aug 4, 2012 09:58 PM Carrol2 wrote:

Another things to keep in mind is if yu do get and SEs they might not lst more than a few months. I had some minor aches and pains in my joints for about 3 months and then it went away.

Aug 5, 2012 11:03 AM, edited Aug 5, 2012 11:14 AM by dontworrybehappy

when i read all the various side-effects, this is the approach i took. before going on the meds, i took note of how my body was feeling. at 48, i was already having squirrely periods. my sleep wasnt consistant, ive always had body aches and pains from working out, and im always hot and cold. so instead of blaming joint pains on medication, i make sure to keep some dumbbells around and give myself something else to attribute the "pain or soreness" to. i think inactivity is our worse enemy. its like fighting fire with fire. okay joints, you want to be sore! i'll give you something to be sore about. im so far from being the type to do the "insanity workout". im easy on myself, i use the lowest weights, walk 30 minutes, ten pushups, the girl kind, and ten situps, something more than nothing. so if my knees are sore, i can say well thats because i walked 30 minutes or did a few deep knee bends. i have arthritis in my neck and my neck is constantly sore. for any of you who have been through physical therapy, you know its not a day at the spa. one stretches into the pain. im reading alot about the benefits of yoga, and i dont mean classes. youtube has everything i will ever need as far as what im willing to do at the moment. varios people teach about the philosophy of yoga and there are tutorials that show beginner movements. or i just put on some music and make up my own zumba in my house. i dance for my cats and birds all the time. p.s. im fifty now and i will probably would start having various pains and body aches by now. i was joking with some coworkers recently about how to prevent floppy triceps, or "bingo wings" and i demonstrated "fist pumping". everytime some tells me something that i like or dont like, i bust out into some great fist pumping action. it looks funny, it makes people laugh and its actually isometric. well, there is my discertation regarding joint pain. ps. ive been writing this on my ipad while on my exercise bike at home, on level "zero!!!!!". my butt is sore now, i wonder if that ifs rom the tamoxifen. haha.

Aug 6, 2012 10:28 AM Husker123 wrote:

Has anyone else gotten the chills since starting Tamox? I get freezing cold then follow it up with a hot flash. My temp is normal. I've been checking that to make sure I didn't have something else going on.  I take 10mg am & then again pm.

Aug 6, 2012 11:57 AM Kaara wrote:

I'm either too cold or too hot...no just right:(  I go to bed with no covers on and wake up shivering!  I keep a pair of socks by my bed at night.  It could be a lot worse I guess.

Aug 6, 2012 01:27 PM AEM47 wrote:

I find I'm switching back and forth..cold then hot - but only at night.  It's almost like my body temp can't stay steady on it's own.  When I'm watching TV at night, I no sooner put a blanket on cause the AC is too chilly....and I'm kicking it off cause it's too hot 5 minutes later.  wtf

Aug 6, 2012 02:44 PM Golden01 wrote:

It happens to me too. I put a blanket on and then throw off all the covers just minutes later. We took a day trip the other day and I had the air conditioner completely up or completely off. Back and forth the whole day!

Aug 6, 2012 05:47 PM Husker123 wrote:

Thanks Ladies!  I thought it was just me. I swear my body temp thermostat is broken. I do the covers on, covers off all night long too. Flip the pillow to find a cool spot, etc.... Oh what fun we have!

Aug 6, 2012 07:18 PM AEM47 wrote:

Ok - so is anyone else just simply waking up all damn night since going on tamoxifen?  I slept excellent before chemo - at around the 3rd treatment, I couldn't stay asleep...the MO told me that would stop shortly after chemo finished and it did.  Then came radiation and it started up again after a couple weeks into it.  The RO told me it's because the body is getting damaged and it's constantly trying to heal...along with hormonal changes.  She also said it would subside after rads and it did at around a week after boosts ended.  THEN came this freakin drug and all I do is toss and turn all night - no problem falling asleep, but staying asleep, or going into a deep sleep, seems to not be happening. 

Aug 6, 2012 07:25 PM Golden01 wrote:

I slept poorly for about the first 2-3 months. After that, I sleep very well. I have hot flashes but usually sleep right through them. In fact, I was sleeping too much but that seems to be improving over time.

Aug 6, 2012 07:37 PM jenn333 wrote:

Has anyone experienced a sudden stopping of hot flashes?  I didn't have any until about June (started Tamox end of January) but then I started getting them and they got progressively worse, to the point I was getting 4 an hour.  I even asked my MO for a prescription for Effexor out of desperation.  Only took one because it made my loopy.  The very next day my hot flashes stopped.  I now feel warm on and off but nothing I would call a hot flash.  And, for the first time in my life, I missed my period last month.

Aug 7, 2012 06:21 AM lmlola59 wrote:

Hi all  have been lurking in the wings as I waited till Aug 1st 3 weeks after rads to start the Tamox.So needless to say I have no SE's yet and hopefully will not,but have been reading here just in case.

I like AEM47 on 3rd TX ovaries seemed to shut down and slight flashing began,but then the temps went up and can't tell if it is just the heat or truly a mild flash.I started taking in the AM because I was afraid if I took it at night I would become a true insomniac as I wake a lot now and I don't think I could sleep through flashes. I think my biggest worry about Tamox is it may cause hair thinning as I have read (don't remember where) that some ladies have noticed this.Has anyone here noticed this mine is coming in nicely and I wil be damed if I am going to start loosing it again? 

AEM47 I was also taking Dim prior (maybe about 3 weeks) to Tamox but stopped when I started because I wasen't sure about using the 2 together. Is this something you have addressed with MO or researched? I saw my MO last week but decided not to even bring it up as they are always more on the side of caution and I feel would have just said no.I am at the point in my treatment where though I truly respect my MO,I am also making some of my own choices based on my own research and gut feelings. 

Aug 7, 2012 07:32 AM chapter4 wrote:

Dontworrybehappy......I like your approach...I'm 48 and also get achy.....I have to start tamoxifen in a couple of weeks...I've been reading way to much about it..dreading side effects..I'm getting more serious about working out but it's so much harder after taking such a long break.

Aug 7, 2012 12:08 PM Lezza13 wrote:

Kaara:  I took tylenol pm for all my rounds of chemo.  It was my favorite pill to take before bed. Hope it works for you!

Jenn333- not a single hot flash.  Just body temp changes at night.  Been three weeks on it.

Aug 7, 2012 06:34 PM Lezza13 wrote:

AEM47:  Ok, what is DIM and how to I get to take some? I have a very thick uterine lining and wondering if it will help. Thanks!

Aug 7, 2012 08:04 PM purple32 wrote:

Lezza

I do not take the meds, so this is not coming from that experience, but you mentioned the thick uterine lining.

About 15 yrs ago, I got an endometrial ablation from my GYN. This was before the cancer etc ..  it was due to very, very heavy and prolonged periods.

They essentialy 'pull the lining out"!  I wonder if that might help some of you ladies on tammi ? Sure  worth asking I would think .

It was  with a spinal and 100% painless.

Just a  thought.