Bottle o Tamoxifen
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I also bruise easily....but chalked it up to the fact I always had a tendency to bruise and then started the baby aspirin about a year ago per my PHCP. But, now I get bruises I have no idea how I got them....so maybe the Tmox?
Question: I didn't have chemo or rads....so wasn't expecting this from Tamox....I've been on it for about a month and have noticed a noticeable thinning of my hair...especially at the temple area, and my fingernails are shredding. I've started takin Biotin, recommended on several other threads....but is this from the Tamox?.....anything else I can do to help?0 -
Chacha many of have had the thinning hair problem and nail problem from tamox. I also started taking biotin and it has help tremendously
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Thanks Sherry! How long does it take to see results and does it matter what type or brand is more effective?.....I was totally prepared emotionally to lose my hair during chemo....but now that it's off the table for now, I can't believe I'm panicking over my hair thinning! What a wimp I am!!!
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Chacha I don't take a particular brand just whatever I pick up at Walmart or CVS. I want to think it took about a month before I noticed a difference in my hair. And no you are not a whimp. The hair loss caught me totally off guard and I freaked about it as well. If I had known and prepared myself maybe it would have been different. I have very thin hair so for me to have thinning hair was quiet significant.
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I happened to have my hair cut the day after I was put on Tamoxifen. When I told my beautician she told me about biotin, have been on Tammy 20 months and no thinning. My nails have always been a problem but are better now.
I've always bruised easily and as I got older it got worse. Over 20 years I adopted a standard answer for when someone asks how I "got that bruise." "Golly, someone must have been staring at me."
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For nails, I use a product called TRIND that I buy thru the mail. About $20 a bottle, lasts a year, it has improved the hardness and condition of my nails a lot. No splitting, peeling or falling off! You can find it on the internet. I used it all thru my TAC chemo and my nails looked (and still look) like I am taking prenatal vitamins. I always had crappy thin nails - but the TRIND really works.
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Jill the Tamox did the same for me as my nails were so brittle and broke all the time real low and my hair is on the thin side as well and the thinning was freaking me out. Seriously girls are hair is what makes us.....bad hair day and its all done never mind fighting with bad hair each and every day. I have been off Tamox for 3 months now and the hair is starting to have some life but my nails are still so brittle.
Having so much fun today with all those boy toys and Tink my friend you will always be more trouble than me and get away with it more cause your too darn cute.
Hope everyone is enjoying their day. HUGS!
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I still have yet to try anything for my hair or nails. I bite my nails something terible. My own mom still smacks my hnds if she sees them in my mouth, lol. My hair thats a different story. I had nice thick hair before chemo and tammo. Now its thinner then what it was. Losing it to chemo didn't bother me that bad. I've wore my hair in a pixie for years, so it was ok that I was bald. The thing that bothers me is the thinning. But I still don't try anything to fix it, so I guess I have no right to whine about it.
Well all I guess I better get back to work, lol Love and light to you all!!!!
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Just got back my the gyn and have doctor's orders in hand for surgery on Friday. I can't do my preop stuff until tomorrow afternoon. The blood work is only good for 48 hours. I asked if we were going to get this done over with early and he said yes but would not give me a time. Once the preop is done then I have to wait for someone to call to let me know what time to be at the hospital Friday morning. As this gets closer, I am starting to freak out. Does this shit ever end???
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Oh Jo honey I don't blame you I would freak out as well and after what you just went through and having the drains in for much longer than you anticipated is enough!!! Hugs sista and praying that everything goes smoothly.
Paula I am like you and I tried the biotin but didn't stay on it long enough as that was when I was having so many stomach issues. Maybe its time for me to jump back on it......
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Has anyone been on a long flight since starting on Tamox and if so what was the recommendation from MO about continuing or stopping before flying. We are going to Ireland in August and I am just trying to figure this out. I plan on calling my MO and asking their opinion too. Lots of pocket parties lately. I have been there just not posting much.
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June - What I can't believe is that I am having to do the hysteroscopy and another D&C. This is 2 years in a row. It's all a bunch of crap anyway. I did not plan on but am sue glad that I insisted on having that transvaginal US done. Guess what? He is going to do it again next year. We have to stay on top of all this. Kisses!
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Jo!!... How frustrating!!! hugs my friend! we are with you all the way. this stuff just keeps on giving... id like to know where we can return it!!! hugs
chachamom... I started with the thining of the hair also and I am taking 600mcg of Biotin. My hair by no means is thick or full but the thinning did stop and even the girl that cuts my hair said it filled in on top. It took several months for me to see results, but I did get results
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Hi ladies,
I am mid 40s, ER+/PR+. I had chemo after which my periods stopped. Started taking tamoxifien for almost 2 years now until I had an unexpected/unusual discharge for a couple days. I was told to stop the tamoxifen until it can get investigated for endometrial cancer. Had a TVU, which showed 10mm thickened lining and a 1.5cm polyp. Since biopsy couldn't be done in the office, I am now waiting to get a hysteroscopy and the biopsy done in the OR. 4 weeks after stopping the tamoxifen I had a "period". Onc thought it was just "withdrawal bleeding" and wanted to switch me to Femara but blood test proved I was still pre-menopausal.
If the biopsy proves to be a benign condition, onc wants me to go back on tamoxifen. Since I seem to be getting regular periods again, will going back on the tamoxifen stop the periods or make them irregular? If they become irregular how will I know if I have unusual bleeding that could be indicative of endometrial cancer? I know it is rare but I am scared to death of having to deal with another cancer...one caused by drugs no less.
If I go back on the tamoxifen, I guess this whole scenario could repeat itself and I'll have to go back into the OR in a year or two. This SUCKS!
What happens when I am done my 5 years of tamoxifen and I am still pre-menopausal? Is that it, am I done with drugs?
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Hi everyone! Boy, this thread has been active in the short time I wasn't here! Tink, I hate to hear "wait and see". I also always go to my doctor's appointments with a list and I may have gotten one or two things answered. I think doctors would make excellent politicians!
Sandee - I liked your advice about the "wait and see" stuff so much that I copied it down! Maybe the docs have a point, and maybe we have to adapt to it. I really don't think they know the answers anyway.
Sherry - I'm sorry to hear about your aunt, but so glad she pulled through the surgery. I hope she proves the doctors wrong with their time limit - sounds like she has the spunk to do that! She sounds like a strong woman - my prayers are with her and you and your family.
Jo - ugh! Not again! I can't believe it grew that much in one year! Like you say, Tamoxifen really loves your uterus! I hope Friday goes by quickly and it's over before you know it. Then I guess, you're back to square one with your uterine lining. Maybe, just maybe, your body will adapt and it will quit happening.
I was surprised my gyno was so unfazed about my uterus thickening. I just happened to have a transvaginal US a few months before diagnosis in 2010, and she said my uterus was about an 8. Then when I saw her in 2011, after taking Tamoxifen for 9 months, she still didn't think I needed an US to check on it, even though it was already thick when I began the Tamoxifen. She just said "watch for spotting". This fall when I see her, I'm going to request one. I think as long as we're on Tamoxifen even if we aren't having problems, they should do a TV US at least every other year. Not that I want to go through that, but we have to stay on top of things, and mostly it's up to us to remind the doctors of what we need.
Keep up the good work, gals! This thread is so informative and fun! I love coming here!
Talk to you later, my lovelies!
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((((((JO)))))))) So much has gone on for you lately. I hope there is light at the end of the tunnel for you soon.
Welcome sling99, so sorry to see your having issues as well. I wonder the same after 5 years, now what. I have really looked into it just yet because I still have 4 3/4 years left on Tammo. I too stopped having periods, but mine never came back. The last one I had was in feb of 2011. That part I don't miss.
I'm gonna need to book a pp for Mon. I go to the Onc for a check up. I really need to get some answers as to whats going on with me. Its kinda got me concerned. heck its probably nothing, but with so much of my body changing on me in the last year n half, I'm kinda spooked again. I know its really close to the holiday, but maybe our Tink can get you all flowen back in time to party!!
Love and Light to all my Sistas!!!
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okay I think lied.
I've been dutifully taking my tamoxifen and thinking I had no SEs to speak of. Except I think I was lying, to me, to all of you. I think I have had an SE--a brain malfunction lack of focus SE that has kept me wandering in circles at work for months, getting squat done. And its really quite Not Good. I just got a royal ass chewing from my immediate supervisor who all but said what the f--have I been doing all this time. And you know, I couldn't begin to tell him. Now I know that for the last 6 months I've had the extra stress of dealing with a parent going through cancer treatment (stage IV and I'm an only) and I know that has certainly messed with my head but honestly, I am begining to wonder if its the tamoxifen as much as anything else.
Has anyone else had mega problems with their focus and general comprehension of stuff ? Have you found anything that helps?
I don't see going off tamoxifen as an option--
yargh.
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Hi everyone. I'm finally back home after a full day out....PT, MO, yoga....
It was hard to concentrate at my doctor's appointment with all the ruckus going on in my pocket! Doc loved the strawberries and drinks! She is married to a hunk, so she was not interested in the man candy.
OK....so I'm going back on the tamoxefin. I think I should. I talked her into letting me try some bio-identical testosterone cream to see if we can get me some libido going. She was not ready to let me go back on my bio-identical pellets, and I know she was not real happy about the cream. If I had had anything but pure DCIS, the answer would have been a big NO! And since I had a UMX, she felt a little bit better about it. We did a blood draw today and will do another one in about a month to see if I am converting too much to estrogen. She will continue to check my blood levels monthly for about 3 mos, and if and only if the levels are stable, then every 3-4 mos.
Am I a little nervous about putting a hormone in my body that may be converted to estrogen?....yes... but, I made up my mind when i was diagnosed that I would not make decisions based on fear. I think we can monitor my hormone levels and if they start to move up, I can use less testosterone or stop all together. I am tired of feeling dead inside, sexually. I am tired of turning my dear, sweet husband down so often. I hope that I notice a difference in the libido. The Scream Cream has helped my a lot, but I have to be interested enough to even apply it!
On another note...I have been taking biotin for about 5 or 6 months. It has helped my nails a whole lot. And my hair is growing so fast now. That is a problem since I have very short hair and it means I have to spend more to keep it looking good.
Thanks again for the great pocket party. You all are the best!
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Sling - Welcome to the best bunch of gals around. There is so much love and support here. On your hysteroscopy - I am getting ready to have my second one in 2 years due to Tamoxifen. This drug does make your uterine lining a bit thick but mine is off the charts. Believe me when I say you do not want to be awake for this. It is a fairly easy and I felt pretty good after the one last year. No pain pills, spotting, nothing. I am also having a D&C done at the same time. This time he is going to try and scrape deeper and get more of the lining. I would not have known the lining grew back so fast if I had on insiisted on a followup TV US. I had one last year to establish a baseline, had one this year more out of curiosity than anything else and will insist one every year I am on Tamoxifen.
In answer to your other question - what happens when you finish your 5 years on Tamoxifen and are still pre menopausal - you finish your time and that is is. No more drugs. For some that can be a scary thought. I know I will be so darn glad when I finish.
heartnsoul - Yes, again and I can't believe it either. So glad I inisted on another TV US this year.
Paula - I was so hoping I would be done with doctor appts once my annual pap was done - well guess again. I keep telling myself bc is the gift that keeps on giving and I don't want anymore. Hell, I still can't find the darn return line.
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Jo - thanks for the info on the hysteroscopy. Would most people be able to go back to work the next day (even with D&C)? Good luck on Friday. The 5 years can't come soon enough for me.
All of you ladies are such a great source of information and support. Thanks.
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sling...I had a couple of D&C/hysteroscopies several years ago and I remember having them both on a Friday and being fine by Monday. I suppose if you absolutely had to, you might be able to work the next day provided you were not on your feet all day or doing anything too strenuous.
Good luck to you, and to Jo on Friday. We should be able to party hard with Jo in la la land for a bit. We can make all the racket we want! Jo, we'll save you some drinks and snacks for when you wake up!
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Sling - You can go resume normal activities almost right away. When I got home last year, I cooked dinner. That is how good I felt. I come out of anesthesia pretty quickly and usually want to get back to doing things rather quickly. Can't see the need in not doing so. Please ask me anything about the hysteroscopy & the D&C anytime. You can send me a PM if you like. Anyway I can help, just let me know.
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Guess I better join the bottle o' Tamoxifen. Let's see, I have four years, 11 months, three weeks, and 2 days left.
So far, no SE, knock on wood. Hope I can have an uneventful time on this stuff, but you never know. I refuse to let obstacles get in my way though. I intend to keep living my life to the fullest. It gives my PT fits!
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nibbana - Does the PNW stand for Pacific Northwest? If so, where? I'm on the coast due west of Olympia. We have quite a few BC, WA and OR women on BCO.
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Thanks Sherry, Debbie, Chabba....and heck ALL you ladies! I'll keep the Biotin up and fingers crossed.....think I'll check out that TRIND product too Debbie.
Newbies.....still feel like one myself, but as said earlier....you will love all the info and support you get here! Sweet dreams!0 -
chabba, yes I'm in the greater Seattle area. Getting healthy again so I can go hiking!
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nibbana and sling welcome to our group. This is a great place to hang out and get support. I hope you all do not have SE on tammi.
Paula I'll be in your pocket sista!
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Hi Warriors,
Remember Me? Sorry I am not able to get on the computer anymore. I am here a work (its been crazy busy) but decided to pop in on my favorite board.
I see you are all still having the wild pocket parties. Read a couple of the post and had to smile. I would like to say welcome to all the newbies.
I just had my 6month check-up and all is well except my WBC remains low at (3.1) since January. I am being referred to a hematologist. Do not know if I should be terribly worried. I guess I am concerned.
Ann
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Hi, Ann! I'm too new to remember you but welcome back! Congratulations on a good 6 mo checkup! I pray that all is well with your WBC and your consult with the hematologist gives you peace of mind.
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Hi All,
Haven't been here in months and months but did want to share good news on my 3 year mammo being normal !!!!
I see it as being 2 years closer to NO more Tamoxifen !!!!!
Best to all of you,
Bonnie
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