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…856857859861862…1022

Comments

  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 1,458
    edited July 2016

    Celexa and Lexapro are fine with Tamox. Pristiq is in the same class as Effexor.

  • mltdd
    mltdd Member Posts: 45
    edited July 2016

    Hi All -- I noticed some bruising on the bottom of my feet in the arch area. They are not particularly painful, I have neuropathy and some pain in my toes from chemo. Has anyone experienced this? I am four months from the last chemo treatment and am wondering if this is a delayed reaction or do to the tamox.

  • gardengypsy
    gardengypsy Member Posts: 499
    edited July 2016

    dctexas~

    Are memory problems a Temoxifen side effect?

    B Complex and fish oil is the best way to support your cognition, but you have to be very consistent.

  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 650
    edited July 2016

    I went to get my ultrasound results today after waiting a week because of so many commitments... My GP's office has closed.. I guess they weren't paying the rent... just wonderful....

  • Musosgirl
    Musosgirl Member Posts: 305
    edited July 2016

    molliefish, I...don't know what to say. That's...just...wow! Truthfully none of us know enough about our doctors to trust them the way we do--the way we have to or else lose our minds. Hopefully you can make contact with the right people soon and get those results

  • TinyDancer5
    TinyDancer5 Member Posts: 217
    edited July 2016

    Could this be a SE? My legs have been very itchy from the knees to my ankles and also my outer elbows. At times I have scratched so hard that my skin bled.I can't figure out what is causing this.

  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 650
    edited July 2016

    Well there's good news, and not so bad news: The good, the doctor opened a temporary clinic a couple kilometers away while they work our there issues with their landlord. They had all of our records with them so it seems to me they knew something might happen. The not so bad: blood tests show slight anemia, low RBC, and on the low side of normal for all blood counts. Liver function tests completely normal. The ultrasound indicates a cyst on the liver and the kidney, non suspicious, completely normal and quite common. The pelvic ultrasound indicates a thickening of the endometrium and suggest follow up considering the Tamoxifen use. So I'll consult with my MO next week. Happy with those reports.

  • Beachbaby65
    Beachbaby65 Member Posts: 39
    edited August 2016

    Tinydancer are you on effexor?


  • TinyDancer5
    TinyDancer5 Member Posts: 217
    edited August 2016

    Beachbaby65 - no, I've been on Tamoxifen since January. I keep a calendar of notes of any SEs and I've noticed that for a couple days each month since April, I'm itchy. I can't really see a pattern of when it happens. I am on the Watson brand.

  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555
    edited August 2016

    molliefish, that's mostly good news--thanks for the report. I've still got some CBC weirdness, too, but my MO thinks it's chemo-related, not tamoxifen. I'll probably have a baseline TVU and DEXA scan soon, too. . . .

  • mvspaulding
    mvspaulding Member Posts: 166
    edited August 2016

    Hi everyone,

    I finished chemo in February and started Tamoxifen in March. Within the last month I have had a lot of swelling, in my hands,feet and ankles and occasionally in my face. At first I just thought it was the weather (very hot and humid here) or my salt intake but it is starting to get kind of concerning. And the last two weeks or so I have just felt bad with headaches, low energy. Anyone else experience this? It is so hard not to worry about every little thing after going through this!

    I mentioned the headaches to my MO and now I'm scheduled for a brain MRI tomorrow.

  • molliefish
    molliefish Member Posts: 650
    edited August 2016
    yes mvspaulding. That is why I went to the doctor. Not for swelling but for the headaches and feeling bad. I believe it takes a lot longer than we want for the effects of the chemo to wear off. Like Katemy blood work indicates low grade anemia which is the most likely culprit for both the feeling crappy and the headaches. I hope it turns out to be the same for you. There are so many consequences of not having estrogen uptake as well it could be almost anything. Feel better
  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555
    edited August 2016

    Chemo: the gift that keeps on giving.

    My oncologist said it can take two years (or more) before blood counts return to normal.


  • mvspaulding
    mvspaulding Member Posts: 166
    edited August 2016

    Yes, I was borderline anemic and my WBC is still below normal range on Thursday when I got blood work. I had the MRI today, just hoping I don't have to feel like this for the next 10 years.

    Thanks for responding. I didn't have the time to read through this whole thread, it is so long! lol

  • mvspaulding
    mvspaulding Member Posts: 166
    edited August 2016

    Hi Pab,

    I too have had some floaters in my left eye and occasionally blurry vision. I wake up with it goopy some mornings too. I just have not had the time to go to the eye doctor yet. Guess I should.

  • el_tigre
    el_tigre Member Posts: 453
    edited August 2016

    Thank you molliefish, it was nice to read that the blood counts could take a few yrs to even return to normal. Mine have been low and it was frustrating because we were trying to raise them with nutrition and they dipped lower. ugh

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited August 2016

    My WBC is in the normal range but on the lower side of it. Is that bad?

  • el_tigre
    el_tigre Member Posts: 453
    edited August 2016

    Trvler - I'd check with your MO but if it's in the normal range I would think you are good. My WBC is 3.27. I'm looking to do a supergreens smoothie every day to see if i can increase it

  • KateB79
    KateB79 Member Posts: 555
    edited August 2016

    My WBC is up to 3.3 (from 3.0), and my oncologist (who is also a hematologist) isn't worried unless my ANC goes below a thousand. She says this is "normal after chemo."

    El Tigre, I'm with you on the greens. Good idea.

  • el_tigre
    el_tigre Member Posts: 453
    edited August 2016

    let's go Popeye on this mo-fo!

  • trvler
    trvler Member Posts: 931
    edited August 2016

    I think it was 4.9 but my MO says it's fine.

  • el_tigre
    el_tigre Member Posts: 453
    edited August 2016

    I wouldn't worry :)

  • mvspaulding
    mvspaulding Member Posts: 166
    edited August 2016

    mine was 3.8 so just slightly below normal range. I just want to feel better

  • Paxton29
    Paxton29 Member Posts: 76
    edited August 2016

    Anybody have a super greens smoothie recipe?

  • Scottiemom11
    Scottiemom11 Member Posts: 1,072
    edited August 2016

    Tinydancer. . .I've been getting hives this summer. I end up taking benadryl and they go away. I'm wondering if it's a combination of the Tamox and the horribly hot humid weather. I go back to MO again this month so we'll see how mm y blood work looks.

    Scottie

  • deeratz
    deeratz Member Posts: 318
    edited August 2016

    Scottiemom-I think Benadryl interferes with Tamoxifen. If you are taking an antihistamine you should try a different formulation.

    I have noticed some swelling in my hands and feet this summer. That is something unusual for me. I seem to be super sensitive to salt consumption & water retention.

    I am also having knee issues. Something else I haven't ever had to deal with. I feel like I am 80. It takes me so much longer to recover from anything. I screwed my knee up golfing. Not sure how that happened. So sick of the aftermath of chemo and Tamoxifen. I am grateful to be here, even with all my minor aches and pains.....

  • Carlsoda
    Carlsoda Member Posts: 120
    edited August 2016

    Hello! I have been stalking this board for a bit as I recovered from surgery and completed radiation (today was my last day). Next step in my journey is tamoxifen which I wil start in 1 week (the 10th). Not excited but it is necessary if I want to remain cancer free. Thanks to all your ideas, I learned to stick to one brand (Mylan), take it at night AND I made an appt with a gynecologist later in the month to discuss setting a baseline and tamoxifen SE's. I really didn't want yet another doctor appt, but I feel this is important. It seems uterine thickening is pretty common. Thank you all for your honesty in your posts, I feel prepared to start!

  • Artista928
    Artista928 Member Posts: 1,458
    edited August 2016

    My uterus was 6 mm thick a few months ago and now 5-6 weeks in with Tamox, it's 4 mm.

  • lala1
    lala1 Member Posts: 974
    edited August 2016

    Your lining will flucuate depending on your time in your cycle. It's a low percentage of women who have endometrial issues. The key is to do a baseline of your lining before you start. I also did a baseline of my bone density so I would have numbers for the future. It's only when your lining is greatly thickened that you will need to consider other options.

  • superius
    superius Member Posts: 310
    edited August 2016

    I had hives for a few days during heat wave last summer during chemo. I took Benadryl -- but of course that's pre-Tamoxifen. My MO suggested Zyrtec.

Categories

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