Bottle o Tamoxifen
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Amy9848 Talk to your MO about this. I'm on OS (lupron) and also being monitored by OBGYN for ovarian cysts (I have a history of these) and/or increased uterine lining. I am BRCA neg so the risk is supposed to be less.
Scottie
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Thank you Scottiemom11!! I have an appt on August 12! Can't wait! I too have ovarian cysts! I will let you know what they say!
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i have a friend who is enoucoraging me to take aronia berry probiotoc supplement daily. Anyone heard any concerns with this and estrogen?
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HELP. I have a question about Tamoxifen and its impact on my muscles. I've been on it for almost 6.5 years. (Onc wanted to switch me to AI but I won't because I already have osteopenia). Sometimes my muscles seize and cramp up (feet, hands, elsewhere) and I think they are now sometimes getting damaged when I exercise. Is this the right place to find out about this? Why does Tamoxifen impact our muscles? Is it just lack of estrogen or something else? Does anybody know? I can't find out on the web, I've tried googling everything! Let me know if there is another Tamoxifen thread that would be more on target? Thanks for hearing me. I am so frustrated by this, it's gotten to the point I want to quit it!!!!!
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Springtime, welcome and yes Tamoxofin can cause muscle cramps but I'm not sure why either. I know I've heard others say they take magnesium and it helps the leg cramps. I had such a cramp in my calf the other night that my muscle was sore from it for like 2-3 days. I don't take any supplements but maybe I should start.
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My nighttime muscle cramps were brutal!! The Osteo BiFlex my MO recommended didn't touch it. It wasn't until I started SloMag, Gaia Turmeric and ginger that I found complete relief.
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Does anyone know how long after tamoxifen is stopped the side effects will linger?
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It took me almost 3 to 4 months off of Tamox to get better.. And I was on tamox for 2 1/2 years.
Noticed some improvement in one to two weeks though.
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Jane, I was on it for 6 weeks and have been off of it for 5 days and I already feel much better. They say that tamoxifen isn't cumulative in the body, so it makes sense that the SEs would begin to decrease relatively quickly.
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I've been taking Tamoxifen for almost three weeks now and haven't had any issues with the hot flashes or muscle cramping ... yet. However, OMG my family is ready for me to stop taking it as I've been so cranky and irritable I've been difficult to be around if anything happens to wind me up. If i'm nice and calm and relaxed, then things are fine. I saw my MO yesterday and he kind of laughed and said yes that these SEs are common as my hormones are all out of whack and it will take some time to get used to how things are. I went through a dark period last Fall/Winter and my doctors tried me on almost all anti-depressants but most of them had SEs that were worse than the anxiety and depression. Today I had my first panic attack in almost 6 months, horrible feeling. I can't go on any anti-depressant and Xanax and Seroquel knock me out at baby doses. I'm supposed to go back to work (I'm an RN) but with my emotions all over the place I'm not sure I'm quite ready to.
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Tempy, welcome. And remember you have been through a lot. Did you have chemo and radiation too? Give yourself time. I had to go on Lexapro in April after discovering I was depressed.It gave me more anxiety at first But I started only 5 mg and after about 3 weeks increased to the 10 mg.My body is quite sensitive to meds also so maybe that might work for you also.
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All, sent a message to my MO and she had no suggestions for the muscle cramping. I am experiencing it in my legs and hands. Anyone else experience cramping in their hands. Also what are the suggestions to minimize this SE which has gotten worse over the last few weeks.
My HF have increased to about 3 to 4 a night that wake me up and results in insomnia. My MO is recommending a low dosage of Effexor. I am not keen on going on another drug. Any input on the SEs or experience with this drug let me know. Is there a natural supplement to assist with HFs?
I have been on Tamoxifen for about 3 months and have gone through a range of SEs. The most notable one that affected my day was GERD. My MO indicated GERD is not listed as a SE of Tamoxifen but she also states "any drug can cause anything and it is all individual". Anyone else experience GERD with Tamoxifen. Or it may just be a hold over from the chemo where it developed.
Thanks in advance for your response.
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I experienced severe cramping in my hands while on aromasin. They would literally stiffen up in my sleep. I would wake up and have to open and close them to loosen them up. Since switching to tamoxifen, it doesn't happen any more. Matter of fact, all of the symptoms that I had while on aromasin are gone with the exception of the hot flashes.
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the Effexor made my stomachs hurt, so I stopped. My sister swears by it.
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ladyb1234
Magnesium has helped me with HF, don't have them anymore. I still have some leg/foot cramping and will discuss with MO at my follow-up visit next Tuesday. I have been taking Tamo since Apri 1, 2015.
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Every time I swear I am stopping this drug, somebody else I know gets dx'd stage 4. I hate drugs. This is just the worst position to be in!! The 5 years I thought I could do, and then they tell you, oh, gee, now it's 10 years!
I do get cramps in my hands too, LadyB1234. But my TOES are the friggin (excuse my language) WORST! They seize up and it is incredibly painful, and I have to physically take my hands and flatten my toes! It hits me out of nowhere.
I take Magnesium and Curcumin already, and a lot of other I feel wonderful supplements, so I suppose my SE's would be worse without, YIKES.
I sent an email to the Nurse Practitioner at Onc's office asking WHY this is happening to my muscles, and if there are any other alternatives to Tamox and AIs. I bet the answer is no, pick your poison. ugh. But the muscle damage I'm getting with exercise is really bothering me. whaaaaaaa!!!!
I am determined to find out why muscles cramp. I cannot find this info anywhere. But LONNIE713 above said this happened to her on an AI, so it does make me wonder if it's just lack of estrogen, but you would think they would know this, for pete sakes??
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are you on magnesium citrate or magnesium oxide and how many do you take and what time of theday do you take them? My hot flashes are bad at night. They star around 730 each night. Thanks for your recommendation .
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Springtime I did a lot of googling about cramp for runners a while back when a super fit friend cramped badly during a race. The short answer from a whole lot of sports medical professionals: they don't know why we cramp...
Sorry I'm no help, but I can sympathise with the toes
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Hello ladies! I've been on tamoxifen for almost a month now and the most trouble I've been having is something that I'm not even sure is a side effect. My arms are SOO itchy! It started with what I thought were mosquito bites, that were unusually bothersome. But they didn't just get better after a day or so. In fact, I scratched so much the places on my arms bled, then would scab over...but then would itch so badly I'd end up scratching the scabs off and the cycle would continue. Never have I had this type of itching! It literally can drive me to distraction. Now they still itch even with the bites gone. Anyone else have this issue?
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ladyb - ask your MO about Neurontin (Gabapentin) for the leg cramps. It worked fantastic for mine. Don't be afraid if you read the SE's. It is an old anti-seizure medicine. When my MO first suggested it for the leg cramps I declined after I read the side effects (they have to tell you every single thing that might happen.) My pharmacist encouraged me to try it; many diabetics take it for peripheral neuropathy (I have peripheral neuropathy, a leftover from the taxotere). I have taken this for about 2 years, and I would never skip this pill. I started at 100 mg 3x a day, and after some trial and error I am now at 300 2x a day. It was such a game changer for me. My left foot would cramp so bad, that my toes would bend under almost enough to touch the bottom of my foot. It was creepy, and it hurt! It brings you out of bed in about 3 seconds, LOL! I couldn'd tell you when the last time I had one of those cramps.All the best -
Debbie
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yes, it is the lack of estrogen. Estrogen coats the muscles and joints like an oil. These meds remove that, hence the pain. I have to say, the aromasin was horrific for me. I literally felt like I was standing on my bones, that is how much pain I was in. 7 months of agony. For me, tamoxifen is a godsend
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My MO prescribed Effexor for my hot flashes. I take 75 mg in the a.m. and after a few weeks my hot flashes were dramatically reduced. I have no side effects from the Effexor. Also, I am on gabapentin. I started with 300 mgs 3 times per day - and it works! I have had no side effects from it - and I am in the process of weaning off to see what happens. I now take 300 mgs twice a day. I will tell you I have gained at least 10 pounds and I have cramping issues with both hands. The fun just never stops with this drug. I do think the source of the drug is important. I use Watson -- others use Teva. It is all trial and error!
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tonia52--I take magnesium. I actually take SloMag brand that I buy at Walmart (it has a coupon inside!). I take 2 tablets each morning. Combined with my turmeric and ginger, it was enough to halt my muscle/joint pain. I did develop hot flashes after my hysterectomy which weren't too bad, possibly due to being on magnesium, but I added iCool for the HF and it helped tremendously.
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hi, I've been on Tamoxifen for just over a year and am pretty much nuts. I don't know what GERDS are, but I have hot flashes, at least six a night, and at least once an hour all day. I have many of the listed side effects, but also neuropathy in my feet and balance problems. Out of desperation I went off tamoxifen for a week and the neuropathy improved dramatically. It isn't listed s a side effect, but I couldn't figure out why it was getting worse not better a year out of chemo. I don't know what to do. I can't go on like this.
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If this has been discussed at length here in the past, I apologize. I have been on anastrozole for 5 months now and my MO is considering switching me to tamoxifen because I am having a lot of joint pain, especially in my hands. I'm a veterinarian and this scares me, as I love to do surgery. I've also noticed something very much like chemo brain on anastrozole, even though I did not need chemo. If I try to multi-task while having a conversation, I will say crazy-wrong words, like saying "rail" instead of "lane."
Can I expect the same type of SEs on Tamoxifen? TIA!
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I started Tamoxefen 3 weeks ago as well. I am so emotional and cranky as well. I am also very lightheaded and Dizzy. Blood pressure is low. Anyone else? I feel awful.
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So sorry to hear this Suefit. First welcome to our BCO community, and secondly, we really hope that you feel better soon! Please take a look at this page as well, since there are meds that you'll need to avoid also while taking Tamoxifen: Tamoxifen
Thinking of you All!
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Tempy - I hear you about the anxiety and depression. I don't want to take anything that could possibly lower the effect of Tamoxifen (I'm 100% er and pr +) and have been on anti-depressants before and didn't like feeling so "flat". So far I am finding a lot of relief from depression by taking magnesium. I included the link to the study so you can show it to your MO if you are interested in trying it. The bonus is that magnesium helps with hot flashes, too. Just be aware that magnesium will give you diarrhea if you take too much. I didn't have a problem with diarrhea until I had taken a high dose for about a week or two. I think my levels were so low before that the magnesium didn't have an effect until my levels came up. Now I've dropped down to a normal dose.
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Thanks all for the suggestions. I reached out to me MO regarding some of the suggestions on cramping. At this time I have decided not to try Effexor but may reconsider if my HFs don't reduce soon.
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