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…926927929931932…1022

Comments

  • LiMa66
    LiMa66 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2018

    TaRenee- those days suck. Big virtual hug. May tomorrow be even a little bit better.

  • scrafgal
    scrafgal Member Posts: 413
    edited March 2018

    me too TaRenee...couldn"t really figure out what was wrong. So I went for a walk, then I talked with my sister and now I feel better. Hope the same for you soon...

  • gigibee
    gigibee Member Posts: 69
    edited March 2018

    TaRenee too funny I just told my husband I wish I would have a hot flash as I cannot get warm, so damp and cold today. I hope you have a better day tomorroe

  • Georgia1
    Georgia1 Member Posts: 188
    edited March 2018

    TaRenee, so sorry you are feeling down. This weekend for me was a windstorm; no TV, Internet and phone; and visiting dear friends who unexpectedly had to put down a beloved dog with cancer. Nothing I can blame on Tamoxifen but good grief breast cancer has made this an awful winter! Hope we all get sun, warmth, optimism and Brad Pitt type dreams soon.


  • eastcoastts
    eastcoastts Member Posts: 352
    edited March 2018

    TaRenee:

    This is such a difficult journey at times. {hugs}

  • Annie-B-7-14
    Annie-B-7-14 Member Posts: 37
    edited March 2018

    Hi Patsfan!

    I have been on tamox for a year and have a lot of pain every day. Exercise helps me and norco does the trick when all else fails. hugs to you.

  • sm627
    sm627 Member Posts: 142
    edited March 2018

    Hi TaRenee,

    I am sorry you were not feeling well today. I hope tomorrow is a better one. It seems like that everyday is a different day in how we feel when we take our friend Tamoxifen.

    Hugs and Love,

    Sara

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2018

    TaRanee, i felt like that also. Just felt off all day. I hate days like that. Hugs, hope today is better

  • Samantha51
    Samantha51 Member Posts: 4
    edited March 2018

    Hi fellow riders on the tamoxifen train, 

    I just started two weeks ago, and the hot/cold flashes are a little more, and seemingly more fatigue.  Have heard my body might get used to that.  But the idea of changing the hormonal balance is scary to me, too.  

    Will probably hang in there for a while,...but we'll see . 

    I'm not understanding why the statistics on the pharmacy paper ( showing little benefit ) don't apply to me, like my MO said. 

    grateful for this website and the connections with you . 


  • vampeyes
    vampeyes Member Posts: 523
    edited March 2018

    My turn for the emotional rollercoaster. A friend messaged me today after her mamogram. They found spots and a swollen lymph in her right armpit. She's scheduled for a biopsy on Monday. Unfortunately get mom and aunt had breast cancer. I am praying she does not join this sisterhood. She's so young, 30 I think. Reading her texts brought back memories of my cancer "journey". I wonder if the tamoxifen is enhancing my emotions, I feel like crying.

    Another SE started today, cramps. Maybe PMS is coming early from this lovely drug?

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2018

    vampeyes, i get that way also. I call it the cancer cry. Lol.

    A person i call my Aunt was diagnosed 3 weeks ago. I think i cried for an hour. She had a bmx but will not need chemo or rads. Lucky her

  • vampeyes
    vampeyes Member Posts: 523
    edited March 2018

    shelabela - Thank you, so glad I am not alone in the Tamoxifen rollercoaster ride. I am happy your aunt will not need Chemo or Rads.

  • runor
    runor Member Posts: 1,615
    edited March 2018

    Samantha51, if there is something you do not understand, insist that your MO explain it to you until you DO understand it!

    Did you take tamoxifen for your first diagnosis?

  • sm627
    sm627 Member Posts: 142
    edited March 2018

    Hi Tamoxifen Sisters,

    So it's Friday and we made it through another week. Overall how were the side effects? I found that I was very tired one day and the rest of the week I had my now normal SE pelvic pain and joint pain in my legs. Some days weren't quite as bad as others. I just think sometimes that every day is different in how you feel.

    Hope the Tamoxifen train ride was a little smoother for the rest of you.

    Hugs to all and I hope you all have a good weekend!

    Take Care,

    Sara

  • LiMa66
    LiMa66 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2018

    Yay for the weekend. Day 9 of Tamoxifen completed. I'm beginning to notice some vague joint aches, random hot flashes, and still having these crazy vivid dreams. Always tired, just not sleeping well. Oh how I miss sleeping on my stomach. Other than that all is well and I just keep chugging along trying to find something positive each day. This evening I spent a little time on the treadmill and felt good after.

    I hope you all have a good weekend.

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2018

    i seen my MO yesterday about the horrible SE I've started to get. After 2 hours of talking this is what we have decided to do.

    Take 2 weeks off to give my body a rest. Yay , but what's 2 weeks gonna do?

    Report back if my massive hot flashes subside, and joint pain, and headaches, and vaginal discharge.

    If they settle down then when i start back up i will take effexor? (Sp) and then tamoxifen butt she recommended splitting the pill. 10 mg in the Am and 10 mg at night. I know this has been brought up before on here so i mentioned it. She says she's done that in the past and found no problems.

    Hope all you wonderful ladies are having a great weekend

  • legomaster225
    legomaster225 Member Posts: 356
    edited March 2018

    Shelabela, I hope that does the trick for you and that your SEs ease up

  • vampeyes
    vampeyes Member Posts: 523
    edited March 2018

    Well I now have 8 pills into me. I have been writing down all the SEs to talk to the oncologist about on Wednesday , but it sounds like that may be a wasted effort. Thankfully hot flashes have not started yet. I seem to have increased wrist pain, not sure if its the Tamoxifen adding to my existing issue?

    Have a wonderful weekend ladies and gentlemen.

    Cheryl

  • TaRenee
    TaRenee Member Posts: 406
    edited March 2018

    Hi everyone,

    i have been fighting the blahs all week and just trying to stay hydrated and rested (that wasn’t real successful but I tried). I finally was feeling better on Saturday. Then today we sprang forward. I needed a 2 hour nap. And it’s cold. We may or may not get snow tomorrow and it has rained a cold rain off and on all day today. I just want next weekend to get here already. I’m too tired to face the week!

  • LiMa66
    LiMa66 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2018

    TaRenee- I agree. This whole jump forward an hour thing....not a fan. So tired. But, we can do this. I'm just going to take it day by day and look forward to my grandfather's 99th birthday next weekend.

    Hope you all have a tolerable week. Day by day.

  • sm627
    sm627 Member Posts: 142
    edited March 2018

    I hope next week is a better week for everyone! TaRenee, I am glad to hear that you are starting to feel a little better hope next week won't be to bad. I agree that we do need to take it one day at a time or sometimes a minute at a time depending on how the side effects are. I went to a work party this weekend and all I could think about was my leg cramps and my pelvic pain. Then people started asking questions about how my side effects were.That was the last thing I wanted to talk about. I was happy when it was time to go home.

    Wishing you all a week with less Side Effects.

    Hugs and Love to all,

    Sara

  • shelabela
    shelabela Member Posts: 327
    edited March 2018

    sm627, i agree when i am out and about i hate when people constantly ask "How... are... You.....?" And its so slow and pronounced like that. I say fine, hoping the conversation moves on. Most of the time they just keep asking. That's when i leave them standing there

  • vl22
    vl22 Member Posts: 471
    edited March 2018

    Hi everyone! Took my first tamoxifen pill today. I’m lucky enough to have had a TN tumor for which I needed chemo and 2 ER+ ones to need this. I’ve put off taking it for a week, but then ws like “what am I waiting for?”

    My biggest concern is that it took me so long to feel ok after chemo - I worry I’m just predisposed to bad side effects!

    I felt ok about taking it after speaking with my MO, but then I looked through the booklet that came with the prescription and was highly intimidated.

    Nice to have a place to connect and learn from others

  • TaRenee
    TaRenee Member Posts: 406
    edited March 2018

    Today was National Napping Day. Very appropriate. We got out early for SNOW so I came home at 2 and took a nap. It was glorious. Now, if only I can sleep through the night tonight...

  • Blownaway
    Blownaway Member Posts: 662
    edited March 2018

    Napping Day???I MISSED IT!

  • LiMa66
    LiMa66 Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2018

    Well, I gave up on trying to get by on 3-4 hours of bad sleep each night. Saw my family doc today and got a script for Effexor and Klonapin. Sure hope it helps. Don't want to be on it forever but I sure need some good sleep.

    Hope y'all are having a good week.

  • teachermomfl
    teachermomfl Member Posts: 13
    edited March 2018

    I just got my prescription filled today for Tamoxifen. Was on the fence about taking it, as I've only been diagnosed with ADH and I worry about overtreatment (it there is such a thing). I promised my surgeon that I'd meet with the oncologist today to get all the info. She went over all of my medical history again, and seemed to be very thorough. Based on my risk, she recommended Tamoxifen. I went in with every intention of saying no, but ended up saying yes. I'm very scared to start it. I was going to start it tonight, but hubby and I have a date night planned for tomorrow night, and I don't want to risk being sick (we're going out to a nice restaurant, and I love food :) ). I hope I made the right choice. Any suggestions for a nube like me?

  • lala1
    lala1 Member Posts: 974
    edited March 2018

    teachermomfl--My advice is to just jump in and take it. The anticipation may be way worse than the meds. I didn't even have any SEs for the first year! By then I'd read enough to figure out how to work with whatever SEs I got. I'm betting you be one who does pretty well on it. I just finished my 5 years and with hindsight realized that I was way more scared to start it than I should have been. Way I look at it now, if you can fight cancer, you can do anything.

  • Lewhy
    Lewhy Member Posts: 33
    edited March 2018

    Hi everyone, I was also very aprehensive about starting my Tamoxifen. I started it Feb 14th and I have only noticed hot flashes, which I already had. I definitely get more night sweats and I do notice I get a headache at the base of my skull if I don't drink enough. If those are the only SE I get, I will be happy!

    Since my diagnosis I have learned of 3 friends of friends who took Tamoxifen and fortunately, none of them had any major SE's either. That made me feel better. Sometimes I think the anticipation worse than the actual thing you are anticipating! Good luck to everyone

  • lala1
    lala1 Member Posts: 974
    edited March 2018

    Or better, depending on what you're anticipating! SillyHeartHappy

Categories

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