Feeling nervous about starting the Baby Tam

jenmd79

Hi everyone. So, I was diagnosed with ADH recently , I had a lumpectomy with clean margins about a month ago. My Breast Surgeon/Oncologist recommended that i start taking 5mg Tamoxifen daily for 3 years. She said that i have a 41% chance of getting breast cancer in my life but if I do the baby tam protocol it would reduce that 41% chance down to 20%. I am 46 years old, no signs of menopause yet. I am literally starring at the Tamoxifen in my purse and have yet to start. I've been reading all of these horror stories and maybe it's just all psychological how it's going to put me into menopause and I've always been one that your body should just naturally do what it's supposed to do, not forced. I'm also a weirdo with medicine, I don't even like taking tylenol.lol..Someone please tell me positive stories about taking Tamoxifen! I need an extra push or shove!

exbrnxgrl

I have no stories to tell you as each person is unique, though there are shared experiences and certainly side effects with many medications. What I will say is that far more people take time to write/speak about negative experiences . If things are going well, we’re less likely to hear about it. It seems to be human nature.
You are the one who gets to make the decision. I am not big on taking medication but if I could have taken something that would have significantly lowered my chances of mbc, I probably would have. The other thing you might consider is starting it and then discontinuing if it’s not for you. Whatever you decide, understand that there are no guarantees and we have no crystal balls. Take care

salamandra

"I've always been one that your body should just naturally do what it's supposed to do, not forced."

This feels really harsh and also… confusing. If so, why did you pursue any treatment/surgery for the ADH?

My body decided to make two cases of cancer for me within 5.5 years. I am now in induced menopause and taking additional medication to suppress estrogen because apparently a thing my body just naturally does is grow cancer. Between 'artificial' (induced) menopause and a third bout with genuine authentic 100% natural cancer (even if I again get lucky enough that it seems to be early stage), there is no doubt in my mind which I prefer.

If you are committed to letting your body do its thing, and you would not treat (or possibly not even diagnose) cancer even if you got it, that is one thing. It's not my thing, but it's a thing. But going through diagnosis and surgery for ADH and then drawing the 'natural' line at menopause sounds less like an actual cohesive approach to health and more like being scared of menopause and/or the side effects of the pills.

Which, you know, is fair. Those can be very worrying things. But I don't see how adding in the naturalness quotient would not just be needlessly confounding rather than helpful.

Does your treatment center have social workers or a mental health service? Those could be very useful outlets for both getting more information and working through concerns and fears, and for feeling informed and supported with whatever you decide.