Thanks all–it’s nice to hear some get thru tamox without all the side effects. I’ve been pretty lucky so far with everything–maybe I’ll get lucky with the tamox too. Any advice on what to do (other than drugs) for the hot flashes?? And how long before the hair starts growing back?? My final chemo treatment was Sept 13th. I do love my wigs they are so much fuller than my real hair. Does the hair come back thinner–anyone’s come back thicker???
Hi Chicky
Another one here to add to the list of those who have no problem mixing alcohol and Tamoxifen (plus Zoladex)! I tend to get just the night sweats rather than the daytime hot flushes and find that keeping the bedroom really cool helps a great deal - my poor OH has to have an extra blanket on his side of the bed. Some people swear by evening primrose oil but I have gone for the drug option and am taking Clonidine which is helping.
Sarah x
Thanks Sarah. I like your kitty–she’s similar to mine. I too have the bedroom window open and a ceiling fan on, my OH likes to be cool so he’s loving that I have the house cooler than usual. I also keep a water bottle with cold water under the covers that I put my feet on when I start feeling warm. I read on another thread that putting a frozen pack under your pillow helps, turning your pillow to the cool side when feeling warm. Well I’m going to start tamox on Monday, so I’ll see how things go, I imagine it takes awhile for any side effects to show. I like to have a glass of red wine while I’m making supper, so we’ll see how it goes.
I love this forum!! Thank you for saying “OUT LOUD” that not everyone has a life altering, positive experience after being diagnosed with BC. We can’t all start running marathons and climbing mountains. Some days it’s as much as you can do to get out of bed and on those days I want my old life back too!!!
Due an MX in Dec then not sure whether rads or not but definatetly got to have 5 years of tamoxifen. A glass of wine or two is what keeps me sane some nights! Hoping the SE you guys have had bugger off for me or I will really have something to say to this bloody cancer.
Hopefully, at some point the “grateful for being alive” feeling will come but until then, it can sod off.
I’m off to the fridge for a lovely glass of Sauvignon whilst I can.
Lots of Love
Hi
I have been on Tamoxifen for 3 years and hava had a few glasses of wine on a weekend with no bother at all.
As others have said its the only thing that gets me through.
Carolyn x
Hi Bish1,
Hang in there–I read your profile and it brought tears to my eyes. I don’t know how I would have pulled thru without the love, support, and humor my husband provided. Hopefully you have a lot of support from family and friends–your little boy looks so cute and happy! He is probably what makes it worth getting out of bed in the morning. You wonder, don’t you, why they couldn’t see everything in the mammogram??
The next glass of wine I have (which will be soon)–I’ll toast to you.
Hugs,
Linda
THanks Linda x
Your welcome Bish1. I’m happy to report that since starting tamoxifen on Oct 18th–I can still indulge in a glass of wine or 2 (port, beer,hiballs, etc) with no side effects. I have read that tamoxifen can be hard on your liver, so I figure that would be why a person should watch the alcohol intake.
Taking tamoxifen day 2 . I am 38 and had a lumpectomy on my left breast. Stage 1. Only radiation and tamoxifen. Worry about the symptoms and a occasional alcohol. Just want to keep in touch w some of you that have been taking this medicine. Looking forward to all your posts
Hi luckyme & all. Am new 2 this site. Hd lumpectomy, & 20 days on tamoxifen so far so gd. Hve had some flushes @ night& early morning. Did not drink 4 a few wks after op, have 1 or 2glasses with dinner & hve been ok. Start rads next wk, so might stop 4 a while coz of SE. I am getting nervous about next wk tho, another bit 2 get through!
Alis
hi everyone
I,m starting tamoxifen in about 3 weeks. I bloody well hope i can drink on it! . I,ve been looking forward to it since starting chemo in January.
good luck with rads next week Alis.
Maria x
Hi
I’ve been taking Tamoxifen since 9th Nov 2010. Had lumpectomy sentinel node removal and then 5 weeks of radiotherapy.
I have found that I can still drink alcohol…only difference is that I don’t feel I want to as much…well I do in my head but then after 1 or 2 glasses I don’t fancy any more whereas before I would finish the bottle. I still feel that 1 or 2 glasses helps me when getting stressed and need to just chill a bit…can’t see the harm in “sensible” alcohol use…within recommended guidelines etc…although I am conscious of media attention to alcohol being linked to breast cancer…but on further investigation / research I found it is only certain types of cancer and results/stats are from studies using women over 50 (I’m 46). So i took the view that in moderation, is fine for me.
Bettina x
I was wondering if anyone has had problems with drinking beer and getting sick after just a few? I have found myself getting violently ill after a few drinks. I never had that before tomax. If you have what did you do and any suggestions to help stop that? I like to have a couple after a long week.
Hi all
Just finished Tamoxifen after 5 years. At no time did I have any problems combining it with alcohol and nobody ever said I shouldn’t.
Cheers
Chinook
hi all
i just been reading the posts about tamoxifen and alcohol i been on tamoxifen 14months and in the last month i not been able to drink as much somedays i dont feel like drinking at all and wen i do drink i get drunk a lot quicker and cant dink as much as i used to do could anyone please tell me if it is my tamoxifen thats doing this after 14 months x
Hi everyone, Ive been fine drinking alcohol too just find that it makes my flushes worse. Get the aches and pains wonder if it is different if people have had chemo too?
I find that alcohol does not make me sick but it makes the hot flushes worse and makes me horribly anxious the next day. I dont know if this is physical or if I just feel bad to have drunk alcohol when it might have caused the cancer and this is what causes the anxiety. Does anyone else have this?
P.S despite its horrible effects I manage to battle on through and continue drinking!
i love a drink. I started a thread soon after my DX to say that my son I a medical statastician working in cancer research) had looked up the figures for my age group, wieght, etc on re-occurance in those that did and did not drink. His conclusion—carry on drinking mum.
it was obviously a bit controversial, and not everyone agreed with my decision. And i carried on with my never more than a bottle of wine a night habit.
After the WLE I did not feel like drinking for about a week, felt better and had a couple of nights socialising over a bottle of wine or so and realy enjoyed it. Then for some reason I was thinking about how to best prepare my body to deal with rads, and looking at the wieght that had crept on through the last few weeks of innactivity and how it was not a good idea to start tamoxifan higher than my normal wieght ( i would never diet though) When i suddenly had this wierd idea that i should stop drinking until after rads had ended and stopped burning. Very strange for me, and what is even stranger is that it has not been a problem, I am just not missing it.
Now if when rads have finnished and i start tamoxifan and I start the alcohol again only to find it makes me feel bad I dont know what I would do. 5 years is a long time to give up alcohol. I would probably do the same as you and battle through. I might try changing brands of tomaxifan though to see if it has the same effect.
I think my answer is, dont feel bad about drinking, from what i read lots of women on here still do. Drinking might have increased your chance of getting cancer, but it was not the cause. No one can pin point one actual cause.
Continue to enjoy a drink and be guilt free. then it is your decision if the symptoms continue wether the pleasures of drink outwiegh the increased hot flushes. Try drinking a bit more water before you go to bed that might help.
I have always been a weekend drinker which is not good i know but since starting tamoxifen almost 3 weeks ago the thought of alcohol turns my stomach , i did try a few last fri with other half , result -violently sick , i haven`t been sick since i was a silly teenager ! since diagnosis in may i think i have convinced myself that drink caused my cancer (49 this year ), particulary after reading the statistics that one glass of wine nightly can increase risk dramatically , having said that my best friends mom drinks a bottle of wine a night , smokes 20 a day and at the age of 78 has no intention of stopping for anyone , luck of the draw ? i think so xx
yes there are posts on other threads from non smokers,vegans,vegetarians, marothon runners, non drinkers,no relaves with cancer etc, and all getting cancer. its just the luck of the draw i recon