Bottle o Tamoxifen

Hi everyone...I will be starting Tamoxifin soon...So worried about all the Side Effects !!! Especially the weight gains...Did anyone here gain weight with Tammi???

Hi, everyone. Thanks for coming along with me for my ooph (what we do for a good time, huh?) hope you all got back safely. Most of the people I asked about this operation said it was a piece of cake, and maybe it was for them, but I had a really rough day yesterday. Seems they pump your belly full of air so they can get a good look and the air takes time to dissipate (I think sandi may have mentioned this.) it was like having the worst gas cramps all the way up to my neck. Hurt to move. Didn't help that I was also constipated. Threw every laxative i could find at it last night and at least we solved that end of things this morning! Gas is better, too. I am also just exhausted. Put a message on my office phone and email that I'm out for the week, and plan to stay undercover! Also restarted tamoxifen last night after a weeklong break. Truthfully, I didn't notice much difference being off of it, but they say it stays in your system for weeks. I guess I won't know if the hot flashes are from the ooph or the tamoxifen. Whatever...



To you new ladies starting on it, well, welcome. Don't worry about the SEs. I think you'll see that though we come here to vent to each other and share solutions, by and large we are managing the SEs. Some women have almost none at all. You do have to be vigilant while on this drug (I.e., my estradiol levels rose very high, found by a routine blood test ordered by my GYN, etc.) but I consider us fortunate to have this and the AI's in our arsenal. These are good drugs that have helped thousands of women.



Jenny, feel good, and sending you hugs. Sandi, thanks for the ooph advice. SherryC hope you are having a great time on your weekend. To all my other great friends, thanks for the chocolate, drinks and pillow whacks (kinda sore still on this end.) shalom, y'all, as we say in this neck of the woods,

Shari

Chelsea - Welcome aboard the Tammi train.  Tink said it well - everyone reacts differently and will have different side effects.  I did not have weight gain, hot flashes are minimal but did have some hair thinning in the beginning - been on Tam for 11 months now.  I do take Biotin now for the hair issues and the thinning has stopped and in fact hair is growing thicker.

Shari - Glad you made it through and just a little discomfort.  Rest up my friend - you deserve it.

Shari - it's been just under a week since my ooph/hyst and if that was a piece of cake, apparently I've been doing cake WRONG all these years!  Really horrible.  Doing better now, but can't seem to get the bowels in order.  Either I'm constipated, or I take TOO much to get things going, and sail into the other extreme.

Yes, we DO know how to have fun!

Hope everyone else is doing well,

Jenn

Thanks so much Tinker...You made me feel much better...I've been SO worried about gaining weight...Have a great Sunday!!!

Thanks for the response Chabba. I will keep my fingers crossed that the only SE I have is the weight loss.... ha ha   I already had night sweats and hot flashes prior to the BC so I am kinda used to those.....

Hi everyone,

I just picked up my prescription this past week and am finding my self very resistant to starting. I am just coming back to somekind of "normal" after surgery, chemo and rads. I am wearing a pretty wig, my breast in no longer black and the vaginal dryness is no longer a problem as it was during chemo.  I really could not stand that and now I know that it will return. I just want to feel somewhat feminine and attractive again. I did loose a much needed 15 pounds during chemo and am hoping that I will not regain that. Thanks for listening. 

Seem to be several of us just starting. I took my first pill today, so far no side effects although I am having some pretty bad joint stiffness from herceptin so won't know if tamoxifen does that as well. Onc wanted me to start several weeks ago but I wanted to finish rads first. One step at a time, would love to finish herceptin before starting, but i know that's not advisable. Also hoping for no weight gain since I just lost 25 pounds and am really thrilled with my weight now.

Welcome to all you new gals.  I really didnt have a tummy issue with the Tammi.  My main issue has been the hot flashes.  Its been so hidious at times, but its getting cooler out so thats nice.  I havent had any weight gain so far.  It has alittle to do with the Effer.  I take that to calm down the hot flashes.  I to was nervous when I first took mine.  I got the bottle and look at it.  I finally dove in and did it.  Good Luck to you all. 

Jenn- you cn join us for pillow fights whenever you are ready. Meanwhile...hope your body was gentler with you yesterday

June-good luck with your Mammo, will jump in your pocket if it helps you get past it.

mpeaches-I'm so sorry that your still sore, hope Mon am finds you feeling better. Sounds like you had alot of activity on Fri, hope things are quieting down and wishing happy thoughts about your MRI, please let us know and by the way...It's okay to say "I'm done!" a hundred times, as long as you don't actually mean it.

chelsea123-had no weight gain at all, just some joint aches and hot flashes and have been on it almost 4 months

sgreenarch-sorry your still feeling crummy. That nasty gas is nitrous oxide used to inflate your abdominal cavity so that they can see and then removed the ovaries. They do try to get most of it out after the case, but not all gets pushed out. It will feel as if the soreness is traveling up into your chest, shoulders, back and neck. Showers, heating pads, narcotics and moving around will help. There is also some thought that OTC gas pills help to. (Know all this as a ooph sister and an OR nurse). Also want to warn you, I was on Tammi also before my ooph and thought that the hot flashes and symptoms after ooph wouldn't be much different-wrong. It will take your body awhile to adjust so hot flashes, sweating, vaginal dryness and mood swings will increase for awhile, but don't get discouraged they do get better. I did need my Effexor dose increase from 75mg to 150mg and that has helped so much. Good luck and I hope your feeling better very soon.

odie-good luck with your exchange next week and by the way, I have lost about 5 lbs since being on Tammi (4 months). Unfortunantly I didn't need to lose it and am currently altering my diet to include more calories. Good luck.

singlemom1-Everyone of us was scare of the SE before we jumped on the Tammi train, that's totally normal. They way most of us end up looking at it is this...If the SE get to be to much or they can't relieve them with medication than I'll stop taking it, but it's worth it to see if you can tolerate it, all of us have. Good luck to you and wishing you SEfree days ahead.

Welcome to all the newbies, you've found a great group of women who will give you advice and knowledge and walk with you though yet another phase in our journey.

Welcome to all the new ladies! I have been on tami for 9 months. No weight gain, in fact, had some weight loss early on. Gained it all back after my ooph. Other then that, no real problems on the tami. I felt the way Jo did, I was afraid NOT to take it. It is more a comfort to me, knowing it's keeping the nasty BC away. Good luck to everyone! May you have little, if any, SE's.

Hope everyone had a good weekend. Shari, Jenn, hope you both are feeling better today. An ooph really isn't a cake walk! 

Take care,

Sandi 

Yay Elizabeth, what a feeling.....I have 2 hours till my appointment and my stress level is crazy today.  I remember before all this BS happening that I would be a little concerned but not stressed out like now.  Funny how that changes and every little thing freaks me out now.  For example got in an argument with DH this morning and went to do some errands to then have shooting pins and needles in my left arm.....hmmm....stress related or something more.  I know I should call my doc as the pain lasted for close to an hour, but I am so sick and tired of appts that I want nothing to do with making that phone call, so I think I will ask the technician today and see what she says.......2 more hours and hopefully I will be stress free and somewhat in a better mood, especially to hubby!!!

Love you girls!!!

June - The stress is totally understandable. I am also with you today if Jo will scoot over ...Hang in there... Hugs & kisses!