Bottle o Tamoxifen
Comments
-
Howdy all! Thought I would just hop on and introduce myself. Have an appointment in 2 weeks to see my Oncologist and her plan is to start me on Tamoxifen. I am reading everyone’s posts just to get an idea of what things I may need to ask.
Thanks to everyone for your tips! It never occurred to me to get a journal to document how I am feeling so that I can keep track of/ evaluate any side effects I may have. Also good to know about the constipation. I hadn’t a gastric band 11 years ago so I Ambien already chronically constipated- I will make sure to talk to my MD about that.
Tracy
0 -
I started on Dec. 18. So far, so good. Only two sleepless nights in the past week. Hopefully, that's not something that will dominate my life. Can't do without sleep. I was afraid to start Tamo because of the SEs. But I am also afraid of the cancer coming back. I'd had lots of SEs on Arimidex and Femera, so wasn't looking forward to another drug. Fingers crossed that the Tamo continues to be fairly SE-free
Thanks for all the posts, everyone. It's so helpful to hear from others who are on the same road.
0 -
Touch wood- no more insomnia since last Friday night.
All good otherwise. Bladder has been a bit touchy- calms down with no alcohol or vitamin C.Skin continues to be less oily.
Hope others are going OK too
0 -
I’m doing ok so far. Day 3.
0 -
So, what are signs of clots to watch for? Swelling? Bruise? I have no idea!
So far Tamox ok. Some minor side effects -- nothing I can't live with. I have had no hot flashes for some reason.
0 -
Awesome, Ghionik! Keep us posted!
0 -
2 years and 2 months, 7 years 10 months to go. Minimum side effects, as MO said at the beginning -- I suppose she made that educated guess from how I reacted to chemo (also min in comparison to many)
I found it interesting for those who have stronger side effects are "complain" about it, then those with minimum s/e are wondering... "is it working?"
I noticed skin/ hair is drier! but this winter is drier, too! MO is tracking my period, according to her, is pretty much regular (every other month). I noticed at the beginning hot flashes was more frequent, now it's more like "warm flushes" once in a while, and seem to come & go with the cycle. My MD friends said it's the hormone changes, so I assume the Tamoxifen is doing it's job.
0 -
Ha ha, Superius! Exactly. I have so few side effects that I wonder if it's working! LOL
0 -
So I've been hot flashing since Taxol. Like must-rip-off-clothes heat. My dh doesn't understand how I can go outside without a coat in single degree weather, but if I am flushed....
Are tamoxifen flashes more frequent? More serious? Or am I already living the dream and have nothing new to worry about? Time to head to a beach somewhere....
(And how does this work 6 months from now, when I am already in my bathing suit?)
I haven't started yet. Prolly in 2weeks, when I see my MO.
0 -
I tend to find my hot flashes follow me being cold. If I am in a warmer climate, I tend to not get cold and have fewer hot flashes.
0 -
I was counting on my fingers and worked out I'm quarter of the way through my tamoxifen journey, and so far so good. Annual transvaginal ultrasound result was okay, spare tyre round my middle is definitely not okay !
So my question is this...I keep reading that the women on AIs are being changed over to ten years, not five. So has anyone else on tamoxifen had the timeframe lengthened?
0 -
My MO has always said 10 for my Tamoxifen.
0 -
Happy to see other women on Tamoxifen doing well too!! I have 4 more years, if I am doing the 5 year plan. I don't think I will be taking it for 10 years, but will see how it goes. One area that I am do a self research on is using Magnesium - oxide and citrate - to minimize joint and body pains. I started taking 125mgs by splitting a 250 mg dose in half, and so far so good. The following is the abstract from the NIH on a study looking at the use of 400mg of Magnesium and breast cancer patients with hot flashes:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abstract
Background
We tested if magnesium would diminish bothersome hot flashes in breast cancer patients.
Methods
Breast cancer patients with at least 14 hot flashes a week received magnesium oxide 400 mg for 4 weeks, escalating to 800 mg if needed. Hot flash score (frequency×severity) at baseline was compared to the end of treatment.
Results
Of 29 who enrolled, 25 women completed treatment. The average age was 53.5 years; six African American, the rest Caucasian; eight were on tamoxifen, nine were on aromatase inhibitors, and 14 were on antidepressants. Seventeen patients escalated the magnesium dose. Hot flash frequency/week was reduced from 52.2 (standard error (SE), 13.7) to 27.7 (SE, 5.7), a 41.4% reduction, p=0.02, two-sided paired t test. Hot flash score was reduced from 109.8 (SE, 40.9) to 47.8 (SE, 13.8), a 50.4% reduction, p=0.04. Of 25 patients, 14 (56%) had a >50% reduction in hot flash score, and 19 (76%) had a >25% reduction. Fatigue, sweating, and distress were all significantly reduced. Side effects were minor: two women stopped the drug including one each with headache and nausea, and two women had grade 1 diarrhea. Compliance was excellent, and many patients continued treatment after the trial.
Conclusions
Oral magnesium appears to have helped more than half of the patients and was well tolerated. Side effects and cost ($0.02/tablet) were minimal. A randomized placebo-controlled trial is planned.
************************************************************************
As always, check with your doctor first before taking any medication, supplements, herbs, etc.
0 -
Thanks for the post about magnesium. I keep telling people to take it for constipation and often forget about the benefits for hot flashes.
0 -
what brand do you buy michelle?
0 -
Rosabella, it does not matter the brand, just the ingredients. Make sure to look for magnesium oxide or citrate. Citrate is a bit more powerful, so I started with the oxide first. It helps alot of systems in the body including bone, muscle, cardiac, moods, etc. So far, so good.
0 -
Thank you, Michelle. Helpful information for sure.
0 -
My sister in law was on Tamoxifen for 5 years. Switched to arimidex and has been on it 10 years. Her MO said research is showing it to be more effective for that time frame. She’s due for her last dose in Feb unless they extend her to 15. I don’t remember her dx but she had DMX with recon, then chemo then Tamoxifen then arimidex. I am on Tamoxifen for at least 5 according to my MO and will make the switch to AI when in menopause. Which seems like it is taking its sweet time.
0 -
Quick question: What does your oncologist recommend regarding annual Ob/gyn checkups?
0 -
I see my gyn once a year even though I had a total hysterectomy including ovaries. As was pointed out to me, just because they removed everything, doesn't mean they removed EVERY thing. I still have a vagina so can still get vaginal cancer. And removing organs doesn't mean every single cell was removed. So I continue with the pap smear. And my BS has me see him once a year, my MO once a year, and my GYN once a year spread out so that I see one or the other every 4 months. That way someone is doing a thorough breast exam on my every 4 months so something would be way less likely to slip by either me or them. Love my docs!!
0 -
TaRenee, don't be too anxious for menopause to start. The upside is no period. But there are lots of downsides. I was nearly 2 years since last period when I was diagnosed and the doctors STILL don't say I'm in menopause. C'mon guys. It's been 4 years. I think I'm done. :-).0 -
my mo said 2 years = menopause.
0 -
i was told i was in menopause, they did a blood test that showed my levels were way above the normal. I have not had a period since Feb 2017. Don't miss it either. Although I'm only 44. Cancer sucks
0 -
I've been wondering a lot about the menopause thing. I had a hysterectomy 21 years ago, but kept my ovaries. I felt as if I had some menopausal symptoms within the first 10 years after that. But because of my age (only (!) 53) my MO considers me pre- or perimenopausal at best. Since Taxol, I've been hot-flashing like crazy. So she may be right.
Anyone out there with a similar experience who can share?
0 -
Rhyfelwr, were you having periods? I was 53 at diagnosis but had zero menopausal symptoms. Not a single hot flash and steady periods (that were brutal!). I have not had a period since I started tamoxifen. Onc said that tamox would not stop my period. He was wrong. Stopped it dead in its tracks. And hot flashes? Oy. Going on 6 months, no period, not even any spotting. Nothing. Does this mean that in another 6 months, a year in menopause, I will be taken off tamoxifen and put on a different AI ? I wonder about this stuff.
0 -
I started taking Tamoxifen this week - This thread has been informative and scary all at the same time. Thank you to everyone who shares their experience - both the good and not so much.
0 -
Same for me. Diagnosed at 52 and not one hot flash ever and regular periods. My sister went through it at 56 so I figured it would have been around then. My periods stopped with my first chemo. Doctor did bloodwork mid 2017 and said no menopause for me yet. I am not necessarily looking forward to it. If I have to switch meds, it is just as likely to have another set of side effects, IMO.
0 -
I was 50 when diagnosed. AC treatment stopped my periods, which were like clockwork, last February. Blood work in July showed I was menopausal. MO wanted to verify blood levels again after 6 months so I just did the blood work today for my appt next week. I think he wants to change me to an AI if the blood work shows i am menopausal. I have not really had issues with hot flashes, or I maybe I didn't notice them during chemo as I was preoccupied??0
-
There is a huge difference between taking 20mgs and two 10mgs spread out 5 or 6 hours apart. Last night, I had to take a 20mg dose, and it kept me awake a lot longer than usual and I was having more intense hot flashes when waking. Sticking to my 10mgs at 8pm and 12am. For me, incremental medication seems to work the best and have the fewest side effects, in general.
0 -
Interesting, Michelle. This is the kind of stuff my doctor dismisses. I might get her to write a 10mg rx next time just to see.
0
