Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
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Thatnks Rose G for the info on flaxseed. I did just have it with Yogurt today and it was pretty good. Everyone else thanks for all the info I am reading. I will be starting when rads are over on 7/15 so getting the heads up now. I already have the fatigue, hot flashes, no period, and sleepless nights from chemo so I've gotten used to that. Alleviating those with Effexor (for hot flashes), Ativan, Ambien, Simply Sleep which I rotate around depending on how sleep deprived I feel. Luckily I work for a school and have most of the summer off and have been trying to get my energy back since not working. So far I'm still tired all the time. Anyway, have a great Monday and work week (if that's the case)!
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Hi Yearofthehat,
I too had to go back to work, about four wks. after chemo., and worked part-time through 5 wks. of rads., finishing up at the end of Nov. I'm still DAT, but it's the rads..The weekends, for me, are for rest, and hopefully have my batteries, recharged by Monday. Take it easy! You too PattiB, Good Luck.
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HelenaJ, I recently went to a conference about natural and alternative therapies for treating breast cancer and they emphasized that it's the resveratrol, which is found in the skin of the red grapes, that is cancer preventative. You can eat red grapes to get this, but if you have to have your alcohol, then red would be the way to go.
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Leggy J. - Yes I do use the weekends for catching up on sleep, even though I'm not working and friend and I are getting of early to use the High Schools Elipticals, then shower and off to rads. Some days I fall asleep for a 1 hour or so snooze in the afternoons. So I slept in until 9:30 Fri - Sun this weekend. So glad I have a job and am off in the summer, can't imagine doing this and work too. So to all you gals that are working and/or with young children, I give you a lot of credit. Have a great week whether working, relaxing, etc.
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Patti B, Leggy and Helena - thanks for the encouragement. I went out to dinner Thursday then slept all of Friday and Saturday. Even that few extra hours going out seems to have taken its toll. Thankfully there was nothing pressing I had to do last weekend.
I have an elliptical at home. I just got it about a month ago and mentioned it here then. I am still using it! One whole month later - lol! It hasn't become a clothes hanger yet. I really want to keep at it for my health. Other than that I do as little as I can get away with! Have a great week everyone.
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Had my first appt. with my surgeon's NP, and I felt really comfortable with her, and was able to ask her all my question's. She said my rib/shoulder pain is a SE from rads. and it just takes a long time to heal. My breast has a lot of scar tissue, from 2 lumpectomy's and a recent biopsy, so she now has me on a 3 mo. schedule. No doubt, they have me down as a nut, in my file, but then I already knew that.
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If it's any consolation I have you down as a nut in my file too Leggy...
Seriously, that's a normal question and a normal answer. You gotta be a whole lot weirder to rate "nut".
Like moi.
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Too funny, Rachel! Your alway's good for a laugh, and I set myself up for it, all the time. I must say, I've met a lot of people, that make me look sane. Their usually on street corners, however.
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Hey Leggy, I felt so comfortable with my general surgeon that I told him my joke about my seroma I got after the bilat mast - every time I think about it the song comes into my mind "m m m m m my seroma" (from The Knack) - I'm definitely in the file as "no meds under any circumstances". What is normal - and who wants to be it anyway!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You are a nut Rachel.
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My 2nd Chemo treatment, when I was asked about any issues (they meant from the treatment I went on a 1/2 hour rant about my daughter at college and some issues she and I were having. Then when the onc and NP put me on the effexor (a low dose of an anti depressent that works with your seretonan levels) and I was having SE's from it, I told them "I must already have too much happiness in me cause this is making me feel horrible". So I believe I am on the "nut" list also, but in a good way.
I try to use an eliptical every weekday. Keep up the good work Yearofthehat!!!
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One more elliptical rider here... and also a nut. Perhaps the two are related?
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Been on Tamoxifen for 4 months now, can I board the train? Does anyone have a stiff neck? I started Tamox and rads at the same time in Feb and ever since have had a stiff neck.
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No stiff neck with tamox, but yes to the 'anxiety/anxious stomach' feeling? It comes and goes and started when I started tamox in Feb. 2007...chemo-induced menopause causing me at now age 50 to become post-menopausal, so we'll be switching to an aromatase-inhibitor soon, no more tamox. The AI will be for SEVEN years...OH JOY!!!!
I'm not a worry-wart...but glad no periods since TAXOL-induced in ONE DAY *BAM*--instant menopause since 10/2006. No real s/e's from tamox, other than occasional calf pains making it hard to walk, weight gain, but that's also from menopause. So, I may be riding OFF the tamox train soon...I see my onco every 2-3 months, as I have a cough that's being closely monitored (nothing shows up on scans/xrays), and my tumor was smack against the chest wall, not removed first time during lumpectomy, but removed during second partial-mastectomy in 2006. Radiation has also caused me to have rib pain on that side...tender to the touch, has never eased up, but it's liveable...in fact, sorry to be so long-winded here!!! Everything is liveable, because WE ARE LIVING!!!! HAH! ENJOY and embrace that...in my mind, any s/e's from CANCER meds keeping us in 'survival' mode are worth it, AND having the port...it's a GODSEND for me with no/tiny veins, will keep it for as long as I possibly can (inserted in July 2006)...all my best to all of you...juli0 -
Ok...gonna say it on this thread to....my page is not friggn' updating..last post I see is Yearofthehat..july 1,,9;30pm...can't keep up this way...uuurrgghgh!!!
I did post on the TAm fear thread about whats going on...I just hate to say it all over again...
It's mainly about everyone just ASSuming I am emotional now...not taking my feelings seriously...wish I had never warned DH and family about the mood swings SE's...told them it could happen...didn't say it would.....uuuurrgghhh!!!!
Ladies...Have a GR8 day...I'll be at the shop later and see if I can catch up there...maybe it will update better than this one.....miss you all!!!....jules
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juli0212, does your onc know about the calf pain when you walk? That is a symptom of deep vein thrombosis which can be one of the really serious side effects of Tamoxifen. Please, please get that checked by a doctor to make sure it's no big deal if you haven't already.
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Kari - OMG - I don't have many SE's on tamoxifen (bit of anxiety) and have been on it 4 months - yes, I have the stiff neck. I really just thought it was from straining it somehow - what do you reckon - do you think it is tamoxifen? I have also had my exchange surgery for my implants so perhaps I am using different muscles. Pretty weird though. Interesting to see if anyone else has the same.
Juli - yes totally liveable regardless!
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Speaking of nuts, I just bought a bag of almond's from the gas station, because the bag said "kelly's Nut Kitchen" so I am going to mail them to my cousin Kelly with her present for her new born son. I think all women are a little nuts, we have to be to put up with all we in our lives!LOL!
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HelenaJ - OMG is right! Finally somebody else!! So when I started rads and tamox I got all whacked out on my right side from sleeping on that side, which made sense. But this stiff thing, nobody can help me! I've gone to chiropractors, massage, Reiki, my PCP and will be trying acupuncture soon, I have to attend a class first next week. I've been seeing a physical therapist for my right hip, been doing exercises, but it still hurts. They xrayed me and even did another bone scan, all clear thank goodness! The physical therapist said that if your pelvis is off it can throw your whole body along the spine off. He said I will have to see a pt for the neck, but not until the hip thing mends. I'm going to talk to my onc AGAIN about this stiff neck and tamoxifen association. I'm always the one who gets the weird se's! haha!!
Haven't experienced the anxious stomach thingie.
Mary, thats funny about the nuts!
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All this talk of nuts is making me hungry!
I absolutley have the hip pain, especially after sitting and sometimes after lying down. What is the explanation for that? Why only the hips? I've had a chronic stiff neck on the right side since before cancer. It got worse during my mastectomy recovery. I am one who's gained a lot of weight. I think I'm just generally out of shape and my posture is bad. It doesn't help that I have a desk job.
I think my anxiety may be levelling off already. Things that sometimes get me all worked up are having no effect this week. Ugh, I hope I stay that way. Having cancer makes me not want to waste any emotional energy, or be stressed, unless its an absolute emergency and even then...
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Hey Yearofthehat,
Didn't you do TAC? My hip really started hurting, during chemo. I had a cortisone shot in Dec. and it's not helping. HelenaJ....I remember The Knack...even with chemo. brain.
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Hi YOTH,
You are not alone with the stiff neck but instead of the hip, my lower back hurts. Had lost heaps of weight before the journey and now it is all back!
So today I feel like this stiff necked creature that is lopsided and is oozing out of her clothes.
This whole experience...is so draining.....just when you think you have it all together..hormones go wild and end up down in the dumps again!!!
Would be lost without you girls who understand
Hugs
Viv
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...my neck has been really stiff, too! When I wake up in the morning, I am especially stiff.
I've gained weight, too... but just my stomach. I feel like a malnourished Ethiopian!
I'm still doing the countdown... to finish Tamoxifen, but I'm very nervous and scared about switching to an AI... I have heard that they aren't any better.
Harley
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Oh dear we are a stiff necked wobbly bunch today, to make it worse I have a cold and have to meet a friend for lunch (its freezing here).
Harley I'm with you on the belly, especially since I haven't been able to run for the last 2 weeks - I have what we (us Aussies) call a muffin top - where the fat rolls over the jeans - especially when they were snug to start with! Sigh.
Kari it will be interesting to hear what your onc says about the stiff neck.
Harley do you have to switch to an Al, I was hoping after my 5 years on Tam I could just take nothing or am I totally deluding myself (again!!).
soft hugs
Helena
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Funny, my neck has been hurting too, along with my right knee, and I did associate it with the tamoxifen because while before it would be only a premenstrual thing or sleeping with pillows too high, these aches have been constant since I've been on it. And recently I've noticed a right hip ache also which I only had before whenever my weight got over a certain amount or when I was pregnant. Now my weight did increase about 7 lbs. on tamox, but I worked out and got it back down to where I wanted it and so far, I'm maintaining, and recently this hip ache showed up
I'm currently taking a little break (so far almost 2 weeks now) from tamoxifen to see if any symptoms go away, then I'll know it's the tamox and not progression of menopause causing this. So far, the hip pain seems to be fading, just feel it occasionally. The neck thing is a little less, but the right knee is still sore. Hot flashes seem to be less frequent some days, no difference other days.
And I'm really anxious to see if any libido comes back because that was part of the most distressing symptoms for me, the whole sex thing. I think I'm feeling some stirrings the last few days of something, not quite sure yet. Haven't had the opportunity yet to really test it out.
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rgiuff - I am in the same boat about the libido. I finished chemo six weeks ago or so and it really hasn't kicked in. I have no signs of having a period either. I am no longer in chemo hell so I can 'perform' but it's not at the intensity I would like it to be at all. I am taking supplements and am working out. Once I am several months beyond chemo, and by then I'll have had a chance to adjust to the Tamox, I'll have a better sense of whether or not I've dried up like a prune for life.
Ah the joyous hell we go through.
XOXO
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Hi Ladies,
Does your stiff neck get better after a few hours after waking up? I can't tell if my stiff neck is from Tamoxifen or from yoga. I started Tamox on 6/21 and haven't had any hot flashes. I had more flashes while on chemo.
YOTH- I'm going to use your title when I scrapbook my BC journey. I finished chemo almost 4 weeks ago and haven't had a period since. But I can't tell if I'm PMSing or is it the Tamoxifen.
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Florbo - my neck does loosen up as the day goes on - I am sleeping differently due to my recent surgeries so can't tell if it is the tam or not.
Rose - I took a break from tamoxifen (2 weeks) and it made a huge difference for me - unfortunately not so much on the libido side of things, but feeling little more interested since my exchange surgery - I don't look so damaged anymore.
It's more a case of mind over matter for me.0 -
I have had hip pain for several years prior to BC. Funny it seemed to go away while I was on chemo, now it has come back. Not sure if it was because I was less active during chemo - i did walk almost everyday, but didn't get on the eliptical quite as much and when I did I moved at a much slower pace. I have not even started the Tamox yet. Will board that train next week. The Neulasta shot did give me next pain a day or 2 after then it would go away. I will have to see what my SE's will or will not be after I am on board. Glad we can all vent here and find those similarities with our SE's.
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I'm with you girls on the libido thing. I brought it up to my Gyn last month at my yearly exam. She said its because of the estrogen being flat since chemo put me into menopause last Sept. She doesn't think my ovaries will recover and said at age 47 it is about the time for menopause anyway. WHAT? holy cow, I didn't realize I was ready for that yet! She suggested lots of lube, Astroglide is a good one and we've used that. I just want my mojo back! LOL! My hip thing stems from low back pain but the pain gets worse when I sit for long periods or walk on hilly surfaces. The neck thing is very bothersome and I don't notice a time when its any better. Sigh...
It really is nice to have others to talk to about SE's!!!!
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kfinnigan -
Yep to the hip pain after sitting for a while AND hilly surfaces. Well, we're supposed to move around and not sit anyway, right? Bleah!
In other news, had my first annual bilateral mammogram just now. Results to be 'mailed in a few days.' Gee, I used to fear the squish pain, no more! Now, the results...
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