Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
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Catbird - i have gained about 5 pounds on it even though eating and exercise has not changed. I am trying to lose it but not having much luck. Lots of others have posted weight gain or some extra girth around the middle even without weight gain.
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Leta: my onc prescribed 10mg twice daily. She said this is what she usually does unless the patient says they are likely to forget to take the second table. I know I often do. Sometimes I forget to take the morning one and then take it at lunchtime instead. I often forget the evening one two and might suddenly remember it after I go to bed.
I think 20mg once daily is more common as the first time that I went to have the Rx filled, they told me they would have to order the 10mg tablets as they don't usually stock them.
Catbird: I've put on a huge amount of weight since this time last year. This started as soon as I finished chemo and before I even started Tamoxifen.
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My Oncologist said they like to give it in the 10mg. twice a day because they see less side effects that way. I don't normally forget the evening one but lately the morning one is being forgotten. I asked Friday how late was to late to take the morning dose and she said by 3pm. After that don't take it.
Since starting Tamoxifen I have gained 12 pounds. I knew once I started back eating I would put some back on but I am disgusted at this months weight gain of 4 pounds. ugg must eat salads.
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Thanks everyone for your input on my weight issue !!!!
I don't think I'm eating more but I'm going to start watching myself like a hawk. LOL
And mine IS in the middle also. So there is something to that for sure. I've also put on at least 12 pounds. Boo Hiss
Thanks Again.
) Catbird
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Hi Mary! I'm picking up my prescription today, but 3 months ago it was $18 for 3 months. Maybe because I have "Secure Horizons" with "AARP Medicare Complete" We pay $50 a month each of us, but in November we can sign up for the same program for "Nothing".....At least my neighbors are doing this for a year now....I have to make sure if there is any difference in the benefits or not. I can't believe that they would be the same as now, and then be "free"....But I'll call in November....I already called to ask about this, & was told, "Yes, we can get the same thing for $0 dollars".....She must be smoking something!
But even the $50 is cheap I think! When I had my surgery in December, I "only" had to pay about $2000, and our insurance paid over $72,000. The MammoSite Device radiation was VERY expensive....if even for only 5 days total!
I know Secure Horizons offers the AARP / MedicareComplete....But I don't know if you can get it in your area.... My Husband just had his Pace-maker replaced, well I mean in March, & we still haven't heard about that one. I'm afraid to call to ask about it!
I know I'm quite a bit older than most of you gals, but I have been fighting my weight for 5 years! And I think I gave up, when I stopped gaining last year, because it stayed the same....NOW I don't eat near as much anymore! I just get full so fast.....Even my Husband, only eats 1/2 of what he used to....but I think that beer he drinks EVERY day might have something to do with that, AND getting older. Maybe THAT'S the answer! I should start drinking BEER, Ha! I just put a little on my plate at dinner, & usually "save" 1/2 of that for the next day. So I'm down just 7 pounds....since last month. Maybe all this "getting rid of 50 years of stuff" has helped, ha! I've been working & cleaning "un-controllably"..
.I think watching "Hoarders" has made a difference.....Man, those people are nuts! I could STILL drop about 20 more #s, & probably feel better too! Hope the insurance info helps! xoxoxoxo
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So Okay, I picked up my prescription for Tamoxifen from Walmart, got home, the bottle says 90 pills, but I thought, "Man, that don't look like 90 pills"....And sure enough it was 30! So I gotta go back! AGAIN! That will make 3 times for this prescription, ha! But it is still $18, for 90 days. Walmart apologized, but it's just the inconvenience of it all! It's better than ONE time, I got home, checked my pills, & they were entirely different from the times before!!!!! I called them back, & they had put someone elses pills in my bottle! Glad I didn't take any! So make sure you gals check your prescriptions. I saw that at Costco, they open your bottle & show you the pills! I can see why now! THAT would have helped me a lot!
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Chevyboy, is that an $18 copay at Walmart for 90-day supply? Their website shows the prices with their Rx drug program as $9 for 30-days and $24 for 90 days.
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Hi all, I'm not on much at the moment so I'll just say "hi" to you all, and I hope you're all doing well.
I'm unsure if the person asking for prices only wanted uninsured prices or copays too, so I'll note that I pay $10 copay for a 90-day supply when I do mail order through PrimeMail pharmacy, which is the mail-pharmacy service associated with my insurer BlueShield.
bcincolo, my skin is definitely drier too, in particular my hands. Its definitely started since tamox, so this is my odd side effect to deal with. Good luck getting yours under control. I just try to keep my hands out of water, and slather with tons of lotion a jillion times a day. Recently I've been trying shea butter at night but it doesn't seem to be helping. Oh well.
Take care, all!
CS
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Hi CS: nice to see you again. I've always appreciated your informative posts. The fact that you are not on here so often is hopefully a good sign for you.
I was the one asking about Tamoxifen prices and yes, I was asking about prices for the uninsured. For those of you lucky enough to have insurance, I don't believe the prices vary from one pharmacy to another. But I might be wrong on that. I'm trying to keep a tally of the prices in this post - Price of Tamoxifen.
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CS: Good to hear from you! I figured you were busy and it was good sign.
Leta: Weight????? Well all I can say is that I'm starting to feel like a Weeble......too round on the bottom half of me. With waking up so much at night with hot flashes (better past few days now that is is cool at night) I've been too tired to do much exercize. This week I've just started forcing myself. Then there is the diet.....which I do find I want to snack much more often now. I've started to keep healthy stuff around the house and at work so hopefully no more gain and I can start to lose.
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Good Morning Gals! Yes, Mary, it is a co-pay! I am with "AARP Mecidare Complete" through Secure horizons....I know it isn't even available in Nashville, where my Brother lives...but we can get it here in Colorado.
Hi BC! I have been taking my Tamoxifen & lo-do-aspirin early in the morning, and to make it "fun' I eat a couple pita chips or pretzels with that "red pepper hummus!" So then at breakfast I don't want to eat everything on the table!
....Also for lunch I now just eat maybe a piece of cheese & a chip...And for dinner, about 1/2 of what I used to. I would THINK that by eating so much less than I used to, that I would have dropped like 100 #s! I wonder if the vitamins have anything to do with it? And the Doctor yesterday said to take Magnesium for the leg cramps.....One before bed! So I've taken one so far! It's just always a battle for me to lose weight! And it didn't even start until I was about 50! I know I am built just like my Mom, and I understand she was always trying some new diet to help her. I guess as we get older, it just comes with the territory, with some of us. Along with a few other not so good things!
Have a great day gals! xoxoxoxoxo
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CatbirdC- I was going to ask the same question. I exercise an hour a day and eat the same and have never had problems with weight gain and have been on Tamox about 2 1/2 months. I went to the Dr yesterday and noticed I was up 9 pounds! I was like what!! I am not doing anything different. It is more in the middle too. I don't get it, how does a med put on weight if you are not eating more and still exercising? Is it true fat weight or water retention?
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CatbirdC- I was going to ask the same question. I exercise an hour a day and eat the same and have never had problems with weight gain and have been on Tamox about 2 1/2 months. I went to the Dr yesterday and noticed I was up 9 pounds! I was like what!! I am not doing anything different. It is more in the middle too. I don't get it, how does a med put on weight if you are not eating more and still exercising? Is it true fat weight or water retention?
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Sweetie2040 ~~ and Tamoxitrainers that are noticing weight gain...Boo Hiss........
I don't know but I sure would like to find out. CS.....if you're out there.... do you know ???
I'm wondering if estrogen helps us not to gain weight and also maybe keeps the middle fat off until at least much later in life ????
Whatever it is I'm AWARE now and watching this CATBIRD like a hawk diet wise. I've gained about 12 pounds in one year ...slow but steady so I didn't notice for a long time.
Catbird
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Hi Catbird, sorry, I don't know why tamoxifen modulates weight. I don't think anyone does, or surely we'd know since they'd be selling the answer, right?
I've been lucky enough not to gain weight in 9 months on it, but I know I've said before that in the beginning it really damped my feelings of satiety. In other words, I just didn't feel full like before, after eating the same amount. If I hadn't been supervigilent I very well could have eaten "until full" and, without realizing it, that would have been more than before, most likely leading to weight gain. Like all my more significant SE's, that lasted for about 3-4 months, and then I seem to have adjusted and now I'm back to my usual hunger/satiety feelings. I have no clue if that's relevant to anyone else, but it's all I have to offer.Thanks for the welcome back's. I was traveling for much of Aug, and after that I was sort of out of the BCO habit. I love all of you very much, but since I'm sort of weaned already I'm trying to limit my BCO time to TRY to be more productive in some other things, LOL. We'll see!
Take care, CS
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Hello all, I was on Tamoxifen for 5 yrs and did indeed gain weight, pretty good amount too, and hot flashes that were intense, BUT i,m now 16 yrs cancer free (Praise the Lord so I believe it was worth the weight gain and hot flashes, oh by the way I lost the weight when I was done. msphil
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msphil: 16 years--very encouraging!! And it's great to hear that the weight came off after your 5 years was finished. I have noticed that I have put on a few pounds--not sure if it is tamoxifen, menopause or just forced inactivity from surgeries. I've been increasing my activity since restrictions are over so hope fully I'll be able to drop the little bit of weight that I have gained. If not, I'll have to really buckle down because I want it gone!
TCK
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msphil - that is encouraging news! I started tamox in May and have gained all the weight back that I lost during chemo and my pants are snugger. I'd like to exercise, but my hip, leg and foot joints ache so much. I believe that's a side effect of tamoxifen too. And the hot flashes. And fatigue....
Theresa
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Hi girls,
16 years woo HOO !
I have to say I have started back exercising after a year of barely moving, surgeries and chemo. I gained 15 lbs during chemo...... I am doing 2 miles on the treadmill and 30 mins on the eliptical. MY tamoxifen aches and pains seem to be BETTER if you can imagine ! While it was hard to get started I am 3 weeks in and have lost 5 lbs already. Of course I am eating really good too. No carbs right now. This is the most like myself I have felt in over a year. There is hope !
Have a good weekend TAMOXIBABES.0 -
Way to go Alicia..
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JustmeAlicia: Did you start exercising b/c the tamoxifen pain went away, or did you still feel the tamoxifen achiness but started exericising through the pain?
I'm having a hard time getting regular exercise b/c of the joint aches and exhaustion at the end of the day. So I wonder if I need to give myself more time to heal, or forge ahead and work through the misery.
Of course, I have a bad cold now, so I don't feel like doing anything!
-Theresa
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msphil: THAT is VERY encouraging, thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!!
I'm now off Tamoxifen and switched to Aromasin (chemo-induced-menopause, now post-menopausal). So, I anticipate the s/e's will be around the same, maybe a bit more joint/bone pain. 3 1/2 years on tamoxifen, and hot flashes/night sweats, weight gain are actually the worst symptoms, so can't complain about tamox really. ~juli0 -
Still felt the tamoxifen pain. (knees and back) and the end of the day exhaustion whew... I go to the gym first thing in the am, so I have no excuses. I do feel better ~ more like my pre-cancer self.
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Thanks Alicia, that's encourgaging to know... I guess I need to get moving more even though I feel awful.
-Theresa
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Theresa: When I'm all achy like that I try to remember what my Grandma used to joke about all the time.....Do you know how to keep from getting stiff in the joints? Stay out of the joints! Ha! Ha! Ha! I used to laugh so much at that joke as a little girl and I still remember it today and laugh when I'm achy from Tamox and have a hard time moving.
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BC....that's a good one! Ha! Sounds like something my Dad would have said!
I HAD trouble at first with the Tamoxifen, but I started the Glucosamine, Fish oil with Omega 3, Vitamin E, and Calcium and a Multi-vitamin. Been doing this for 9 months now, & feel really pretty good! And I'm 73! Sometimes my one knee will give me fits, but I just wrap on one of thos knee braces, & I'm good to go. Doctor says it is just a little arthritis! (sometimes)
We don't really excercise, but we DO walk a lot, when we can! I mean like around Colorado Mills or somewhere. And a 1/2 mile with our little Sheltie every morning.
Okay gals...just thought I would mention the vitamins along with Tamoxifen again! xoxoxoxoxo
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bcincolorado: That's pretty cute!! Chevyboy, I just found out that I am very low in vitamin d and B12. The doctor's office is calling me back today to tell me what else to do. A few weeks ago she put me on a good multi-vitamin (adult gummies b/c my stomach doesn't do regular vits), and vitamin D. I have to admit, my joints are starting to feel better. I don't know if she's going to increase the vit D or not. It just explains so much ... why I'm so tired all the time, the achy joints, the depression. Now, if I could just get rid of this cold my DH gave me!!
-Theresa
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Theresa, there's another thread on here about vitamin d deficiencies. Seems there are SO MANY of us who are deficient. I now take 5,000ius a day, and will get retested end of Oct. I was very deficient, took the Rx of 50,000ius, but that is D2. My D3 levels dropped even lower after that treatment. I am self-dosing, as my (now-fired) endocrinologist had said the D3 was ''''not important'''''...after LOTS of research/studies show a link between D deficiency and cancer.
Hope your cold goes away very soon~! Ugh! ~juli
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I found the other thread, I think! I'll post there. Here I've been blaming the tamoxifen for my joint aches when it could be the low vitamin D.
Got an antibiotic for my sinus infection. I don't know what's worse, the sinus infection or the antibiotics!
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Regarding the weight in the middle issue.... I have been on Tamoxifen for about a year and a half, plus I had my ovaries removed 9 months ago.... I have grown a "barrel" around my middle. My weight has only gone up by about 5 lbs, but the fat is migrating. Nobody warned me about the anti-estrogen fat migration! I asked my Gyn about it. She said that when you body is not getting the estrogen is so wants (being on Tamox and/or removing ovaries) it starts storing fat. Fat cells produce estrogen as well so the body becomes very efficient at creating more fat to try to get more estrogen. For some physiological reason that she couldn't explain, the body is able to extract that estrogen easier from the fat when it's near the abdominal area. Maybe it has to do with the blood supply in the core area where all the vital organs are? I don't know, but anyway, it STINKS!! It would be great if they could come up with a medication that would mimic estrogen so that the body wouldn't think it was starving and create/hoard fat.
I'm tring to be "ok" with this new bigger belly. After all, I've been diagnosed twice with breast cancer and I'm still here. I guess that should be worth it. Hang in there gals!
Laura
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