Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
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Stopping by briefly, glad I did! Great to hear Deb's good news! Deb, do you get MRI since you have dense breasts? I think they are also working on some other imaging methods that are helpful for dense breasts - read something somewhere recently - my memory isn't so good these days either, and I don't have the tamoxifen to blame right now....
WIll check in with you lovely ladies again soon. I miss you all, but have been busy and not on the discussion boards every day, but I do try to read at least a few times a week. Wishing you all a night of sleep, free of pain and hot flashes! Hugs to all!0 -
Linda..I had an MRI about 2 years ago, but they haven't sent me for one since. It wouldn't surprise me if my surgeon wants me to go for another one now though. I see him on Monday, so we'll see what he says.
Thanks again for being with me girls! And nope, there wasn't a single crumb left behind Odie!!!
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I saw my RO yesterday for my "year out" and final appt. (sort of sad since I got to know her well and enjoyed working with her throughout my radiation treatment), and she suggested that I try taking the T during the day (mornings or noon) to see if it is less disruptive to my sleep. I was taking it at bedtime to avoid feeling the side effects during the day, as was recommended when I started it. So I am hoping that now that my body has gotten used to taking this drug for a year, I won't feel any significant side effects throughout the day. Am I deluding myself? Thanks for any input from folks who have tried this.
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I take my tamox in the morning, unfortunately once your blood levels are constant after a couple of months on it I don't think it overly matters unless it is unpsetting your stomach. Sleep ... that stuff I do about once every five days out of exhaustion. Oh to be 20 again.
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bgirl - to be 20 again? Who in the hell remembers that far back? LOL!!!!
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I originally took mine at bedtime ... and later switched to morning. I found that to be SLIGHTLY less disruptive to my sleep, but not much ... so I finally sucked it up and got Ambien. I can get about 5-6 solid hours of sleep on one of those, and when i wake up - I'm awake but not at all groggy. The sleep deprivation was killing me, and this works for me.
Debbbie
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Jo, after a year that is how I feel about sleep ... hard to remember what it was like ... but I vaguely remember 20 and sleeping until noon. lol
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bgirl - I know what you mean. I could easily sleep till noon on the weekends. Now I am lucky if I get 6 hours a night. It is hard to go to sleep but once I do, that is all she wrote. Just wish it was earlier in the evening.
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I have a question...I noticed Tamoxifen is not to be used with a lot of medications. What is allowed if you have head and chest congestion? Thanks!
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Hi everybody, I just joined the Tamoxifen club today. Feeling kind of premenstrual but wondering if I will have a period after taking it. Not sure what's going to happen next...
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Watch the antihistamines.
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Thanks for letting me know -- what about pain meds like oxycodone and muscle relaxants like valium? My Mx is pretty recent (had to have re-excision 2 weeks post-mastectomy) and still taking them on occasion.
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Outdamnedspot and jocelyne and everyone else who is interested in the MANY drugs we can't take with Tamoxifen:
I seem to take an allergy/cold pill just about every day so I did a lot of research to find one that doesn't interfere with Tamoxifen. I take a brand called Chlor-Trimeton. There were a few others but I don't know what I did with that list!!!! My son always says, "Too bad there's not something like a computer where you can store information and always have access to it." Smart-alek kid...
This is a link to the drugs that have a major interaction with Tamoxifen. There are about 100 of those. You can also select moderate interaction (about 200 of those). I didn't bother to do that. I figured everything in the world would be on both of those lists:
http://www.drugs.com/drug-interactions/tamoxifen-index.html?filter=3&generic_only=
Then I compared the ingredients on the back of the boxes of cold medicine (look them up at drugstore.com and you can see them online) and if it had one of these drugs, it was a no-no. Like I said, I ended up with about 5 or 6 brands (Coricidin-D might be one, but it might be another type of Coricidin).
It's a lot of work but worth it if you take cold/allergy medicine frequently like I do. Still, if I'm really sick I go ahead and take Theraflu or something that is probably not good with Tamoxifen because that will only be for a day or two.
jocelyne - some ladies do have their periods come back, though they may be irregular.
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Thank you so much Heartnsoul7 for the link and the info. I have allergies too and take Zyrtec. Apparently there is no negative interaction between the two. My periods were becoming irregular and had some hot flashes, but they seem to have subsided since surgery. It is always so strange to take a drug and have no idea how it's going to effect us.
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A good idea is to ask at your pharmacy "consultation" desk. They have a great database they can access on their computers info on anything you are considering purchasing.
Most of the interactions are with the way Tamoxifen is metabloized, not a terrible immediate reaction. So that being said, a day or two of most things probably won't hurt in the long run. For example, Benadryl (also in sleep aids) is on the no-no list, but I suffer from food allergies. My MO said ok to take in an emergency, but if I have seasonal allergies to pick another antihistamine that does not effect metabolization over the long term.
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Heartnsoul and bgirl...Thanks! I was thinking I was getting something, but it seems to have passed. I checked the drugs.com website and there sure isn't a lot of long term meds that you can take while on Tamoxifen. Better stay healthy.
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Just wanted to mention that I had to switch pharmacies again with this refill of my tamox. Didn't have it and on back order from 2 different manufacturers at one I was at. This is 2nd time. Happened on last refill. You might want to keep an eye out and check before you are on your last tablet like me. lol Don't know how widespread, but it has been an issue for others before.
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bgirl,
which brand do you use and which pharmacy had it? I prefer the Mylan brand and have had that issue before. guess I best start calling around now before I run out.0 -
That happen to me I have been on Mylan then CVS changed to Watson. I didn't do well on Watson so they special ordered the Mylan.
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mstrouble16, could you tell me what the difference is between the two? Different side
effects?
Thanks!
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Was on Mylan, couldn't get last time switched to another ... now Teva .... just took first one this morning ... will see?!
Edited to add ... Jocelyn someone did great research on it ... can't remember who (thanks tamox) it is posted much earlier ... you could perhaps use the search tool.
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Hi -
I did a google search to find the thread:
Topic: Differences in SEs with Tamox from different manufacturers
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Have you got a link to the article?
I have been taking the Teva brand for just over 2 months and so far so good.
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http://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/780358?page=3#post_3293689
or just put the name of the thread in our search engine: Differences in SEs with Tamox from different manufacturers
I just started on Teva 3 days ago. I feel a little fatigued but I doubt symptoms would kick in this soon, it's probably post-surgery fatigue ( I had a re-excision) on Jan 2 after UniMx
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LOL! Too easy. Thanks Jocelyne...will have a look when I have some time. I too, am fatigued, but it is from rads not Tamox. Time for a nap!
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bgirl, I also have food and and environmental allergies that result in occasional systemic hive reactions, requiring me to take benedryl. ....like yesterday, darn! I am supposing that I can use it for a couple of days, but hate the fact that it interferes with the Tamoxifen which creates its own problematic side effects for me.....sure do hate to take it, have the annoying side effects, and not gain the benefit because of needing to take the benedryl. A frustrating catch 22! But, as my PC doc says, breathing trumps cancer tumors. I guess......
I switched from Mylan to Teva a vew months ago, and not sure I want to switch again if possible....am used to this brand, for better or worse.0 -
yeah, I don't do well w/ Benedryl. Any other options for the hives? Zyrtec?
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Jocelyne-oh, yes ma'am very different side effects. On the Mylan the worst is the insomnia, point and joint pain lose of appetite. On the Watson it had my hands, knees, and shoulder blades hurting so bad I just didn't even want to move, I was nauseated all the time, my eyes got very dry and felt like sand paper all time, and started gaining weight and was very bloated. On, and benedryl is a no-no on tami, I have hives and now I take Claritin or Zyrtec, and when it breaks out around my eyes I use Elidel, it's prescription and I get from my dermatologist. Hope this helps.
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Jocelyne- forgot in the beginning with Mylan the liquid in my eyes was really thick and gel like that has gone away, actually went to the eye doctor and my eye sight has actually improved since I've been on the Mylan. Go figure, and I have hot flashes and mood swings on both.
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Lacey, my MO said it takes a couple of weeks for your blood levels to drop, just like it takes a couple of weeks to get them up in the beginning. To put it bluntly, he said I wouldn't need to worry about dying from recurrence if I was already dead from anaphylaxis. Mising a pill or two (or getting reduced effects from) will not be the reason you cancer comes back. It is a long term drug .... not like missing a birth control pill or 2. lol
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