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Bottle o Tamoxifen

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Comments

  • phxsunshine
    phxsunshine Member Posts: 156
    edited February 2011

    MissTW - Hang in there Girl.  I thought I was going to stay in cuckoo town for longer than I did.  It is a normal reaction and that made me feel better in a strange sort of way. I did use Xanax for 2 weeks when it got bad last summer.  You'll feel better when you know what you are dealing with. Start off the tamox in smaller increments. I did 1/4 for a week, 1/2 for a week, 3/4 for a week and finally the whole enchilada.  Occasional hot flashes are the most annoying SE, but they say that may indicate it's working, doing it's job for us.

     Jo1955, my Rad Onc told me, ahead of time, I would have lung damage, it was unavoidable and that she would do her best to avoid my heart as my cancer is on the left side, right atop my ribs.  She said that I have enough healthy lung tissue that it should not present a problem.  I send you both, and all my sisters here, uplifting love, hugs and prayers that sleep comes easy and the morning brings renewed strength and hope.  We will make it together.

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited February 2011

    mfrog how does Gapepentin help with hot flashes as that is a neuropthy drug?

    I am on the countdown to start my Tamox.  will take my first one Monday night.  Not really nervous about it, but I sure hope I do not get neauseated.  The last time I tried birthcontrol pills like 20 years ago I was so neuseated I could not take them. so just wondering how my body will react to this.  Guess I will know on tuesday

  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781
    edited February 2011

    Sheeryc...try splitting the does in half so you do not notic ethe side effects as much and take it with a meal...I take mine with breakfast and supper and have no nausea...also Jo1955 said she started taking hers wih milk and has no nausea now either so...

    Good luck....aproach it with rose coloured glasses and the assumption that all will be well and go form there:)...and I keep an extra shirt in my office and in the car just in case I have a personal global warming moment!...It has onyl hapened a few times but having something to change into means I can laugh about it instead of wanting to curl into a corner and scream!

  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited February 2011

    Thanks Sandee, I have been having hot flashes but my MO tells me I am no where near menapause and does not know why I have them.  They are more like warm flushes during the night but enough I have to take the covers off to cool down.  But I am switching MO's in a couple of weeks, not fast enough, maybe the new one can give me more insight to my hormones.

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    edited February 2011

    phxsunshine - Thanks for sharing.  I wouldn't be upset if I had been told in advance.

    Nancy -  No headaches for me.  Been on the train almost a month now.

    Sherry - When I think about it, I was never afraid to start Tamox.  Figured I would put it in the mix with the other meds I take.  Had to do the split dose - had such a time with the AIs, I wanted to see if this would be better.  Have had a bit of nausea, but found if I take it with a full glass of milk, I am just fine.  You may want to keep this in mind. 

  • June2268
    June2268 Member Posts: 926
    edited February 2011

    Nancy when I started Tamox  I was getting headaches on a regular basis and after a few months when I assume my body adjusted to the pill, they were gone......I started taking my 20mg at night but had terrible insomnia so I switched to the morning.  I take my little white pill right after I eat as so far so good....Hang in there, it will get easier.

    Jo Looking for something sinfully good to eat and drink of course..... and I feel you could meet all us ladies in the cabin of your choice (as Tink would day) and I am sure we will get your mind off all the BS you have gone through lately.....

    Sherry we all fear that first time swallowing that pill....hang tough it will get easier!!  I was worried too as I am so sensitive to everything......I thought the worst was going to happen and it didn't.....keep us posted as to how you do, I am sure you will do fine.....

    Chevyboy- my daughter wants to know how you got that pic of your cat, and I have to say it is the best profile pic EVER!!!!  Sorry ladies!

    We have had some intense weather latley, but tonight with all the snow we had it was quite ammusing to have a thunderstorm with crazy lightning......been one heck of a year so far.

  • tinkertude
    tinkertude Member Posts: 1,998
    edited February 2011

    NANCY..I have been on Tam since Sept and notice that a short time after I take my night time pill I get a low level headache, most of the time though I dont really even need to take anything.

    SHERRY..Good luck it will be fine :).. keep us posted and we are here for you

    MRSTW.. Wondering how you are doing? Hope all is well..

    JUNE..LOL... Any car any time :)

  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781
    edited February 2011

    2am and I am wide awake...took my tami when I remembered it..which was 10pm ( i had been travelling so missed my 7pm does)....is this why I am awake.? I tried to go to bed and for 1.5 hours me and my cat tossed and turned....I can see from Nancy's post above ami my be the cause. So..no later than 7pm for my evening 10mgs!

    Sherry, until tami, I was warmer but not HOT...I had my radiologist check my blood and tell me if I was menopausal ornot( no periods for 18 months hadme convinced0 but he seemed to think it was impossible so checked me anyhow...2/3 markers said menopausal...except I have 113count for estrogen so it is still firing....so thank god for Tami...

    I have a little 'game in my head' with all ofthis BS stuff...during radiation, I imagined someone sitting down and zapping my breast looking for radical cancer cells hanging out somewhere...kind of like a video game, you know? the tami is similar....like a spy going in and doing jujitsu and karate on the estrogen trying to hook up with cells ...and stopping my cells from dividing......sometimes that hard work is going to have an affect on my outside too and keep me wired i guess!

  • GG27
    GG27 Member Posts: 1,308
    edited February 2011

    Sherry,  There is a very well known study showing the effects of gabapentin on the hot flashes from tamoxifen.    I don't know how to make it linkable, but here is the study. 

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1627210/

  • MissTW
    MissTW Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2011

    So far so good except for some intestinal issues all day long. I can't blame the tamoxifen since I work at a school filled with germs. Have a wonderful weekend!

  • Chevyboy
    Chevyboy Member Posts: 10,258
    edited February 2011

    Sherry!  I don't think your hormones will be affected at all, by Tamoxifen...You will still have your normal hormones running around in there, but the Tamoxifen will block any stray cancer cells from binding to your hormones.... Our hormones, if you are ER or PR positive, feed the cancer cells....and we block that with the Tamoxifen. 

    HI JUNE!!!  That little cat on the banister is from somewhere, & I don't know!  I saw it on the Internet one time, & saved it, & used it as a "desk-top" for awhile...But I just thought it was funny. And Oh, by the way, who is that cute guy YOU are with?  Must be your DH....Such a cute picture!  

    ALL you gals have great Avatars!  And names...Yes, we are a fun bunch of wild & crazy "guys" Ha!   I crack up every time I think of Steve Martin saying that in his silly duded up shirt & pants!   Oh? you don't remember?  Too young?.....Okay, but I love hanging out with you all!  xoxoxoxo

  • June2268
    June2268 Member Posts: 926
    edited February 2011

    ChevyboyI do remember "wild and crazy guys" I guess that is telling you I am not young....ha ha ha......Thanks for the clarification of the pic, however it is still the best pic ever and my family and I want that little bugger, how cute......yes the man with me is my DH and yes he is a good one too......taking me all lopsided and putting up with all I have had to go through, especially after his mother went through this 10 years ago and sprung it on him the night before her surgery.....she is very tight lipped and does not want anyone to ever worry!  We have also gotten closer, funny how this can make 2 women bond more than they did before........that is why he is pushing me to stay as I am and not do any more surgery and put my body through more.....I think I posted that here before......I am still unsure if this is how I want to live the rest of my years by throwing in a partial breast to fill me out as when summer comes, bathing suit season is the hardest....I went from a full C to a A and the only thing they can do for me is a Lattisimus Dorsi Flap and that will be one long recovery......not sure if I can do that......

    Anyway this is goin  to be one fabulous day as the weather is supposed to be in the 40's today and I intend on getting outside and enjoying it today.  I still cannot see to get out of my driveway but I sure am going to get a walk in with my little ones today.....hope we don't get killed today....Is it warm in Colorado today??

    Happy Sunday to all you wonderful ladies, so glad to be here with each and every one of you......

  • janet in virginia
    janet in virginia Member Posts: 923
    edited February 2011
  • Sherryc
    Sherryc Member Posts: 4,503
    edited February 2011

    Thanks all, made a sinfull Amaretta chocolate cheesecake to take to the superbowl party this afternoon.  Smells and looks good hope it taste good.

  • Pennythoughts
    Pennythoughts Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2011

    I jumped on the train with taking the full 20 mg on Dec. 23.  I was given the list of SE's, but my take on it was that most of those SE's were extreme situations, and as someone else mentioned just above on this thread, the odds were in my favor that I wouldn't experience the scarier SE's.  Had nausea and extreme depression for about a week, then that seemed to settle down some.  A month later, during a period, got nausea again.  But it went away when the period ended.  I also take Effexor so the hot flashes are more like warm flashes, and very manageable.  But b/c I always forget to take pills during the day, I've ended up taking them at night and have had insomnia.  Maybe I should be taking them earlier in the day???

    Jo - I'm so sorry to hear about your lung issues.  That is just crappy.  I also have fears about lung problems and I even tried to warn the RO about my situation prior to radiation, but he didn't really let me tell my story.  I had a collapsed lung several years ago (same side as BC) and the chest tube they put in ended up damaging nerves along my ribs.  About a week into radiation I started getting the exact same "nervy" pain as I had during the collapsed lung, and still have it now that rads are done.  I will definitely be getting that checked out.  Please let us know how you're doing and what the docs decide to do for you.

  • doingbetter
    doingbetter Member Posts: 16
    edited February 2011

    Pennythoughts

    I don't know if taking it in the morning will help the sleep issue. I suppose it can't hurt to try. But I take it in the morning and have been having problems with sleep. Fall asleep pretty easily, but after a couple of hours wake up and have a lot of trouble getting back to sleep. Even if and when I do it's a very choppy sleep.

  • Chevyboy
    Chevyboy Member Posts: 10,258
    edited February 2011

    Janet!  YES!!!!  How did you find that?  Ha!  I laughed out loud when I saw that....Saturday Night Live was sooooooooo funny! 

    And June!  I have sooo many fun pictures of little animals...this one is for your Daughter! 

  • peg119
    peg119 Member Posts: 190
    edited February 2011

    Finally figured out how to get a picture along with my name.  This is of the tattoo I got last March.  I never really wanted a tattoo before but figured since I had 3 I didn't want from radiation, I should get one I did want.  Not the best place to get a tattoo as far as the pain goes but I do like it. My daughter thinks I should get another one.

    Looking forward to some good football today and enjoying time with friends.

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    edited February 2011

    Pennythoughts - My RO is just an overall crappy person. He as no business working with cancer patients.  With is personality, he is probably best suited for research.  His ego is the size of Texas.

    Chevyboy - That is one fat cat.  Too funny! 

  • tinkertude
    tinkertude Member Posts: 1,998
    edited February 2011

    PENNY, Nice tattoo!!!!

    Two wild and crazy guys!!! lol love it, am a big Steve Martin fan, love the pic

    That is a fat cat but he looks quite content :)

    PENNY When I first started Tam I had a very hard time sleeping, a few nights didnt fall asleep until the a.m., now its more like it still takes me awhile to fall asleep,( but not like before) even though I am dead tired, but now I dont want to get up in the morning. I do wake up often most of the times because I am sweating but do go back to sleep pretty quickly.. I do split the doses as well... hope your insomnia gets better soon!

    Beautiful day here too ladies, hope each and everyone of you is enjoying this day in some way...

    Maria

  • June2268
    June2268 Member Posts: 926
    edited February 2011

    Chevyboy My daughter loves you for that......and you ladies who thinks that cat is fat should see my Calvin.....I am not even sure he could lie like that....ha ha 

    Loving today but quite sore.....we worried about our roof as roofs were collapsing big time in our area so my husband worked his tail off cleaning off the roof, so today I spent trying to get the snow away from the house as I don't want to flood out the basement.......one winter we wont forget!!!

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    edited February 2011
    June - How true on the winter we won't forget.  The ice storm down here was incredible and hope to not see one of those again.  Way too cold for me.
  • June2268
    June2268 Member Posts: 926
    edited February 2011
    Jo how are you today????  Pill is going down easier huh, so happy for you......Are you close to Austin or San Antonio?  I used to manage apartment complex's many years ago there and my boss use to fly us out to TX for Christmas and it was just so beautiful to do the San Antonio River Walk......I sure miss those days.  Didn't you say you lost power due to the storm? 
  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    edited February 2011

    June - I am 250 miles south of San Antonio - close to the Mexican border.  We did lose power for 16 hours.  Love San Antonio especially at Christmas.  I have seen the Riverwalk paradae many times and it is always beautiful.

    Feel really good today.   First day in over 5 months I am without pain.  The burning sensation has eased off but I dont't think it is completely gone.  I still want to know what is causing this.  Little victories are good. 

  • heartnsoul76
    heartnsoul76 Member Posts: 1,204
    edited February 2011

    Had a nice day here in Georgia - can't wait for spring, though!

    The amaretto cake sounds yummy! Have fun at the party!

    I love Steve Martin - who would have thought he would end up being such a good actor? My favorite movie of his is Trains, Planes and Automobiles, but I also like Father of the Bride.

    Thanks, Chevy, for the picture of that silly cat! I've seen squirrels lay like that on rails in the summer, but a cat? He must be one funny fellow! 

    Penny - I hope you can figure out the cause of the nerve pain, and get it taken care of soon!

    Well, guess it's GAME TIME! Go commercials! 

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    edited February 2011

    Got a question.  Been on Tamox for a month now and in the last few days I seen to not be able to get enough to drink.  Always going for the ice water or tea.  Anyone else had this problem?

  • Sandeeonherown
    Sandeeonherown Member Posts: 1,781
    edited February 2011

    I am drinking more too but not an excessive amount..just more than was normal for me.

  • jo1955
    jo1955 Member Posts: 7,545
    edited February 2011

    Okay! So it isn't just me.  Had me worried there for a minute.  Not getting up any more than usual in the night to pee so I guess I need the fluid.

  • Pennythoughts
    Pennythoughts Member Posts: 36
    edited February 2011

    Jo - I hear you about the drinking.  Same here - - I'm dry, dry, dry.  My insomnia issue is also not about falling asleep, it's about waking up and not going back to sleep, or if I do, its in fits and starts with lots of tossing turning, ridiculous, weird and sometimes terrible dreams, and a few warm flashes mixed in there.  I'm usually ready to sleep when it's time to get up.  It's enough to make me cry every morning.  I'm hoping this goes away, as I'm pretty sure I can't take too much more of it.  How are you supposed to heal from everything without sleep???  I've also tried Ativan, Trazodone, Zoplicone, Gravol, muscle relaxants and just plain old ibuprofen.  But nothing is enough to keep me sleeping.  Not to mention getting up a min. of twice a night to pee.  YIKES!

  • janet in virginia
    janet in virginia Member Posts: 923
    edited February 2011

    Jo - yes, I'm drinking gallons too!  Just back from the neighbor's party - left at half time.  Must have had 4 big glasses of water while I was there.  Tamox sort of reminds me of Keflex (the antibiotic) the way I'm so thirsty.

    Heartnsoul - There is one squirrel who does that all the time on my deck rail - but the cat takes the cake!

    Chevy - I was laughing just thinking of 'wild & crazy' when you mentioned it this morning.  Googled & found the pic & laughed even more.  SNL is still funny - but nothing like it used to be with that original crowd!

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