Bottle o Tamoxifen
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Soy is bad for estrogen positive breast cancer. The reports on it vary. The nutritionist told me to avoid it. I am mindful of looking at ingredients when shopping and I will tell you that it is in EVERYTHING, even vitamins. When I can control it, I don't eat it.
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Hi ladies,
Not to stir a pot here, but studies on soy actually vary widely. If you look on pubmed you will see the variation - here is one good example of a very large study which does not suggest a problem
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22648714/
Here is another which is widely cited
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/22524810/?i=3...
In my experience, many nutritionists and alternative practitioners will say it is bad for ER+, but none of my doctors (MO, BS) agreed.
If you are worried about it, you should of course avoid it. But I'm not sure the evidence we have substantiates that it is bad. It may well be, I am not running a study, but I do not think there is medical consensus that this a problem.
You may want to discuss with your own docs before starting a soy heavy medi fast type diet. Sometimes it helps to have an opinion from the care team you trust.
Peace
Rain
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Thank you Gemini! I am taking a vegetarian iron pill that I bought because it is gentle on the stomach. So far so good. I am getting my energy back, not all of it but I guess it will take some time.
I have been taking two Tart Cherry vegetarian pills to sleep and it is not helping too much, but I will give it more days. It is too soon to tell.
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ndgrrl, I love soy milk and my MO said that's fine, she just told me to stay away from soy supplements but to enjoy my soy milk. Kim
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Headeast--I've been taking the tart cherry pills as well each night for about 10 days now and have to say I don't think it's working for me. I'm going to use up the bottle cause I read somewhere that it can take a month to kick in. After that, I'll be looking for another solution!! I do wonder if using the juice or concentrate would work better so that might be the next step.
As to soy, my MO told me to stay away from soy as much as possible as well as Vitamin E. He said both promote estrogen. Go figure....
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Hi ladies. I've been on tamoxifen a month and I'm having excruciating bone pain in one leg mainly at night and of course the insomnia.
I called my oncologist and she said to stick it out that it's a side effect that "may" go away.
Last night was the worst! It's not in the joint and it's not a muscle spasm and there is no indication of any type of blood clot. It's just flat out bone pain.
Any suggestions on how to deal with this?
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Hi Sunshine,
I'm not on tamoxifen, rather an AI. The thing that works for me for the bone pain is Claritin (or its generic, Loratidine) in the non-drowsy form. Nobody seems to be sure why it works, but it does for a number of us.
If I run out for a few days the bone pain is right back,only to be relieved again once I'm back on it for a couple of days. Unfortunately it doesn't help with my numerous other joint aches and pains. It's a never ending quest to get relief from that.
My MO is OK with it and my Allergist says its safe to take long term. You should check with your pharmacist to find out if there's any interaction with tamoxifen if you do decide to try it.
It also, of course, helps for its intended purpose - allergy relief.
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Claritin is fine with tamoxifen. So are Allegra and Zyrtec. But the short-acting antihistamines, like ChlorTrimeton and Benadryl, shouldn't be taken with tamoxifen. They are known to reduce it's effectiveness. I sure would hate to go through all this suffering and not even get any benefit from it! lol
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So I wonder if Zyrtec works for the bone pain as well as Claritin. I'm miserable and ready to try anything at this point as long as it doesnt loose it's effectiveness.
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I think the other thing to consider is if the antihistamine is OK for continuous, prolonged use. I've been told that Reactine and Claritin can be used that way - the Allegra and Zyrtec, I'm not sure about.
I haven't read anything on the board written by someone who has tried an antihistamine other than Claritin for bone pain; so whether the others would be as effective, I don't know.
I have found that the generic, Loratidine, works just a well for me as the much more expensive name brand Claritin.
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Thanks Kathy. I'm just thankful there is something that might work! I really need this tamoxifen and I've got to find a way to deal with it.
I have Zyrtec here at home lol that's why I asked! I'll suffer one more night then pick up the Claritin/Loratidine tomorrow. Fingers crossed it works for me too!
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I hope that it works for you too, Sunshine.
Before I tried the Claritin the bone pain was keeping me awake through the night. There was just no way to get comfortable.
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Kathy one more thing. When do you take the Claritin?
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I take it in the morning along with the Arimidex and a handful of other things.
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I use the allerclear D 24hr. Costco sells it. $5 for 15 day supply. Same ingredients as the Claritin D.
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So do you all take Claritin or Claritin D mostly?
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I take D, I have year round allergies and have always used D.
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I, on the other hand, make a point of not taking the D.
The decongestant is contraindicated with hypertension.
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That's why I asked Kathy. I've taken things with the decongestant before and it makes my heart race! I'm glad the regular works as well!
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lala1, seems it works but it is not perfect. I feel I am sleeping better. I am still very tired even with the iron pills, B12 and Vitamin C. Today I added Emergen-C
This Wednesday I will see my MO for my 6 months follow up and ask him about alternatives for Tamoxifen. I seem to be now menopausal.
If he changes me to another drug I might feel less tired...or so I hope.
I have to read about the SE of the other drugs...
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For those of you taking Mylan, can you tell me where you are purchasing it? I've contacted a few places, but haven't found anyone stocking that manufacturer.
Also, is there anyone taking Apoteq? I heard that was another manufacturer of tamoxifen.
Thanks in advance for your help!
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Wow I am fascinated by this Claritin remedy! Who knew ... Though, knock on wood, I'm not experiencing any bone pain. But good to know there's a mild medication that can help.
Ok, I hope I don't regret declaring this out loud ... Here goes ... I have noticed that in the last two weeks, my hot flashes have greatly reduced! I haven't done a thing differently, and the weather has gotten warm around here. The only thing I can possibly connect it to is that I started a new bottle of tamoxifen two weeks ago. I checked to see if perhaps it was a different brand this time, but it's the same Watson that I've used all along. Maybe a new batch? I have no idea. I'll take it, though, and hope that it's not just some short-lived phase. Mind you they aren't completely gone, but I haven't had any major soakers like I was having before. (I'm talking about the kind that makes your eyeballs feel like they're sweating ... And I've actually been able to wear my shoulder-length hair down for a whole evening without having to pull it off my neck into a ponytail! That's progress.). ;-)
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Hi Everyone. My MO gave me the go ahead to eat soy. He said it would not hurt me.I had the worst appointment in my life though. I had been told from the genetic councilor that I may want to consider a double mastectomy and removal of my ovaries because of my family history of breast cancer. We also had discussed a complex cyst that last time I was there and he said I could consider having it biopsied.. This time he was totally against everything. Then said maybe I should have a double mastectomy if I was so concerned about a cyst and then I should see a surgeon to have it removed, I said I don't want surgery just because and have more tissue taken out of my breast I want a biopsy, Then he was saying I was misinformed and he was the doctor and I should trust him- That when he takes his car to the mechanic he doesn't tell the mechanic how to fix it. He went on and on and on and finally I got where I was just in tears. I have been very depressed lately and very weepy. He told me that Tamoxifen can cause depression but that wasn't my problem- My problem was I was fixated on my breasts and I needed to get past that- That treatment was over and I am being watched and he was the doctor and I needed to trust him to take care of me.
I ended up sitting there crying. I felt hopeless - and he started to rub my leg saying U are ok- U will be ok- Your fine-- Why are you so sad today? You are not normally like that? Then he said you want an MRI? We will give you one if that will help you. I will also send you to your surgeon to talk to him about your biopsy.
I wanted to say he had been lecturing me and I told him I was depressed so why would I not be sad the idiot!!
I got dressed tried to sneak down the hall the opposite direction of where he was standing at the desk- He said come here stand by me while I reorder your meds and then he walked me to the room to make my appointments and told me standing in the hallway-- That if I chose a double mastectomy it would be because of choice not because of genetics- He said do you want one? I said NOOOO..
I wanted to run the hell out of there and not sure where to find a new doctor..
Has Tamoxifen made anyone else depressed and what do you take? He told me he wished he could give me something but he couldn't umm why not I wanted to say?
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Geesh Ndgrrl I would have ran too!
Tamoxifen is messing with our hormones! Of course our moods are going to change. I am currently taking 10mg celexa daily and I've read where many others take Effexor. My PCP prescribed it. I basically had a meltdown in his office and he said," you don't have to feel like this" that's when he suggested celexa it doesn't interfere with tamoxifen. He also gave me a pill similar to Xanax to have in case I got panicked or overly weepy. I've used it 3x's since diagnosis. I like knowing its there though!
Good luck to you, I hope you consider finding another MO or letting this one know that his behavior isn't acceptable.
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ndg, i would have punched him in the face! That you are fixated with your breasts? That you are fixated with a part of your body? Is he insane? Breasts, legs, arms, head, all parts of our bodies, and yes, we are supposed to love them and we don't want to get rid of them unless is absolutely necessary!
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ndg, people change MOs all the time. I am sure there are others in your area . Are there any local organizations you can draw upon for recommendations? Try the American cancer society, or even your PCP. We are all in it for the long run with our MOs. You need someone who us compassionate, and knowledgeable. About the depression, why would you not be depressed? I was depressed since DX and have been on lexapro ever since. It has really helped. Do you have a breast specialist ? They can usually tell if a cyst is filled with fluid or if it a solid mass. You may want to consult your BS about that. They could order the biopsy to ease your mind.
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OK this is probably WAY premature, but I am wondering if anyone takes Tamoxifen without side-effects? I took my first pill last night and mid-afternoon was dead tired. I normally have tons of energy. Maybe I'm psyching myself into this? I am so worried about the side-effects. Was told my chance of recurrence is 1:10 without T and 1:20 with it. Is it worth it?
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I'm a month into tamoxifen Beth. I'm trying to decide if my being tired is a side effect of rads or tamoxifen.
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I have hardly any SEs. Main issues are not staying asleep at night and warm flushes. At this point its all ok. My tiredness could be from lack of proper sleep and starting a new job a week after rads finished (ie: didn't properly recuperate). I am now 4 months into tamox. If this is the
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I don't think I've had many side effects. I've had warm flushes, some mild joint pain in my fingers, mood swings and fatigue. But, don't know if it's Tamoxifen or just my "thinking" it's Tamoxifen.
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