Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
-
Hi everyone,
I have been on Tamoxifen for 3 months now. I take my meds and supplements in the morning. But the longer I was on the Tamoxifen the more I felt it was causing worse and worse fatigue so this week I started taking it mid-day and that has helped. Haven't noticed it affecting my sleep too much so I guess everyone needs to figure out if it causes fatigue or sleeplessness and adjust when to take it based on that.
I noticed my dry skin got worse very early on so I take fish oil. It didn't help at first but I wasn't taking a full dose. Now on 1800mg per day I think it is helping. I also use ground flax seed in my smoothies.
Now, I have never been more faithful with exercising. 5 times per week for 3 months and last week I came down with a sore ankle after a kickboxing class and then hip and knee pain after my first run outside. Do you think Tamoxifen is partially to blame? I am trying to rest the affected areas but still get my exercise so he'll only swimming pool. Of course I have to be careful not to overdo it there for fear of lymphedema. Such a juggling act.
Would love input about how to manage the joint pain.0 -
also, can someone explain why we experience symptoms of low estrogen while on this medicine? I had assumed it would be like having more estrogen not less since Tamoxifen hooks up with cancer in place of estrogen wouldn't there be more available estrogen?
My dietician mentioned how important eating lots of fiber is to help flush estrogen out of our bodies. i didn't know we eliminated estrogen that way.0 -
lcantri. . .the Tamoxifen blocks the effects of estrogen Tamoxifen explained. Because my BC was very ER+, MO also had me on OS (lupron) shots to shut down as much of my estrogen as possible. I find that additional supplements: mag citrate, mag glycinate, turmeric and ginger help the muscle cramps and HFs.
I have been off my Tamoxifen for 1.5 weeks now due to my surgery and will start back next week. I may try taking in the morning to see if that improves my sleep at night. I have always taken it at night.
Scottie
0 -
Hi all - new here. Just started Tamoxifen on Sunday. Today is day 5! No SEs yet. I've been taking it around midday with lunch, but that will probably change once I go back to work.
0 -
thanks Scottie. The article is very general in it's explanation though. "It blocks the effects of estrogen in the breast tissue." As it was explained to me: how this happens is that hormone receptor positive breast cancer cells have hormone receptors, like docking stations where estrogen binds to. That is how estrogen feeds the cancer so it can grow. Tamoxifen can bind to the cancer cells at these receptors too, so that is how it works. The Tamoxifen hooks up to the cancer instead of estrogen, so the cancer is blocked from receiving the estrogen it needs to grow.
Given that, you would think we would have extra estrogen circulating. But our symptoms indicate less estrogen.
Maybe the medicine also has an action that helps eliminate estrogen. ?0 -
To Scottie, continued
do you think the Tamoxifen is making me more susceptible to post workout aches and strains to the joints? Magnesium citrate and/or glycinate will help? Yet more supplements...
How are you doing with your recovery?0 -
Icantri - You are asking a question which has been plaguing me as well. I have high (too high) circulating amounts of estrogen, yet I am having symptoms of low estrogen.
0 -
lcantri. . .we all seem to have different combinations of SEs from Tamox and some have none at all. I have had the muscle cramping and the magnesium helps me with that. I have heard that you have to balance magnesium with calcium. I always just clear the supplement amounts with MO.
Good luck.
Scottie
0 -
Hi Everyone,
I'm new to the board. I am in my 5th week of radiation and have been researching tamoxifen so I know what to expect. From what I've read, not only does it act as an anti estrogen on the breast cells, but it does the same with the brain, hence the hot flashes. The brain controls the temperature setting of your body. The chemistry is being changed. Looks like cognitive function can be effected as well.
I wanted to be proactive and called my GYN for a pap smear and an ultrasound of the uterus before I embark on 10 years of a drug that's notorious for thickening the lining of the uterus and sometimes producing polyps, cysts and fibroids. I just got back from the GYN after having a baseline uterine check. They found a polyp in my lining. She's not concerned with it being cancerous but says tamoxifen can cause it to grow so they want to have it removed after I'm done with radiation and she'll do a uterine biopsy while she's "up there" to make sure everything looks good before tamoxifen. She said she wishes doctors would request an US of the uterus before starting this drug because the drug will thicken the lining and cause polyps and cysts to form and if they had a baseline, they would have more info on the changes. I'm glad I did this. Knowledge is power!
0 -
This seems nuts, but I am experiencing my second chalazion in a month, and I have never had one in my life. Can Tamoxifen cause this? I have read that it is sometimes caused by Xeloda. My skin is so dry, I am thinking my oil glands in my eyelids are dried up too...
0 -
hi ladies,
I am 1 mont away from my 5 years on Tamoxifen and very tempted to stop now... Id like to hear from someone who has completed their 5 years, how long for the symptoms to go away? Was it lots of work to loose the weight? Did periods come back?
Cant wait to hear from you!
🙄
Caro
0 -
Caro, what were your symptoms? They are now advising 10 years for us!
0 -
Caro congrats on almost 5 years. I'm only 2.3 on the road to 10 years, and unfortunately still having cycles.
Scottie
0 -
For those who suffer from night sweats, I highly recommend PeachSkinSheets (I found mine on Amazon, but they also have a website). I was waking up every night with drenched sheets and just couldn't take it anymore.
The sheets are made of a moisture-wicking poly fabric, and they really work. They still get slightly damp, but way less than cotton sheets do, and they dry quickly. The difference is night and day. They're also super soft which is an added bonus. I actually think they're more comfortable than the expensive high-thread count sheets I ditched.
0 -
Thanks mellee for the tip! Not looking forward to the summer weather mainly for the flushes at night.
0 -
We have a portable airconditioner, a tower fan and ceiling fan in our master bedroom. These have been sleep savers for me since I started Tamoxifen. Dh likes it really cold too so that helps, and the portable airconditioner saves us money because we keep the thermastat higher. I have also kept a thermal cup of ice water by the bed so if I wake up hot it instantly cools me down.
I get hot flushes and do not sweat so I feel burning hot then freezing cold in rapid succession. I still may check out the sheets. Thanks for the tip mellee.
Scottie
0 -
I have a bedside fan too that I use even when it's cold. I keep it blowing on my face and it seems to help.
Scottie, just FYI, the sheets supposedly also help regulate body temperature (the claim is that warm sleepers stay cool and cool sleepers stay warm). Not sure any fabric can "regulate" a hot flash, but maybe they'd help.
0 -
Been on this stuff for a week . Breast tenderness like ovulation is happening as well as hot flashes . I hope that is all . I have had arthritic pain over the years and on the dex scan , I have the beginning of osteopenia.So this pill is best for my situation I am told . Hoping for minimal side
0 -
I've finished my first month hooray, only another 59 to go I was terrified of taking this so far it's ok had severe migraine for the first 3 days and last week I'd a bad headache, I'm having the odd hot flash but I'd started having them a while ago anyway,other than that no other symptoms I'm hoping it stays that way cause I really want to be able to take this for the Full 5 years
0 -
May sound crazy, but my HFs got worse during the 2.5 weeks off of Tamoxifen for my surgery. I've been back on it for two days and things are better. Go figure.
Scottie
0 -
That is very interesting Scotty. I'm taking a break at five years to see how I feel. It would be crazy if I actually feel better on it.
0 -
hi everyone, I have been having some issues with muscle cramps in my calves just at night since I started on tamoxifen, I was told to stay hydrated and take calcium, which I already take for osteoporosis. I was also told magnesium helps although might cause stomache issues which I already have. I started tamoxifen in January after three years of AI's and was really hoping for a gentler drug.i I can cope with these cramps but I find myself waking up yelling, it really hurts. At this time it is better than the SE's from the AI's but it would be wonderful if I could get some relief from these Charlie horse type cramps. Any words of advice?
0 -
hi everyone, Ive been on it for 8 days now. And still dont have my period but I've noticed more discharge then usual. Don't know if that's from the tamoxifen or from my chemo ending.
0 -
I got my T-script refilled today. For the first time, there was a warning attached stating that certain "herbal/dietary supplements" may interact with Tamoxifen.
When I had all my med interactions evaluated, the pharmacist said Melatonin was fine. I take 20 mg/night as recd by my naturopath.0 -
For muscle cramps, magnesium seems to help. My MO said my Celexa interracts with Tamox so I'm to take Celexa in am and Tamox in pm.
0 -
I have cramps in my Calves on occasion. Which translates to off n' on here n' there. The best prevention is to remember to flex your foot, toes toward your chin and hold on for the couple mins til it passes. Usually when I go through phases of cramps this works. The caveat is that the 'periods of cramps' are sometimes every day for a couple of weeks. I suffered from similar camps as a child and youth. My Dad used to come and massage the knots out of my calves in the middle of the night. So for me this is not new. Just a pain in the arse. I'm not sure what causes it. They used to say dehydration. I take a cup of waterto bed every night but don't often finish it. So maybe so. Best wishes.
0 -
I was wondering who the manufacturer
of your tamoxifen is since your side effects seem mild. You can find this on the bottle… Seems that some are much better than others in terms of side effects
0 -
I was wondering who the manufacturer
of your tamoxifen is since your side effects seem mild. You can find this on the bottle… Seems that some are much better than others in terms of side effects
0 -
hi 9lives70, it says APO - TAMOX 20 mg, not sure if that is a brand name.
0 -
I threw out the box but mine is actually called "tamixofen" not any of the other names
0
