I started Tamoxifen just over two weeks ago. Exactly one week after I took my first pill, I had two awful nights in a row - thumping, racing heart combined with random and increasingly frequent extra-large thumps. I also had dreadful hot flushes all through the second night, and even during the second day my heart seemed to be bumping irregularly. I think this is what you’d commonly call ‘palpitations’. Having failed to successfully contact anyone for advice (this was the Saturday before Christmas), I decided to stop the Tamoxifen until I could speak to a medical professional. I’m hoping to see someone this Monday, but in the meantime, has anyone else had a similar experience with Tamoxifen?
I should add that I’m still experiencing problems, a full week after stopping the Tamoxifen. Haven’t had a normal night’s sleep for two weeks, and last night was awful. Half of me wonders whether all of this is stress-related, and the other half blames it on the Tamoxifen, because I’ve never had problems like this before - even throughout four months of miserable chemo and three weeks of post-op recovery.
I’d love to hear from anyone who’s had a similar experience.
It takes a while for it to work into your system…and then your body has to adjust to what youve taken…if that makes sense. I just got achey ankles and knees, but wasnt sure if that was the tamoxifen or chasing after the kids. I do find my heart races a little bit faster than what it used to…but was that part and parcel of the chemo, rads and tamoxifen…the hot flushes…well thats part and parcel of the tamoxifen which sucks…but id rather have the hot flushes than do all this again if that makes sense. I just carried on taking the little white pills and all symptoms stopped after the first few weeks, had to have a hysterectomy in october so my flushes are kind of all the surgery (cos they took the lot) and the tamoxifen…all I can say is I want to move to the north pole and im dreading summer lol…bit of luck the flushes wouldve calmed down a bit by then. Ive not slept properly since october…the flushes keep me up most of the night…lots of huffing and puffing. But im adjusting to it…and keeping PG Tips in business lol.
Hope that helps you chica.
Hi Yvonne
I’m sure its nothing to worry about. Palpitations are a symptom of the menopause and as we all know Tamoxifen brings on the menopause and all its unpleasant symptoms. Hot flushes and night sweats etc. I have suffered palpitations since I was 21 I am now 55! Ive had some scary episodes, where one night, a few years ago like you I woke to a really bad palpitation attack. My heart was thumping really heavily I thought I was having a heart attack. I was terrified which made the attack worse.I got hubby to ring the hospital, they wer’nt concerned as I had no pain etc. But I was so worried as it went on for about an hour, I went along to the doctors 4 0’clock in the morning! He said my pulse was rapid and sent me for an ECG the following week, fortunately everything was ok. Since I’ve started the menopause and then put on tamoxifen a year and a half ago I suffer more palpitations, but they are mostly mild attacks. They don’t worry me anymore. I look on them as a nuisance, especially if I’m out somewhere. My doctor told me an effective way to stop an attack, and thats to squat down on the floor and just stay there, prefably in a quiet place, for a few minutes and it seems to stop it. Obviously you can’t do this in the middle of a supermarket or the high street lol! Anxiety also causes attacks and with all what you’ve gone through has definatly caused a lot of stress. And too much caffine can cause an attack But its best to mention it to your doc or onc to be on the safe side. I hope this helps. Good luck on monday,
Thanks, Cynthia and Buttons. I had my first near-normal night last night (ah, such bliss!) but this morning the thumping heart is back again. Thing is, I don’t get attacks - the thumping is constant throughout the day and night. It gets worse when I get a hot flush, and, of course, it seems worse when I’m not distracted by other things like watching TV or reading. No luck with a doctor’s appt today - first available is Wednesday. I cut out caffeine from my diet about a week ago but that doesn’t seem to have made much difference. How am I going to hold down my job if I’m going to feel as crappy as I did over Christmas? That’s what really scares me. Five years of feeling awful and trying to run an IT department at the same time? Yikes.
Oh, well. Buttons, it’s nice to hear from your experience that these side-effects might lessen after I’ve been taking it for a while. And Cynthia, good to know someone else was as frightened as I’ve been over the palpitations - I’ve also come to the conclusion they’re not going to kill me, so I’m less frightened now and just very frustrated. I guess that’s progress of a kind!
I have suffered what I would call mild palpitations…or a sort of double beat…I think I felt them before I was put on Tamoxifen, but it has certainly been more noticeable since starting Tamox in June 2007.
The night sweats haven’t been to bad and they do seem to occur early morning rather than in the middle of the night.
I also cut the caffeine down to one cup of tea a day, after the first cup, I drink Decaf and I found that I feel much better for it.
The only thing I do feel is tired, so 2008 is going to be my year of getting myself fit…I hope.
Like I said, I started Tamoxifen in June and whilst at first I felt absolutely awful, some days I could have crawled into a corner and stayed there, but since the beginning of September the side effects became much less and now I feel OK.
Good Luck Yvonne and roll on 2012 when we finish this drug.