Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
-
I posted the following on another thread late last night:
Well, it's here. The day I can no longer stall on starting Tamoxifen. I saw my therapist Friday. I saw my PCP today. No new solutions, no alternatives (looking more on the anti-anxiety med side), no magic wands. I asked my DH to pray over my pills tonight--never done that before--and I sobbed for a good 5 minutes (MAN I miss my Paxil!). But it's done. If PTSD taught me anything it's "do it afraid." Only 3,651 more to go.
Hot flashes are a trigger for my PTSD. I was steady as a rock on Paxil but it interferes with Tamox, so now I am on Effexor. The switch was not very smooth--I am warm, sometimes sweaty, all the time. And much, MUCH more moody/weepy. I was awake most of the night, experienced two hot flashes, but managed to stay calm and ride them out.
Someone else asked how soon side effects take to start, and I would like more info as well. Do they get worse as you go on? Does it have a cumulative effect? I don't see my MO for 4-7 weeks, but I see his PA next week. Wondering if I should start Turmeric and Ginger now?0 -
hi,
Just curious, how many are taking melatonin with tamoxifen? Naturopath has me down for 20mg every night to help boost it's effectiveness
0 -
Tinydancer5, I started taking magnesium for the hot flashes and leg cramps I was getting after a couple months of tamoxifen. It really helped the hot flashes at first, but not as much now. I just changed to a different type to see if it will help. I started having knee joint pain really bad after being on tamoxifen about 5 months so I started taking glucosamine. I've now replaced that with ginger and turmeric.
ElTigre, I know others are taking melatonin. I tried it one night and didn't like it at all. I laid in bed feeling really groggy all night long but was unable to sleep. I don't think that's what it's supposed to do.
0 -
Tinydancer. . .the Turmeric and Ginger are supposed to help with the HFs, I have seen improvement with the turmeric. The jury is still out as to whether the ginger helps more. I've only been on the ginger for a week. The mag citrate is for the joint pain. I really notice that if I forget to take it. Daily exercise definitely helps with the combination as well as eating a light dinner. If I eat anything heavy after about 5pm I don't sleep at night.
The SEs definitely vary by each individual and not everyone has them.
Scottie
0 -
For me, turmeric and ginger for the joint/muscle pain from Tamoxifen. The magnesium glycinate helps with the pain as well as helps reduce hot flashes. Magnesium chloride to help with regularity which Tamoxifen seems to mess with for some. Probiotics because Tamoxifen sometimes makes me nauseous and bloated. Fish oil and baby aspirin because it can cause blood clots. And Vitamin D because most of us are deficient and the thought is that encourages cancer. Gotta love that stupid little pill!
0 -
I started magnesium two days ago and a heavy dose of B12. My knees feel better today. I have been on Ginger and Tumeric quite a while.
0 -
Thank you momwritter for taking the time to reply. I'm gonna give magnesium a try. 10 years on tamoxifen, oh my goodness, I was hoping 5. Guess I better start getting used to it.
0 -
Musosgirl~
We are in it together. I, too, will start my Tamoxifen this week.
Another thing we have in common: I switched from Paxil to Lexapro. I am happy to hear that Lex does not interfere with Tamoxifen. It was a good transition, so if your current RX continues to be a problem, try the Lex.
Good luck!
~gardengypsy
0 -
Thanks for the info about ginger and turmeric. Would the magnesium help with the weird tingling feeling (maybe it's peripheral neuropathy) in my toes and the muscle spasms/charley horse in my calves?
0 -
Magnesium definitely helped get rid of my leg cramps - muscle spams/charley horses. They were really bad until I started to take it.
0 -
ORgal - which kind of magnesium helps with leg cramps?
0 -
I was just taking the easy to get one, the oxide type. I just bought a different one to start trying to see if it will help more with the hot flashes, and still keep the leg cramps away.
0 -
I use a magnesium citrate powder that you mix with water. It's working better for my cramps than magnesium carbonate. I'm about to try magnesium glycinate because if it works for me, it's less hassle than mixing up and drinking the magnesium citrate powder twice a day.
0 -
My holistic doc said magnesium glycinate for muscle and joint pain as well as hot flashes and magnesium chloride (SloMag) for regularity. I take both and have no problems!!
0 -
After almost 5 years of taking tamoxifen manufactured by Teva, the pharmacy refilled my Rx with tamoxifen mfg by Mylan. I feel like I am starting all over again - hot flashes, sleeplessness, moodiness to the point of rage (could be related to lack of sleep). After about 6 weeks it finally occurred to me that it could be due to a change in the manufacturer. I called the pharmacy about it and was told that Teva was having production issues and there was none to be found. Has anyone else had this happen to them when they changed manufacturers? and has anyone heard of a shortage or problem from Teva?
0 -
nccb
I do not know about any shortages from Teva, but when my harris teeter pharmacy switched me to a Watson brand (even though the bottle said Teva - the pill imprint number was Watson), I called Costco, gave then the pill imprint number that I wanted. They looked it up and said, yep, it is a valid number, and they had it for me in a few days. Harris Teeter has merged with Kroger, and I was told was caused the change. j
0 -
El_Tigre, I take melatonin, but only 3mg a night. I think it's helping me a little with sleep.
As far as magnesium goes, I was told by my MO to take magnesium oxide. I do not remember the reason behind it, but I've been taking it.
0 -
I take magnesium malate and magnesium oxide. I think it helps with hot flashes, though I'm not so sure now that it's almost 85 degrees and about 90% humidity out there. . . HOLY SWEAT, Batman.
Re: brands - I was switched, by my pharmacy, from Teva to Mylan after a month on tamoxifen. The switch was brutal--tamoxi-rage, crying jags, depressed mood, more joint paint--but now I'm leveling off, I think. These things take time. . . .
0 -
I am beginning my Tamoxifen any day now. Gotta get over my fear of it, though.
0 -
garden gypsy. I took a lot of deep breaths and then just jumped in. I'm about halfway through my second script ... so 4.5 months. I only have one minor side effect that I can't blame on something else (that's the damn gas but truthfully even that is subsiding). I was menopausal before cancer and chemo and Tam so I've been having hot flashes and sore feet for a long time. irritable- uh yeah, i had breast cancer and I'm a little po'd about it, lack of sleep..yes, stress, breast cancer, husband who snores at about 20 decibels..
You won't know til you try. And if it's really that bad, you can quit. Not one of us here will tell you any different. it's a very personal choice ....
0 -
Every morning before I take it, I say, "Thank you, Tamoxifen."
0 -
molliefish and ksusan~
I appreciate your responses, and yes, molliefish, I also know what the menopausal symptoms feel like already.
I like the idea of thanking the Tamoxifen.
~gardengypsy
0 -
I just got a new bottle and I have noticed fewer hot flashes. I was out of out town but I am going to research to see if they gave me a different brand. I can't even tell what brand I am taking. Sometimes I get it in a sealed bottle and sometimes not.
0 -
It's scary to think that a different brand would cause different side effects. I hope they all act on Esteogen the same way!
0 -
nccb
That happened to me. I was given a bottle of Mylan my last refill. I went in and told the pharmacist I need Teva or Watson as the Mylan has increased my knee pain to the point where it is very difficult to walk. I was told Teva is no longer making Tamoxifen. I said that I did not care what really has happened but I cannot take Mylan. They will put me on Watson my next RX refill.
0 -
I take melatonin all the time. It does work to help falling asleep but not staying asleep. I have tried silonor, a prescription non-habit forming sleep aid, and it works well. I just don't want to use it all the time and then there's the cost.
My onco precribed 10 mg of Brisdelle/Paxil (I believe is in the same drug family as Lexapro, Effexor). I took 5 mg at night and the next day I was so tired my jaw hurt from yawning. There's also other side effects and since my blood pressure is already too low (naturally and from Lumigan eye drops) adding Paxil wasn't working for me. 10 mg of Paxil, which is a way lower dose than what is usually prescribed (for other issues like depression?, sorry not informed) has been shown to lessen hot flashes but not in everyone.
0 -
Stillwater
Are you still on the Paxil? Certain anti-depressants lessen Tamoxifen's effectiveness.
I switched from Paxil to Lexapro. Ask your doctor.
~gardengypsy
0 -
ksusan, I feel the same way. I thank that little bugger every night, and then it's down the hatch.
Update for those who are just starting: most of the SEs, other than the hot flashes, seem to lessen as time goes on. I have my fingers crossed, per usual.
0 -
I'm doing a magnesium experiment. I took magnesium glycinate (capsules) instead of magnesium citrate (powder dissolved in liquid) for the weekend. Almost immediately I noticed a return of what I think of as "surface electrical" sensation and mild superficial cramping in my calves when using glycinate at the level recommended on the bottle. I'll continue to play with dosage but if I need more to get the desired effect, citrate is less expensive and more effective for me, even though powder is more of a hassle when I'm away from home.
0 -
I am not sure what I think about melatonin. I think most people can fall asleep on their own and have trouble staying asleep.
0
