I have been taking Nolvadex D Tamoxifen since the end of April and so far touch wood I haven’t had too many side effects. But the one thing I have noticed is that I can’t drink the same amount of alcohol that I used to be able to. During chemo alcohol had the same effect on me as it did prior to getting breast cancer but since I started the tamoxifen I get tiddly far quicker, even after a couple of glasses of wine and if I go out for the evening with friends and drink a lot more, I am violently sick when I get home!!!
I have never been sick on the night of drinking, in the past I may have felt rough the next day but nothing like this. Has anyone else had the same experience?
I’m not saying i’m an old lush or anything but I do enjoy a few glasses of wine when I go out for a meal or with friends…
I have exactly the same trouble and am also on Tamox for more or less the same length of time. So since BC I can not enjoy a glass of wine, hair like cat fur post chemo, I am too shy now for sex and getting fat despite exercising for England. One more article about how BC can be a positive experience and I may just turn violent (meno mood swings).Treatment is all very well but what is the point if you can not do anything you enjoy?
I can so relate to what you are saying! When did you finish your chemo/rads etc? My treatment ended mid June and hair has grown back long enough to now come to work without the scarf. It came back a bit grey but I feel much happier now that I have coloured it.
I am also struggling to lose the weight I put on during chemo… I’ve lost about 10 pounds of it but still have another 8 pounds to go. It’s a hard slog and i’ve had to get a personal trainer to help me.
I understand what you are saying about all the articles saying how much their lives are better since BC… I can’t see that myself, I want my old life back!!
Do you also get sick when you drink more than half a bottle of wine?
If you don’t mind me asking, how old are you? i’m 41 yrs.
I finished chemo in March, no rads, had the m-op with a not brilliant reconstruction. I am 43. I have piled 6kg on since April despite going to the Gym 3 x weekly and doing 1 hr of cardio plus weights. Reckon i need about 15 hrs to have any impact! I am not eating more and i have now reduced the calories yet again to around 1400 a day with no results yet.I annoyed because my weight did not fluctuate much at all on chemo!
I can not even manage a small glass of wine, or fatty foods. in fact I have frequent stomach discomfort and even meal size is reduced. My 26" waistline has expanded to 30" in just a few months - depressing!And i really can not see any reason other than Tamox.
I too want my old life back - all this c*** about new perspectives etc really annoys me - I am just grumpier, uglier, poorer since having been on reduced sick pay and generally not at all grateful for life.
Are you having any other side effects with the Tamoxifen… which brand are you on?
When I couldn’t lose the chemo weight I was referred to the Nutritionist at the hospital who gave me a blood test to check my thyroid as chemo can damage it, but it was fine. Plus she is seeing me on a regular appointment until i’ve lost the weight. Which hospital are you under?
I was so sorry to learn that you were unhappy with your reconstruction, are they going to correct it for you?
I felt the same as you… I was so upset last week that I said to my friend that if i’d known life was going to be so different after fighting the cancer I wish I hadn’t bothered. But after getting my hair done and my friend telling me that lovely times are around the corner, I cheered up.
I am also going to a young women with Breast cancer support group once a month which really helps and I have weekly counselling at Macmillan.
You didn’t say whether you were single or married… I;m single and it upsets me thinking i’ll never meet a new man as it’s hard enough trying to when you don’t have all the extra issues that BC brings with it.
But hang in there, i’m sure you are still beautiful and we all get grumpy at times. But don’t get me wrong, I so do know how you are feeling.
Same for me. I started tamoxifen in March and by June, I struggled drinking a small glass of wine and got a hangover if I drank anything. I had many more SEs too, which made me feel awful. I tried Nolvadex, but still struggled. I’ve seen the onc again today and she’s taken me off it and we’re now trying the Zoladex/Arimidex regime. Fingers crossd.
It’s a real bummer isn’t it and another thing to make you feel different from everyone else!! What did your oncologist say about the alcohol because it’s not listed as a side effect of the tamoxifen?
What other side effects did you get from tamoxifen and could they change you over to the other things because of your age?
I found I couldn’t tolerate alcohol when I started on Tamoxifen and Zoladex (migraine-like headaches) and mentioned it to my oncologist, who said, in her eliptical way that I might find that was the case. A neighbour, who is French, mentioned that her mother had also had trouble drinking wine when on hormonal treatment but it got better after a few months. I still don’t drink really heavy red wines, but introduced white wine after a few months and it’s now much better. I think that often our bodies do begin to adjust…
Hi Foxy. I didn’t mention the alcohol, because the onc knew how bad I was feeling, she just said to stop the tamoxifen, so the subject didn’t come up. Tamoxifen can affect the liver, and I’m assuming that’s why you have trouble processing the alcohol. I may be wrong, but that’s my guess.
I had a shed-load of SEs - fatigue, lethargy, headaches, low mood, nausea, dizziness, cramp, lack of concentration, papitations… Despite being 53, I’m still pre-menopausal, so I have to have Zoladex to switch off the ovaries before I can take Arimidex. If all else fails, she said they could do an oophorectomy and I’m thinking I might ask to have that done anyway, so I’ll be taking one fewer drug.
I have the same problems, since I am on Tamoxifen and Zoladex I can’t tolerate alcohol, not even a glass of beer, I get very bad headaches and I get very dizzy…
sab
Isn’t it such a pain… Not only have our lives turned upside down we now also can’t enjoy the little pleasures in life such as going out and enjoying a drink with friends without feeling yuck!!
I’m just hoping you’re right and it gets better after a few months… I love to enjoy a drink as it’s the only vice I have!!
I’ve been on Tamoxifen, wockhardt 20mg, since September and every time I have had alcohol since I have been violently sick. I’m 30 and I was pregnant when I was diagnosed with BC and have only been out a handful of times whilst drinking and at first I just though I’d over done it as I was no longer used to drinking, but last night I had 2 glasses of wine and was again violently sick, so have kind of put two and two together now. as even I could have handled 2 glasses of wine before!!
I also have really bad joint pain in my ankles in the morning and the most depressing of all I now have lymphoedema in my right hand and arm, like a constant reminder of the BC. As if the lumpectomy, chemo and radiotherapy weren’t enough!! I’m just thankful for my beautiful son, who is the only reason I have got through this at all!!
I am sorry to learn that you too are having problems with the tamoxifen SE. Have you thought about changing brands to see if it helps?
I was also really sorry to learn that you had developed lymphoedema. Did you lift something too heavy to trigger it off or was there no reason? It’s also my worst fear that i’ll develop lymphoedema. How many lymph noded did you have removed/infected? I had 85% removed.
Just wondered if you’d read the publications about reducing the risk of and management of lymphoedema published by BCC, here are the links to them if you are interested:
Hi Gemsy, sorry to hear you have lymphodemia, I too have this, it´s horrible, my onc told me not to lift anything over a bag of sugar in weight! Since then it has been better, some good days some bad.
You just have to take things easy, and for once in our lives let everyone else take care of you.
Hope you feel better soon, Take care love Teresa xxx
Hi, I was just checking the net to find out about alcohol and tamoxifen when I came upon your postings, so I’ve just signed up. I’m starting tamoxifen next week and am disappointed to hear everyone is having problems with drinking. I love to have a glass of wine a day and love to get together with friends for a few more. I finished 4 treatments of chemo 4 weeks ago which went with minimal side effects–just major hot flashes–the chemo shut down my ovaries–I’m a young 51. I’m into my second week of radiation and chose not to start the tamoxifen till after Thanksgiving so I could have drinks with family as my notes said drink moderately and I knew I would want more with all the family in. A friend is coming over tonight so I’m going to have champagne balenis while I can, and I’m going to invite friends over on the weekend for port, stilton and pears because it sounds like I won’t be able to enjoy these things anymore—aghhhh 5 years!!! One of my friends picks me up from radiation every Wednesday and we go for wings and beer–I wonder how that’s going to go over next week???
Hi chicky, you might not get it so bad, so cross your fingers. I’m 50, not had chemo, but had WLE (June) and radiotherapy (15 sessions ended 28th September) and tamoxifen (started 4th September).
Since I started the tamox 4 days before starting rads it’s hard to tell what is a result of what, but I have not had major anti-alcohol side effects. I am a pint of beer or glass of red wine person, and I did have a few weeks when I didn’t want alcohol - this was after the surgery but before rads and tamox. I think, talking to other people, this was my body saying treat me gently for a while.
I have started having the odd drink again, and when I do it doesn’t make me ill. But I am still wanting less than before BC. Like last night we always go out for a drink on Thursdays with a group of friends and I would normally have probably 2 pints of beer. I only had a half - which was lovely - but after that only wanted soft drinks. It’s all a bit weird isn’t it?
Susie.
xx
Remember that it only usually people with problems that post. I have been on tamoxifen for 2.5 years with no real side effects and definately no probs with alcohol.
Hi
Like Lolly, I too am one of the lucky ones!
I’ve been on Tamoxifen for 8 years now with no real side effects and certainly no problems with regards to drinking alcohol!
Hi
I’ve only been on tamoxifen since 23rd sept, I have had a few glasses of wine since taking it with no problems.
The only problem I seem to get is hot flushes.
I can cope with these
Chris x
