Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
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I started my hot flashes long before tamox. When I started chemo, and stopped my periods...along they came.
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Lisa - good for you getting back to running, how was it starting up again? I feel like my stamina has really taken a hit with all the surgeries and chemo. Can't run for awhile now as I recently had my reconstruction. Btw is that your dog pictured in your avatar, really adorable, what kind is it?
Does anyone know how long it takes for periods to come back after chemo if they are going to?0 -
Jackie,
Thanks. It really wasn't too bad. I had been walking through all of my tx's, at least when I was up too it, so getting back into a routine was not too bad. The stamina doesn't seem to be too bad, my problem, and not sure if it is cancer related..is my knee. I may have arthritis in it, not sure.
Yes that is my little 4lb yorkie...he will be 2 in March. I love him to death...my little companion! Such a good dog too!
When it comes to your period, I think it depends on whether or not you were near menapause prior to dx? I have not had one since right after my 2nd tx in April. I may not ever get them again. That would be fine with me! I am 47.
Lisa
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I forgot...I am going in for reconstruction, hopefully early in January. I don't have a set date as of yet. What kind of reconstruction did you have Jackie?
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Does anyone know if Tamoxifen can decrease one's appetite? I have so not felt like eating for the last couple of days.
Cynthia
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Cynthia...my appetite has not been the same since on Tamox..but not too terribly different. Just has decreased a little. That is a good thing..now if the weight would follow..haha.
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my3girls - thanks, glad to know I'm not imagining it.
Cynthia
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Hey,
Radiation recall is when a medicine you are taking, like tamoxifen causes the area where you have had radiation turn red and irritated just like it was when you were having radiation. Usually chemo drugs cause it but tamoxifen can also cause it.
Sandra
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Cynthia,
It is over 2 weeks since I started Tamoxifen, and I am not very hungry either...Harley
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Lisa,
Wow! March 2007 must be a very popular time for bc dx!!
I just had my reconstruction, about a month ago. I had saline implants put in, but no expanders/fills. My ps just filled them after putting them in, while I was asleep...
I'll be thinking of you in January, as you have your reconst. then!
Good Luck!
Harley0 -
Cynthia:
For what it is worth, I talked with my OB/GYN about endometrial ultrasound after my oncologist suggested it. She (OB/GYN) is going to examine me every six months in order to monitor whether or not there are any changes, and suggested holding off on the ultrasound.
I'm getting ready to get on the tamox wagon this next month--mine got held up by a discovery of residual "hot spots" when I had my MRI for my radiation therapy. I'm a few weeks behind all on the posters here, but hope to be able to get to that part of my treatment soon!
All the best to you!
Cathy
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Cathy - thanks for sharing what your OB/GYN said. I have an appt with my OB/GYN toward the end of this month just to talk to him about what I can expect from being on Tamoxifen and how often I need to be monitored. I managed to avoid internal ultrasounds with both my pregnancies, but I guess my luck ran out. lol
You had an MRI for radiation therapy? I only got a CT Scan and, in fact, I haven't had any MRI's which kind of concerns me especially with my breasts being so dense. Sorry you won't be joining our Tamoxifen party for a few weeks. We'll be here for you when you come aboard.
Harley - well, it definitely sounds as if Tamoxifen decreases the appetite. I hope it's just temporary, because when I'm not hungry, I don't eat and that's not a good thing.
Take care all!
Cynthia
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I'm not sure where to post this question, so I'll start here since many of you also had chemo. I still have an ulcer in my mouth that appeared about a month after my last chemo. I've tried taking l-lysine and probiotics, plus I rinse with Biotene every night, and tried salt water last night. It doesn't hurt, but it concerns me that I've had it for a couple of months now. I know my white count was a bit low (2.3) the last time it was checked (a few weeks ago), but even when I was in the middle of chemo, I didn't have mouth sores more than a week or so. My dermatologist was the one who confirmed it was an ulcer, but I'm wondering if I should call my onc about it.
Thanks in advance for your thoughts on this!
Cynthia
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Cynthia...I would definately call my oc about it. That is a long time to have it. Better be safe!
Good luck!
Lisa
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Cynthia,
I am the same way... If I am not hungry, I don't eat, and that is not good for us... I get headaches if I don't eat, too. I am hoping that my appetite will get better soon. Right now, I am wishing I could take those steroids again, so I could have an appetite. man, when I took the Decadron, I ate just about EVERYTHING in sight! I was SO HUNGRY!!More se's to deal with, I guess...
Harley
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Cynthia,
You are probably having delayed healing form the chemo, but I think I would let the onc know too. Maybe he has a stronger med to help speed recovery...
My appetite has not decreased and I am sitting on my hands not to eat all this Christmas junk coming into the office! I am determined to get this 10 lb gain off!
Was anyone told not to take Tamoxifen during radiation...my onc said my rad onc would probably not like it, but he wanted me to take it....my rad onc said it was ok...just wondering if anyone else was told anything else...
Lisa, thanks for the info on lash regrowth! I am glad you told me how long it took before you noticed growth...I will not panic for awhile I guess! I think I am feeling little sprouts coming out but so far no eyebrow hair in the "bald spots". I can't wait for the day when we all post that we look like our former BEAUTIFUL, hairy selves!!!!!!!
Harley, You better eat...if I recall, you weigh on the "little" side of the scale!!!! I think if you lost any weight you might blow away!!!!!Do you have any type of fill or anything in the future? Are you happy with the size, as I think you mentioned you weren't thrilled at first...
Love to everyone! Barb0 -
Hi Barb,
You are TOO funny! I am rather small, but... after bc dx, I lost about 10 - 12 pounds, but during chemo, due to the steroids, and increased appetite, I gained it all back, plus maybe 5 more pounds!
I had the implants put in and filled with saline on Nov 7th. They looked just like two lumps... The ps got mad at me because he asked how I liked them, and so I told him... But, now, a month after surgery, they are starting to look more like breasts. I will be getting the nipples and the aureola put on later. I'm meeting with the ps next week for follow up, so I will see what he says...
Thanks for asking. How are you doing? How are the tamoxifen se's doing?
Harley
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Harley,
I wish I could have been there when you told the ps what you thought! Nothing like taking him down a peg or two! Well, he did ask!!!!!!!
How long do you have to wait to have the nipples put on? Amazing what we have all been through this past year...may we all be blessed for 2008. I think we deserve it!
No side effects from tamoxifen as of yet. I hope to continue with feeling this way. Radiation has been relatively uneventful...I just don't like putting all those beams in my body...have you heard of Curcumin? Someone on the rad thread mentioned it and I googled it. Apparently good supplement for breast cancer. So many to look at....
Take care! Barb0 -
Wow!! Sorry, I guess I forgot that you were getting rads, too.
It HAS been a HELL of a year for all of us! My dh and I are going on a cruise in February, because it is time for us to just kick back and relax after such an ordeal.
Glad you are not having any trouble with the Tamoxifen.
Yes, we WILL be blessed in 2008!!
Hugs
Harley
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Dear Taxifrens, (I CAN spell)
I have taken 5 pills and just had my first hot flash. WOOHoo. Must be working.Otherwise, no reaction. I also take it with my other meds first thing and have been sleeping normally.
By the way, my breast cupcakes were a big hit.
XXXX Basha0 -
Barb,
I forgot about your question about the nipple... I am not sure when he is going to put the nipples back, but I think it may be sometime in January. I want to get this over with NOW, so I can get on with my life, and not have to be interrupted by all these ps appts.Thanks
Hugs
Harley
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Hi All,
Just wondering if you can tell me how long after chemo before you started Tamox. This is the drug my Onc. said I would be taking as well and my last chemo tx. is Dec. 21st.
Listening to all of you comments on weight gain, I have already gained some weight back since I began the chemo, lost a lot while I was on A/C but now that I am on Taxol my weight is slowly coming back but I noticed a pooch. Hope this goes away soon. I have not started excersising yet but am hoping to once chemo ends.
I have already found that while on the chemo I am experiencing mild hot flashes. Before I was always cold and now it seems I am always warm. Go figure. I have still had periods the first two normal actually a little bit heavy and the last 2 not anything really to speak of so I am wondering if it is putting me in Menopause. I am 43 yrs old. I guess menopause wouldn't be to bad. Who knows.
Cynthia: Were you getting the Neulesta shot at all with chemo? I don't know if they give this with Rads or not. I have not had a decrease in my WBC. Actually, I think mine have been at 14. They always comment and say oh are you feeling sick, I say no, but I am getting the Neulesta. I also have 2 more rounds of chemo to go but they are giving me the Neulasta shot after every tx. so maybe this is keeping me that
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Jdg1 - I had the neupogen shots a week after each chemo tx instead of the neulasta the day after with the exception of my last chemo when they gave me the neulasta the week after. My counts always dropped after chemo, even with the Taxotere which doesn't always lower counts. My wbc was good through most of rads, probably due to my last neulasta shot, but dropped toward the end. I keep meaning to call my onc about this sore, but I always put it off and then when I'm ready to call they're already closed. lol
I started Tamoxifen a week after I finished rads. I could have started as soon as I finished, but first I needed to gear myself up psychologically.
I had my last period the day of my second chemo, but I'll be surprised if it doesn't come back eventually. The hot flashes I was having from chemopause were almost completely gone before the Tamoxifen ones started. Strangely enough I'm no longer warm like I was during chemopause, but cold until I have a hot flash. It's really annoying because I'm usually bundled up or wrapped in a blanket when one comes on and I have to start throwing things off. lol
I also lost weight during AC, then gained it back and then some during Taxotere (along with a pooch), then lost it and the extra wt during rads but kept the pooch (oh, joy!). So even though I weigh about what I did before my dx, my pants from then no longer fit in the waist. My wonderful friends have been supplying me with their pants that no longer fit them since my size has been all over the place since I started tx.
Barb - my med onc deferred to my rad onc on when to start Tamoxifen and my rad onc had me wait until after rads.
Cynthia
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Jdg,
I started the Tamoxifen after chemo...about 4 weeks after. I had a period until treatment #3 and now nothing...I also had some hot flashes with the chemo but I am ok now.
Harley, I am glad you are cruising in Feb.!!!! That sounds relaxing after the hectic year we have had!
My husband, kids and I are going to NYC during the weekend of Dec 15th to look at the Christmas decorations and to freeze to death! Us Florida girls don't take well to the cold! It was almost 80 degrees today!
Love to all!
Barb0 -
Cynthia:
My radiation oncologist is the one who insisted on the MRI. He mentioned that sometimes small pockets of disease can be hidden from the mammgrams and ultrasound, and he wanted to be sure I did not have any residual problems before starting radiation. Boy, was he right! The MRI pinpointed three, very small areas of residual disease that had not been seen before. I just completed the breast conservation surgery to get those out, and to get an area in my other breast biopsied, even thought that one was "probably benign." (Somehow, "probably" is no longer a comfortable word to me.) Now I'm waiting for the path results to see whether radiation or chemo is my next step.
All the best!
Cathy
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Cathy - thanks for the info. I was having chemo regardless so my onc said I didn't need an MRI because even if there was more cancer, my tx would be the same. This sort of makes sense to me, but not completely. I can understand that if I only was having rads that finding all the cancer would be important. It's wonderful that your rad onc is so thorough. I hope you avoid having to have chemo.
Cynthia
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Cathy,
I am now wondering if I should have had some kind of imaging test prior to rads after chemo...I had a very small mass, grade one , very under the arm area but it traveled to one lymph node...I think I will get MRIs and mammos post rad! Barb0 -
Barb - I didn't have any imaging tests done before rads except for the CT Scan for the simulation because my rad onc felt that was enough. Post rads, I had my yearly mammo, and another CT Scan of the chest area. I'm also scheduled for another bone scan in Feb which will be almost a year since the last one.
NYC in December - wow! I feel cold just thinking about it, but it sure will be beautiful.
Cynthia
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Hi everyone! I hope you all are having a great weekend. Cynthia , hope all is well. I have a question for everyone. My onc said , because I am having horrible hot flashes, sweat dripping from my hair , hotflashes , that ,, that is a sign that it is working. So if you are not having any , does that mean it isn't working? And what if I stop having hotflashes , does that mean its not working? Like my body has adjusted to it? OK , maybe I'm thinking to much!lol
Layne , I'm a bigger girl too! I am thankful for the decreased appetite! I had an increased appetite after I got my taste back after chemo. I ate everything in sight!lol
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Happy Saturday, tamoxi friends--
I, too, have almost stopped with the hot flushes, and I wonder if this is good or bad. On the other hand, I have achy hips and knees...I haven't exercised enough to cause this, so I'm thinking it might be a side effect. The fun just never stops.
Still waiting to hear from my onc re: whether to stop the prozac, so I'm playing dr. and weaning myself, just in case. When I was still in the states, he told me I could take remifemin...a black cohosh thing w/ no estrogen. I'd like to be able to handle the menopause SEs w/out the prozac, if possible. Anyone have any experience with this supplement?
I think my appetite has decreased some, too, now that I think of it. This is a good thing, since I had a fitness assessment at the gym here last week...pretty grim, esp. my body fat content. Oh, well--while the truth may hurt, at least now I can measure my success as I move along toward better health.
Take care...sleep well!
Lynn
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