Come join others currently navigating treatment in our weekly Zoom Meetup! Register here: Tuesdays, 1pm ET.
Take our poll: Caregivers, what do you find most difficult about caregiving?
Weigh in: What are the best and worst gifts for people with breast cancer?

Bottle o Tamoxifen

1…8182848687…1022

Comments

  • Jeansbeans
    Jeansbeans Member Posts: 24
    edited April 2009

    Hi , Susan, I had bad cramps too , but I stopped my period as soon as I started the tamaxifen,but the cramps kept coming.  I have since had a hysterectomy/oopherectomy, NOW NO cramps! YEA!!  Cheesiegirl, Did you check with your ONC about taking herbs with tamoxifen?  I thought I read a post that you should avoid herbs? I am taking Venlafaxine, for night sweats for the first time tonight. I sure hope it works!  Sunshine, Yes, I am soaking wet every hour on the hour!  Just hope this new medication helps that.Kathy, I take vitamins , fish oil with tamoxifen, it is ok. My onc knows this.  Good Luck ladies, Gentle hugs, Jeanie

  • sunshine787990
    sunshine787990 Member Posts: 101
    edited April 2009

    Jeansbeans.... I will be very interested on how the venlafaxine works for you...Let me know! My hot flashes seem to be getting more often and hotter!  

    SharonS  I'm starting to like my short hair too ..I never thought I would like Short hair!! 

  • Munchy
    Munchy Member Posts: 59
    edited April 2009

    Hope everyone had a wonderful Easter weekend!  The weather here in the Bay Area was glorious!

    Thank you for the input on Arimidex, I am scared of changing over.  I always feel that sticking to what you know (even if you dislike it) is better than some unknown thing that may be even worse (or better, but you never know).

    Vitamin supplements are a definite yes!  First of all, they are a must for EVERYONE, since it is difficult for anyone to get all the nutrition we need from our regular diets.  But for us, after all our bodies have been through (and to keep our immune systems strong enough to fight off a recurrence) it is especially important.  My oncologist told me to take a multi-vitamin/multi-mineral supplement, calcium and vitamin D.  As far as I'm concerned, that is the bare minimum.

    I took my supplements (a lot more of them than above, to say the least) all the way through my treatments (chemo, surgery, rads) and surprised everyone by how easily I sailed through it all.  I truly believe that it was because my body was well-nourished.

    As for the wine, it doesn't interfere with Tamoxifen in any way, but, yes, alcohol (not wine in particular, beer is just as bad) has been found to stimulate the growth of breast cancer cells.  I cut out all alcohol during my treatments in order to boost my chances of beating this thing.  That being said, I am back to drinking a glass or two every night.  Not the smartest thing to do, but my only vice, and I just enjoy it so much.

    I too have had a few trims on my hair.  I am definitely keeping it short.  I get so many complements on it - I haven't gotten complements on my hair since I was a teenager.  The weird thing is that the top is hardly growing.  She only trimmed the hair on the sides and back all 3 times I went in.  It's finally starting to look good, but continues to be very thin.  Is that the Tamoxifen or just menopause?

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited April 2009

    Like KathyNSW, I have been wondering what you can/cannot take with Tamoxifen. My onc said the only thing I should not take are some class of anti-depressants, but I stopped taking them.

    I take a lot of supplements and vitamins (Kathy, I take CoQ10, Selenium, Vit D, Calc, Iordol, etc etc)

    Does anybody know?

    Muncy, I decided to just not drink any more alchohol. My husband doesn't drink, I figure what the hey... I hope I can keep to this. 

    Spring...

  • sharons
    sharons Member Posts: 177
    edited April 2009

    Munchy - I quit the little I did drink b/c it just seemed my metabolism was different and I would feel depressed the next day.  My onc says if wine caused BC there would be a lot more in the wine drinking countries like Italy....

    Hope everyone has a good week

    Sharon

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009

    I read  alcohol with Tamoxifen is okay!  I agree with SharonS and Munchy!  

  • sunshine787990
    sunshine787990 Member Posts: 101
    edited April 2009

    marlenet  I have been on tamoxifen since Nov 2008 and I do enjoy a cocktail now and then and so far I'm still kicking! 

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009

    sunshine787990~thanks for the info!  I too enjoy a cocktail now and then! Can i ask if you have had any s/e from the Tamoxifen?  I have only been on it for a few weeks and have have really no major problems.  Hot flashes but i had those since chemo. 

  • Munchy
    Munchy Member Posts: 59
    edited April 2009

    Spring - Yes, I too am a big fan of supplements (I'm really into health and fitness) and take everything you listed and more.  When you really think about it, these things are merely the most nutritious parts of the food we eat - just concentrated down into a pill. So basically, it's food.  How can that be bad?

    The only thing is that some of the vitamins and minerals are not so good to over-do, like E and iron for instance.  But the ones I mentioned the other day (multi, calcium, D) and your  coQ10 are all good ones to supplement. What I really concentrate on are  natural food derivatives like fruit and vegetable supplements (especially cruciferous for your indole-3), fish oil (for your omega-3), garlic, green tea and resveratrol (anti-oxidants).  I also think that enzymes and probiotics are important.

    The thing is, most people don't like to take so many pills.  My point is though, it's certainly not going to be bad for you.  I think that my supplementation (and exercise) are the reason for my good health (aside from the cancer of course - haha).

    And then there's the wine - like I said, my one vice!

    Sorry for the long preachy postings - I get carried away. 

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited April 2009

    Munchy,(and anybody else...)

    Are you aware of the Natural girls thread? You should join!

    And Motivation thread.?

    Click the links to explore! I think you would like those...  Lots of us with similar interested about supplements, health, etc.

    Spring.

  • Mary22
    Mary22 Member Posts: 428
    edited April 2009

    Springtime and others, the best person to ask about drug interactions and what you can and can not take w/ your meds is a pharmacist. Also here is a list of drugs not tto take:

    Prozac, Paxil, Cadioquin, Wellbutrin. Cymbalta,Zoloft, Benadryl, Mellaril, Cordarnoc,Tagamet.

    You can google Drugs that inhibit CYP2D6 that should be avoided while taking tamoxifen.

    Hope this helps.

    Mary

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited April 2009

    Girls note the short hair in new pic. That was not Tamoxifen, it was the chemo. LOL. (I am goofy today...)

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009
    Springtime ~ I love the hair!  You look wonderful...It's nice to hear someone feels goofy, on these sites.. I love that!!!!  Stay silly and goofy...  I know i will Tongue out You put a smile on my face today.
  • susan13
    susan13 Member Posts: 102
    edited April 2009

    I haven't started my Tamox just yet, but I will be soon.  My question is... I started getting hot flashes with my 2nd Taxotere and they are now fast and furious and of course come worse at night.  Will they get worse when I start the tamoxifen??? The darn things wake me up every hour at night, and my sleep has been nil ever since.

    Spring-I love the hair! You look great, bright and cheery!!! 

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited April 2009

    Thanks Marlenet!

    Susan, Mine stayed the same. The worst flashes were through chemo AC. I think I went through menopause in 8 weeks! ack!

    Spring.

  • sunshine787990
    sunshine787990 Member Posts: 101
    edited April 2009

    marlenet.. So far the side effects are weight gain and hot flashes...both seem to have increased since I started taking tomoxifen.

  • paweed
    paweed Member Posts: 4
    edited April 2009

    Hey Susan   the chemo put me into menopause and  Springtime, I think went through menopause in 8 weeks as well.

    I did not do so well on the tamox and they have switched me to Femara.  My hot "sweats" were maybe a tad worse on the tamox so if you can get through them on the chemo they probalby won't be any worse..  Good luck.  Isnt this a strange ride we are all on?

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009
     I have had hot flashes since chemo as well.  i Hope not to gain ANYMORE weight!  Since cancer i have put on a few pounds that this body did not need, but if weight gain is the worst of my worries I WILL TAKE IT ! I am cancer-free and pray to stay that way. Smile
  • murphmort
    murphmort Member Posts: 76
    edited April 2009

    Hello - have not had much time to visit this site, but one thing Munchy takes is fish oil.  My nutrtionist said I should avoid products that contain soy.  And since my fish oil pills contain soy, I stopped taking them.  The nutritionist said if soy is one of the first four ingredients, try to avoid it. There are so many foods that have soy as one of their top 4 ingredients, you'd be surprised!

    Who knows if this makes a difference, but I figure I'll follow the nutrionist's advice on this.

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009

    I take fish-oil and I was told it would be okay!  Different Dr's have different advice.  

  • icandothis
    icandothis Member Posts: 70
    edited April 2009

    Hey murphmort - good to see that you're doing fine. Funny, I was thinking about you guys today when I noticed the April Rads group - last year, that was us!

    And now we're back to our normal lives.

     Sue

  • Springtime
    Springtime Member Posts: 3,372
    edited April 2009

    I am going to have to check the fish oil now for soy. Gawrsh! It never ends!!!

    Doing the colonoscopy prep today and I am STARVING from no food!!!!! ugh. 

    Spring..

  • Makratz
    Makratz Member Posts: 1,605
    edited April 2009

    Soy is also in alot of multivitamins.  Isn't that strange?  My dr. told me to avoid soy too.

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009

    There seems to be no right answer to any of this. B.C is not easy.  I was scared when i found out i had cancer.  Had surgery felt a lil better ( it was gone) .  Then i talked to my Dr and i decided to do chemo, I was more scared to do chemo then hearing I had cancer!  Now i take Tamoxifen and I am 1/3 into rads.  This part is not as bad as chemo.

  • sunshine787990
    sunshine787990 Member Posts: 101
    edited April 2009

    marlenet .. All I can say is that BC sucks ... about the time you think you are going to get a break (bam) you get a new SE or find out something you eat or drink may interfear with what you are taking...Sometimes I don't know if I'm doing things right or wrong.. all the Dr.'s have something different to say.... Only good thing about it is all of the great people on this board...

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009

    sunshine787990~ you got that right! I have found these people to be a life savior for me.  

  • marlenet
    marlenet Member Posts: 114
    edited April 2009
  • kjbell
    kjbell Member Posts: 454
    edited April 2009

    I will be starting this tomorrow. 2 questions (I'm on the slow track) Why does it make you gain weight? Is it water retention or does it make you hungry so you eat more? To the ladies that went thru menopause during chemo. How did you know you you went through it? I have not had a period since I stopped the birth control pills in Sept.

  • julieagw2
    julieagw2 Member Posts: 2
    edited April 2009

      I started Tamox almost a year ago and have gained about 20 lbs.  the Dr tried to say it was water retention and gave me a diuretic, it had helped slow doen the weight gain but I didn't lose any.  I also havn't had a period since nov 2007 by second chemo treatment, so while I am still in "chemo pause" my Dr did tests and I am not in menopause.  So I fugure I'll be having hot flashes and weight problems for I don't know how many more years, I am only 39. 

      My radiologist just precribed lexapro for the hot flashes, but reading different sights I don't know if that will help.  Is anyone else taking it?  I tried effexor last year but just didn't like the way I felt on it plus, half the time it made me sick.      

  • Makratz
    Makratz Member Posts: 1,605
    edited April 2009

    Hi Julie,

    I've been on Tamox for 6-7 months and have gained 12 pounds.  I am 42.  I have not put on any more weight in the past couple months, but it is a struggle to maintain my weight even with diet and exercise.  I am very active and small so I really feel the extra pounds.  My doctor told me it's normal and should go away when I stop taking the tamox.  I wonder if there is anyone out there who gained weight while on tamox and then lost it after.  Anyone??  Is it true??  I sure hope so!

    I hope your diuretic works.  I wonder if I should try one.  Anyone else on them?

Categories

Join Us on Zoom: Upcoming virtual meetups. Read more...
Give your account some personality! Add a profile photo.