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Topic: Bottle 'o Tamoxifen

Forum: Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After — This is a safe place to share your experiences of others considering or on hormonal treatment.

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Posted on: Nov 26, 2007 03:02PM - edited Nov 15, 2017 01:59PM by moderators

Posted on: Nov 26, 2007 03:02PM - edited Nov 15, 2017 01:59PM by moderators

ashaby wrote:

Dear All, (and Layne are you there?)

Got my Tamox today and will start in a week. Where are my tamoxi pals? It says weight loss for one of the side effects. Now that's a good thing. Basha

Edited by Mods to add content from the main Breastcancer.org site's section on Tamoxifen in Pill Form (Brand Name: Nolvadex): Benefits, Side Effects and More

Dx 4/4/2007, DCIS, 6cm+, Stage 0, Grade 2, 0/0 nodes, ER+/PR-, HER2-
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Dec 11, 2021 01:36PM lala1 wrote:

runor- Not stupid at all. Tamoxifen became a sort of security blanket for me. At 5 years I took the BCI test and found I got no benefit from continuing so my MO and BS both said time to stop and I panicked! My MO suggested I treat it like AA and do it one day at a time. He gave me a 30 day supply and told me to take it home, put it with my supplements I take every day but to just not take that one pill. It really was half scary and half fun! But with each day that went by that I didn't take it, I became more comfortable in all the other ways I was trying to keep myself healthy. My MO reminded me that eating healthy, exercising daily and keeping a healthy weight actually gave me almost as much recurrence risk reduction as Tamoxifen. So that's where I turned my focus. And one day I realized I hadn't thought about Tamoxifen in weeks....so I threw it away.

Mentor smooth round high profile memory gel implants 600cc (Left); Allergan 10 Moderate Profile 120cc (Right) ; Oncotype 15 Dx 11/27/2012, IDC, 2cm, Stage IIA, Grade 3, 0/5 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Surgery 12/13/2012 Mastectomy; Mastectomy (Left) Hormonal Therapy 2/1/2013 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone) Surgery 3/26/2013 Reconstruction (Left): Silicone implant Surgery 6/25/2014 Reconstruction (Left): Nipple reconstruction Surgery 1/20/2015
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Dec 14, 2021 12:46AM sampy661 wrote:

Hello,


I've been on Tamoxifen for a little over two months and I've faired relatively well, reason being, I believe chemotherapy rendered me menopausal therefore I attribute my hot flashes and sore feet to chemo induced menopause rather than Tamoxifen - but I'm not sure.

I've tried my best scouring this thread and I've come across discussions regarding a sluggish GI, constipation etc and I'm not sure what contributed to my sluggish GI, is it the Tamoxifen, menopause, chemo?

I eventually found relief in FODMAP dietary needs which is reserved for those who suffer from IBS - a disease I've not been diagnosed with. Nothing else would work for me, not Keto, not the anti inflammatory diet, nothing except FODMAP - my GI track was stubbornly sluggish.

My question is, what's the likelihood I have to eat like this for the duration of Tamoxifen, or do you suppose my gut has sustained some “issues" due to chemotherapy? I completed chemo in August and the oncology nurses didn't really see a problem since I'm doing fine now - but my food is very restrictive - in comparison to how I was before my breast cancer diagnosis.


I want to eat like I used to, but I can't without enduring woeful bloating, horrible gas - I'll spare you the details. Before you ask, yes I exercise, yes I drink 3 litres of water a day, yes I sleep in excess of 8 hours a night. Am I still adjusting to the Tamoxifen and will things get better? Has chemo upset my GI, is this just a symptom of menopause - I MISS BRUSSEL SPROUTS!


Thanks for listening…

Diagnosed 30/3/21 - DCIS 3cm - IDC 3.3cm - 0 nodes - Grade 3 - Stage IIA - ER/PR+ - Lumpectomy - Chemo TC (9/6/21) - More To Come…
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Dec 14, 2021 06:21AM salamandra wrote:

I had terrible acid reflex starting hormonal treatment. I had no idea gas could be like that. I treated it with prescription strength PPIs. It did eventually get better - I don't remember exactly how long but definitely a lot more than two months.

OTOH I had other tamoxifen side effects that never did get better.

I think it's not really possible to know except by letting it play out a while longer (and maybe doing some experimenting with the drugs), but if you haven't spoken to a doctor about possible help with symptom relief, it seems like it's at least worth a try.

Dx at 39. 1.8cm. Oncotype 9. Dx 9/19/2018, IDC, Right, 1cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 0/3 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2- Surgery 10/17/2018 Lumpectomy; Lymph node removal Hormonal Therapy 11/1/2018 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone) Radiation Therapy 12/2/2018 Whole breast: Breast Hormonal Therapy 12/18/2019 Fareston (toremifene)
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Dec 14, 2021 10:18AM waves2stars wrote:

Sampy, I felt like that at the beginning, too. The gas and bloating was pretty extreme. If I can stay “regular” I don’t notice it as much. The best way for me to do that is to throw a carrot and one or two stalks of celery into my mixer and pulverize it, then drink. Sometimes I add blueberries. I don’t even have to drink it every day, but at least four times a week. I get some afternoon gas from it, but it is way less than when I have constipation. I also take a high quality, as in found in the refrigerated section of the health store, probiotic a few times a week. Sugars and fructose seem to make it worse for me, thus the probiotics.

As for the cause, who can give you the definitive answer? My MO said to expect Tamoxifen side effects to be similar to taking the pill: water retention, reflux, weight gain, yeast infections, etc. I’m just glad I don’t have swollen breasts like I did on the pill. I would think chemo could cause inflammation in your GI tract, too, so maybe this will calm down once you have had a good chance to heal. Also, maybe think about having your gall bladder checked at some point.

I hope you feel some relief soon! Your poor body has been through a lot!

DX @ 47. IDC 2.1 cm, DCIS 2.8 cm, Luminal B Dx 7/19/2021, IDC, Left, 2cm, Stage IA, Grade 2, 0/3 nodes, ER+/PR+, HER2-, FISHISHCISH Dx 9/2021, DCIS, Left, 2cm, Stage 0, Grade 2, ER+, HER2- Surgery 9/1/2021 Lymph node removal; Mastectomy; Mastectomy (Left); Reconstruction (Left): DIEP flap Hormonal Therapy 9/20/2021 Tamoxifen pills (Nolvadex, Apo-Tamox, Tamofen, Tamone)
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Dec 14, 2021 05:21PM sampy661 wrote:

Salamadra - Initially I did have acid reflux actually, long after chemotherapy ended which subsided with medication and hasn't returned since. I have discussed my issues with my GP and the oncology nurses, they feel since my blood tests came back within the healthy range they surmised I've developed food sensitivities. They couldn't guarantee I'd overcome them with time, they're not convinced it's a side effect from tamoxifen either, symptoms seemed to have escalated while on Tamoxifen I feel.

Initially I was treating constipation/diarrhoea with medication but quickly realised these over the counter medications were not a long term solution so I endeavoured finding my own solution which was FODMAP.


Waves2Stars - This is the thing, I can't eat celery anymore, it has mannitol, a substance the body converts into sugar that bloats me to uncomfortable proportions, blue berries are full of fructan, even small doses of fructans will send me into a downward spiral really quickly. Carrots on the other hand, I can eat to my hearts content. These are all foods I could devour without issue previously.

I've managed my symptoms by very careful food choices, I think steel cut oats has been a life saver but it's disheartening to have to avoid eating out, the other day I went to a food court at a shopping centre and brought my own cut lunch, like a peanut - incidentally, peanuts I can eat since they're low FODMAP. I swear people were looking at me


I may have to wait it out, I like the thought of having my gall bladder checked, my mother had gallstones so it has piqued my interest. Maybe chemo is the culprit, I hope these food sensitivities pass, in any event it's encouraging to read Tamoxifen is unlikely the cause. Thanks for your input guys, much appreciated, rant over

Diagnosed 30/3/21 - DCIS 3cm - IDC 3.3cm - 0 nodes - Grade 3 - Stage IIA - ER/PR+ - Lumpectomy - Chemo TC (9/6/21) - More To Come…

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