After effects of Tamoxifen

Ask our Nurses your questions
1

I am 71 and stopped taking Tamoxifen 6 months ago after taking it for 10 years.  I feel as if I’ve suddenly aged 10 years as I’ve always been fit and active.  I now have joint pain all over the place, but particularly in my lower back and my knees, severe tiredness at times, memory loss/brain fog, very low moods, don’t want to go out, sore, blurry eyes, irritability, weight gain, bloating and my mind is racing all the time.  (I also have light bleeding from time to time, which was investigated and put down to the long use of Tamoxifen.)

I saw on another forum that all of this is quite common, but no-one warns you in advance and no-one seems able to say how long it may last.  It is very depressing.

2

Hi Quilter 

Thank you for posting. It sounds as though you are having a difficult time since stopping tamoxifen.  

Most people don’t get any symptoms when they stop tamoxifen, and any side effects from taking the medication usually resolve within the first few months after stopping. However, everyone is different, and some people do seem to develop some symptoms. You can read about other people’s experiences in these Forum threads.  

As you say, it’s not possible to say how long these symptoms may last. It’s understandable that you are finding the uncertainty difficult, especially as it sounds like they are affecting your day to day life. If you have not done so already, we would always recommend you speak to your GP about these symptoms, so they can look at any other possible causes and provide support and advice to manage and improve them.  

You may find our information on life after cancer helpful. Although this is aimed mostly at people who have recently finished their main hospital treatment for breast cancer, the tips on managing side effects could be of interest.  

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Cassie 

Breast Care Nurse 

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