Bottle o Tamoxifen
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Thank you! I've also just read on here about Fareston as an alternative to tamoxifen which can be used with antidepressants, so I'll be talking to my oncologist about that as well. So thankful for this site, I've gotten so much good information I wouldn't have otherwise known about!
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MrsDarcy: Bonjour! I am a fellow Canadian, but I live in the USA now. I think I will wait the extra week like you suggested. I will have the post Rads to deal with, and that will be enough.
I was also told blood clots are a slight possibility with Tx so I don't want to deal with thy while I am away from home.
Thanks (merci).... And that is about the extent of my French, lol.
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Andrea, I agree that you should wait till after your trip to start. Good luck with rads, and hope you have no bothersome SEs from tamoxifen.
Edited to add -- about blood clots, to my knowledge it's a somewhat rare risk. Even still, I don't think it would present right away ... But ask your doc for sure.
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Andrea, ditto on the opinion to wait on the Tamox til after your vacay. I also started Tamox a month after rads, per MOs orders, so I am quite sure there is no need to start so soon after rads. Let your body get some strength back and enjoy your vacay!
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Kuriatas, I started taking Celexa, an anti depressant a week ago. Your MO will tell you what to take.
Let us know what he says.
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Hello Ladies, usually I read when I have time but in regards to the Tamoxifen shortage I received a letter from Express Scripts stating that the active ingredient used to manufacture Tamo will be in shortage until April 2014. And yes, it did mention asking your doctor for an alternative. WHAT???? I can't take Arimidex or Femara as the bone pain is awful. I have been on Tamoxifen for almost 3 yrs. now and really don't want to go "tinkering around" with trying something else. I do have some joint discomfort but I think it is my osteoarthritis acting up. My major compliant is the lack of energy but then again maybe some of that is age !!! The old gal just isn't what she use to be and I recognize the body has been through a lot. Hope this info helps.
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NormaJean- I hadn't heard that about Tamoxifen. I just got a 3 month supply. I can't switch either. I was on Arimidex but switched because it robs the bones as you know and I have osteoporosis. In fact Tamoxifen has helped raise my numbers on my bone density test. My Oncologist said I am out of the proverbial danger zone. yea! Diane
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I am post menopausal and have been on Tamoxifen for 2 weeks and the only noticeable SE so far is increased vaginal secretions. Is this a temporary or permanent SE?
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I ordered my tamoxifen refill from cvs and haven't been alerted to a shortage here. I can't imagine what the alternative would be for pre-menopausal women -- an AI works differently.
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Edwards750 That is awesome news on the bone density! I too have osteoporosis and have been on Tamo since Sept. Yay for keeping cancer at bay, and hopefully giving me more bone density. It is worth the slight side effects.
LizzieK I don't know if the increased secretions are permanent, but it has been constant for me since I started in Sept.
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lala1 - I think the person who is taking Excedrin may be feeling an energy boost because Excedrin has caffeine as an active ingredient.
I just posted on the thread about the Tamoxifen shortage. To recap: in Jan, express scripts told me they were shipping Watson. In Feb. they called to tell me it was backordered until March. Today, they told me that it hadn't been available since August (!!) and they didn't know when it would be available for shipment. Then the pharmacist had the audacity to suggest I talk to my doctor about switching to anastrazole or letrozole. Sigh. You'd think a pharmacist would know better.
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McKatherine- I absolutely HATE Express Scripts. I have had nothing but problems trying to get my Tamoxifen through them. I'll stick with getting it at CVS monthly!
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I get a 3 month supply from CVS which comes as 3 bottles ... am almost finished the second one, and hoping that in another month once I finish the last one there is enough to go around!
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My doctor doubled my dose of Effexor because of hot flashes from Tamoixfen- I went from 37.5 MG to 75 MG- a day Extended release. I will start those in a day or two when my others run out- I am afraid to start them- Anyone know what the side effects usually are?
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ndgrrl, I took effexor for almost 8 months. I started at 37.5 , went to 75 mg, then to 150 mg when I was dx with fibro. After a while of taking the effexor I started to have trouble sleeping, I had muscle twitching and what I call my dancing brain early in the mornings when it felt like the drug was wearing off. So I tried to cut down the dose. i went from the ER version to the tablets, I found that when I took the tablets I did not feel well at all. Slightly nauseated and just unwell. I would sit with my blanket around my shoulders and say "I don't feel well". So we looked for an alternative.
I have switched to Pristiq now. Which is a brand name of almost the same drug. I can't believe how much better I feel. We are keeping a close watch on my sleep and mood. But I have energy and a new outlook on life. When I mentioned it to my MO she said oh yes, some people can't handle that drug. I'm like, really?! I find that I am having to work with my PCP a lot more about my SEs than my MO.
All that being said, you need to be your best advocate. If you don't feel good, tell your docs. There are lots of different meds, so we have options. It took me two years to find the med combo I am on now, but I feel like I have my life back.
Hang in there!
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ndgrrl, I don't know the SE but I am taking Celexa and it is making me very sleepy. It is 10mg and am taking it for two weeks already.
Fatigued and sleepy, any ideas of what to take for that?
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I also got a letter from express scripts saying there was a shortage and they could not fill my prescription for tamoxifen and I should ask my Dr. for an alternative medication. What pray tell would that be, for us premenopausal women? Anyway, I called Target pharmacy last week, since that is my usual pharmacy when I'm not doing mail order, and they were also not able to get it anymore. They said they did have some 10mg left, so I guess tomorrow I will need to make the call I've been putting off, to my MO to ask if they'll let me do 2x 10 mg instead? Hopefully they still have some in stock this week. I wonder how often these shortages happen?
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mstrouble - thanks for posting that about express scripts. I will make sure to just leave my prescription at CVS.
I just opened a new bottle of Tami. I hope it's back in production in a month!
I cannot believe they even suggest you look for alternatives. Ridiculous.
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If anyone is advised about an "alternative," please let us know what it is! I'm really curious since it seems there is no such thing for premenopausal women. It's probably standard language from the pharmacies, I'm guessing ... Taking for granted that there often is an alternative to most medications .... However in this case -- of an ANTI-CANCER drug that's been around for forty years -- that's not the case!
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Thanks Donnabelle- my doctor(OB-gyn) said I could have a fall and I would never come back from it. That definitely scared me. I started eating and drinking things with calcium as well as the Tamoxifen and stepped up my exercise program(needed to do that anyway). So I can live with gaining a few pounds and a bit of sleep deprivation. Btw I get my script from the Kroger pharmacy and they haven't said a thing about a shortage. My doctor gave me a script for Effexor but I haven't taken any and may not. Trying to deal with the anxiety w/o meds. Diane
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Annette - how did you get a 3 month supply from CVS??? We took my script that was written for 90 days x3 refills to them, and they've been filling it 30 days only. So, now I'm out of refills and have to call my MO . . .
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McKatherine - my MO wrote it for 90 days x 3 refills and that's how they filled it. I'm wondering why if yours says 90 days they would only give you 30 days worth - that doesn't sound right! I would ask them why they won't give you what you were prescribed.
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it is all dependent on your insurance company. Most won't fill a 90 day rx unless it is mail order, they will only do 30 days at a time.
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love the picture, JWoo! Cool how you do that.
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thanks! editing photos is too fun!
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I started tamoxifen about six weeks ago, same time I started radiation. I have a question about side effects. Did everyone here get hot flashes? How long after starting tamoxifen did the hot flashes start? I ask because I don't have any hot flashes and of course I read somewhere that ppl who have hot flashes have a better prognosis..... So, now I am panicking....
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Finishing week five and no hot flashes. A few warm flashes but they pass quickly. No night sweats.
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I have been on Tamo for almost three years and have never had a hot flash BUT then again when I went through menopause I never had any symptoms............none, notta elzippo except the missing monthly cycle. Maybe it depends if you are post-menopausal or pre-menopausal. I remember my chemo buddy had hot flashes & some night sweats but then she was pre-menopausal at the beginning of chemo. Hopefully others will jump in here and be able to give you more info. Just remember, everyone is different and don't stress too much.......that's not good either.
Sorry you are on this journey but happy you found the list. Please post whenever you have a question.......we want to help you.
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Having a whole lot of side effects from tamoxifen, anyone else have side effects that they care to share?
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Side effects so far - hair loss, headaches, very dry eyes, very cold, skin seems thinner and bruises easily, extremely itchy all over, nasty raised red itchy rash on the top and palms of both hands.....anyone else out there have similar problems? Have quit taking it three days ago, hope to feel better soon.
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