Bottle o Tamoxifen
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Deb, congratulations on your 2 yr anniversary. I'm so happy for you. Plus the b9 results is great news.
Tink, sorry to hear you are sick. Lots of crud going around. Take care and get well.
Jo, you find the best pictures to post. I haven't been able to figure out a site I can use to post pictures from...I'll keep trying.
Hope all the ladies have a good day and a restful weekend.
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Samdave7 - Paula is so good to us with giving us some eye candy!
newfmama - It has to get better. I was on a dry spell when I first started and although things are not great at the moment, it did go up and down. Jump in when you are on the up as I am sure you will get the desire back.
Off to see Mom and spend some quality time with the little ones before they head back to School. Love ya all ladies!!
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Great news Deb on your B9 results. What a relief. Definitely worth partying for.
I hosted book club last night and it was the first one since our friend Tracey died. Thought it would be heart wrneching but we did a lot of things to feel better. She loved butterflies so we now have a candle to burn with butterflies on it to remember her. We decided not to fill her spot and to bring the candle to every club meeting. We watched the dvd that we had made where we all talked about what we loved about her and there were many moments of laughter while watching that. We still plan on giving it to her family. we will miss her but know that she is free of pain and still joining us for book club in spirit. We even discussed our book knowing that is what she would have wanted.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. I for one am glad it is here.
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Great news Deb on your B9 results. What a relief. Definitely worth partying for.
I hosted book club last night and it was the first one since our friend Tracey died. Thought it would be heart wrneching but we did a lot of things to feel better. She loved butterflies so we now have a candle to burn with butterflies on it to remember her. We decided not to fill her spot and to bring the candle to every club meeting. We watched the dvd that we had made where we all talked about what we loved about her and there were many moments of laughter while watching that. We still plan on giving it to her family. we will miss her but know that she is free of pain and still joining us for book club in spirit. We even discussed our book knowing that is what she would have wanted.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. I for one am glad it is here.
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sorry ablut the double posting. I was too impatient.
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starting Tamox on Sat...can yall tell me how fast the side effects (if any) hit ?
Also what meds are you not supposed to take with this ? I read something about Benedryl ?
I also have been hearing about some Chinese herb supplement that helps with hair growth issues and hot flashes ?
Any info for a Tamox newbie is welcome...cause I am dreading this !!!!
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Welcome to the Tammi Train Tappy- Sorry you have to be here with us. Your first question about SEs - that is different for all of us. Some have them and some don't. I have just a few warm flushes a couple of times a day which are doable. For several months I noticed my hair was thinning so on the advice of others here I started taking Biotin 5000mcg and not only has it helped grow the hair back nice and full but also has helped strenghten the finger nails. I have always had very hard nails and they started breaking and cracking.
As far as the meds go - I would recommend you go to www.drugs.com and look at the drugs that interact with Tamoxifen. Yes, Benadryl is on that list of no-nos. I trust you let your MO know about all the prescription drugs and supplements you are presently on?
Dreading this? We all were in the beginning. I looked at it this way and still do. I just took the plunge and got it over with. It is just a little white pill that is either going to help me not get cancer again or it isn't. This whole cancer thing is a crap shoot. If I am going to endure this for 5 years well then the sooner I get started the sooner I can finish. I started Tammi Jan 5, 2011.
Others will come along and share their experience. Post often and ask any and all questions even if it is not related to Tammi. This is a super bunch of ladies you have found.
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Tappy welcome to the tammi train. Jo has given you great advice. I also had hair thinning and am taking the biotin and it has worked wonders for me.
Left work earlier and drove to Austn to get my computer fixed. Was a minor problem that they were able to take care of while I was there. My mom went with me so we had dinner and then I went to a healthfood store. It was 9:30 before we got home. I am waiting up for DH because he has been gone all week to a convention and I missed him terribly. Trying to find things to keep me awake as I am usually in bed by 10PM. Going to work on my garden tomorrow. Hope everyone has a great weekend.
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Tappy everyone reacts so different. In the beginning it was mild SE like insomnia, constipation and just irritable for no reason. Over time I have learned to deal with a lot of the lesser Se but as time went on new ones came and went. I was like Jo and I did not hesitate to jump in with both feet and not look back. Many women here don't have many SE effects at all and when something is not right they jump in here and we all talk it through! Right now I feel like an old lady as my joints are so achey....is it the Tami or not, who the heck knows but I have a tad over 3 years left and can kick this med to the curbside.....Good luck joining this thread and taking the plunge. We are here for you!
Happy Saturday ladies, enjoy!!
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Welcome Tappy. I hope that you are one of the luckey ones who have little to no SE. Just as the others have said about them, its all depends on the person. I still have hot flashes like crazy. It seems like no matter what I do, the dang things keep on hanging in there. Joints are an issues for me too. I just keep on going. Hang in there. Just ask away. Anything really. Thats what we are here for. Trust me you have come to a great place. The gals here are the best.
Happy Saturday all!!!!
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Tink- Well, I didn't get to African dance but I DID walk downtown from my house and join a pal for a galpal dinner. I am goin gto go to a Salsa dance tonight..fundraiser for a group of young musicians from Cuba and supporting the choir I sing with...will listen to music and hopefully dance some too!
June - hope the visit with your mom was lovely!
Jo- How are you feeling??
Tappy - welcome!
Sherry, Paula...Canadian hugs coming your way!
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Where do you all get the biotin at ?
Thanks for the welcome....:)
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Hugs back your way Sandee! Have a blast tonite!
Tappy I'm not sure where it is you can get it. I haven't tried it yet, but I sure one of the gals who have will come along and help ya!
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Tappy - You can get Biotin at any pharmacy or Walmart in the vitamin aisle. It is really inexpensive and well worth the cost.
Sandee - Most days I am almost next to perfect. I do have spells of depression and crying spells still but they seem to be getting less and less. Don't know if they will ever completely go away - I know how to deal with them when they crop up.
Planning recon surgery in April. Have to wait till the middle of March to get my surgical clearance from my GP and had to move up my annual mammo from June to March. PS wants a clean one and also something to establish a baseline. Once those two are done and the reports to the PS I will call and get scheduled. He needs 4 weeks lead time so if everything falls into place I am looking at the end of April. I will keep everyone posted.
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I worked hard today on my vegetable garden getting the beds ready for planting. I have enough ready that I can plant my onions and potatoes this week. Next weekend will finish the rest so I can get my tomatoes and other stuff planted. Got to get it all done before I have surgery. Won't be able to do much after that.
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I went to my MO the other day and was telling him my woes of Tammy... and he kind of blew me off... I was complaining of blurry vision, very dry skin and something else... can't remember.. and it was not memory loss. I told my MO that just because he hadn't heard of vision issues from "T" didn't mean it wasn't a SE.
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Jules like you I have a thryoid issue. Mine is hyper. I am going to be scanned soon but my gp does not think it is c-----. I did read that tamoxifen at about 3 months can mess with your thryoid and it usually straightens up about six months. This is post-menapausal women. I am taking a tamoxifen break til this is over. Of course it scares you, mets.
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bdavis I don't know why some Dr's don't acknowledge some of the SE's. I guess I have been lucky that my Dr has not discounted my SE's and listens to me when I have complained about them.
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Yea Sherry you really do have a good Doctor, cause no matter what I say I get blown off in a very nice way but still blown off.
Having a good friend on her way over and her kids are about the same age as mine so it will be a glorious Sunday and the best part is I didn't tell my kids so they will be super pumped when there is a knock at the door....at least I get girlfriend time too....life is good!
Happy Sunday ladies!
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June - Yes, life is good - finally. Have a great Sunday.
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Hi Tamoxi-babes! I have missed you! I tried to take a break thinking it would get my mind off of cancer, but it didn't work for me. Maybe time is the secret, but I'm just giving up! I still think about it every day. I guess our lives really did change that fateful day. What is that phrase I was trying to forget? A new different me, or something? Any way, I hope you all are doing okay on the Tamoxifen. I guess I am - I'm going to try to make it for 5 years and then that's it. I do not want to follow it with 5 years of an AI, even though I know my onc is going to suggest it. Oh, jo....my toe hurts and I thought of you....ugh! Always something!
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heartnsoul - So glad to have you back. I also tried to take a bit of a break but it did not work either. How our lives have changed? Couldn't stay away from all the wonderful ladies here. As for my toes, they don't ache anymore thanks to medication that works for them as well as the nerve damage. Hope to see you here more often.
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welcome back heart and soul... I know what you mean it is kinda always there " our new normal"
Junie hope your having a great day with your kids and friends
Bdavis... so not right that yur Mo blows you off like that... it may be time for a new one... everone reacts so differently to the med and nothing should be ruled as not a possible se... hugs
Sandee how did salsa dancing go????
Tappy welcome... Jo is right i just pick my biotin up at walmart even sams club has it a GNC almost anywhere you get vitamins.
Antibiotics still working but taking there time. My right side must be so much worse.. it hurts under my eye , my cheek and my top teeth... ugh... but its getting there... darn sinuses.....
Sherry.. your veggie garden sounds wonderful. Would love to do that!
Paula...hugssssssssssssssss
To all my tammy ladies... hope you all had a good weekend!!! hugs to you all
Maria
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June sounds like a wonderful Sunday for you and the kiddos
heartnsoul we have missed you.
I spent the afternoon working the Casting For Recovery booth at Troutfest. It was nice to see some of the ladies again. If any of you are interested it is a free Fly fishing retreat for breast cancer patients and surviviors. Does not matter where you are in your journey. They have them all over the US but each weekend is limited to 14. You can google it.
Tink really hope you can get to feeling better
SAndee we need a video of your salsa dancing.
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I think my MO is too rigid... He was telling me that hot flashes and hair issues are or can be SE, but not vision... but here I am, telling him it is a SE.. very frustrating. I did call him out on his resisitance to support my choice to travel for DIEP flap.. I said, "I know you weren't on board with my choice, but I am glad I went" he was like....Oh, I wasn't against it, just felt you could get great recon locally... he just totally ignores the fact that I wanted DIEP and not implants or TRAM.
Tinker... you are right, I should probably look elsewhere for a new MO, but I do trust him in many ways...
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Davis..I understand it is sometimes hard to switch we know who we have and never know who we are going to get. My eye doc even acknowledges that tam can effe t vision and did a field of vision test and checked my retinas this yr. Said he will do this yearly now... hope your feeling better soon hugs
Thanks sherry
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Jo - is that medicine you take called Lyrica? If my toe keeps hurting, I will ask about it. Maybe I can nip it in the bud before it gets worse. haha, ow, my toe! I keep expecting it to go away. I had to go to the airport Thursday and did a lot of walking so I thought maybe it was my shoes or something.
Tink - That's the phrase I tried to forget - our "new normal". Obviously I succeeded but unfortunately, it's appropriate. I have a sinus infection too. The 1st medicine the doctor gave me was (Amoxicillin), but I found out a few days later that it interfered with our precious tamoxifen. So he changed it to Keflex which is fine with it. I'm so miserable, too. My son started it all - he had a fever of 103 about 10 days ago. The doctor thought it was a viral infection, but whatever it was has hung around and hit me, just not as bad. I really think (and so does the doctor) that the flu shot I got in October gave me some protection. It's the first time I've had proof of my own that flu shots might really work!
Sherry - I'm going to check into Casting for Recovery. A lot of people in Atlanta go trout fishing in the only big river in town, the Chattahoochee. In fact, my brother does. I'd love to surprise him by saying, "Oh, I went trout fishing the other day." He's my annoying little brother who lives next door - sigh...He's also the only one with a yard that gets enough sun to have a garden. I keep talking to him about it, but he would just let me do all the work and he'd go pick out all the best stuff. I've been thinking about trying a greenhouse. I wonder, do they still need a lot of sun? I suppose I could always put grow lights in it. My house is practically in a forest! I'm sure working in the garden is not only physically good for you, but also mentally relaxing. I want to do it, just don't know if I can afford to invest in a greenhouse right now. I think I'll start checking into them.
Betsy - I have always had a lot of questions for my MO, and I've decided she doesn't answer chemo-related questions honestly. I finally went to my PCP the other day for the sinus infection (I had just been letting my MO take care of everything) and I picked his brain about chemo because I'm upset that I'm still feeling exhausted all the time. Finally, I got the truth from a doctor! He looked away, and nodded and said, Yes it can take several years to get your energy back after chemo. All this time, all my MO would say was, maybe you need to exercise more? Or something to put it back on me. They will NOT admit it was anything they did. But it is. Same thing for the ROs. I would have still done the chemo - I didn't feel I had much choice - I just wish I knew what to expect.
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heartnsoul - I have tried Lyrica and all it did for me was make my feet and legs swell to the point I could not get shoes on. I am working with a pain specialist and he has me on Nortriptyline - 75mg. This medication is a tricyclic antidepressant that is also used for pain management. It is really working - I take it in the morning and the bonus to all this is I get great sleep and feel so much better. Guess I did not realize just how depessed I was with all this BC crap. I have so much more energy because I can sleep more than 5 hours a night. The pain specialist told me I would have to be on this drug the rest of my life - grrr!!!. I also have the permanent nerve damage in the BC breast and I am getting relief from the medication as well.
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bdavis --I have worn glasses for years and have always gotten regular eye exams. My MO told me when he put me on Tamox that he wants me to see my eye doctor every six months while on tammi because it can effect your vision and also can cause cateracts. I have to admit that I did not do the first six months because I was so sick of doctor appts. At my last visit I asked him about it again and he confirmed he wants me to see my eye doctor every six months.
heartnsould-You do need to have sunlight for a garden. If you did the greenhouse you would have to have a light to simulate the sun for the veges to grow. I put in an new bed for the fall and it did not get enough sunlight and my veges did not do as well in that bed.
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Now I'm trying to figure out where I would put my greenhouse. We live in the woods and there are a LOT of snakes, so I'm thinking about putting it on this deck we don't use much - LOL. It would be close to electricity for the grow lights and easy to access from the house. Sounds dumb - having a greenhouse take up a whole deck - but I have reached into plants before to weed them and discovered a snake instead! But I can't afford it anyway, so for now I'll just have to keep going to Whole Foods and spending too much on veggies. Sort of a Catch-22, isn't it?
My vision has definitely changed, but the eye doctor wasn't too concerned. I am! I never had to wear glasses before, and now I can't see either really close or really far - just in the middle. Does that mean I need bifocals? Do they make bifocal contacts? Cancer is a real pain in the butt!
Jo - I'm going to ask about that drug. I've been thinking of trying an antidepressant, because I think I may be depressed. And I'm in a ton of pain lately, but I think it may be my fibromyalgia flaring up for some reason. Maybe it's effective for fibro, too.
Gosh, I'm going to talk your heads off if I don't shut up. haha, it's been a long time since I've really talked to anyone about cancer-related stuff. It just creates problems!
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