Hi everyone
I have been on tamoxifen for about 5 months and recently have started to become breathless when walking and climbing stairs.
I have previously had lumpectomy, chemo and rads.
I rang my breast nurse and they said to stop tamoxifen for 2 weeks and see if my breathing gets better.If not it will be chest xray and bloods.
Has anyone else experienced this and been off tam .
Thanks
jackie
Hi Jackie,
I’ve been on tamoxifen since Sept last year and I became breathless at around the same time as you. Since seeing your post, I’ve decided to consult my doctor as I’m quite worried about it - have an appointment this morning so will let you know what he says. I’m quite anxious as I haven’t had any scans, except for the MRI of my boobs prior to surgery - have got it into my head IT’S EVERYWHERE.
Sally x
Hi Sally/Jackie
I am triple neg so not on any hormones. However, I would get the breathless thing checked out - I have mets in lung (amongst other places) and certainly minor breathlessness was the main symptom.
I really really do not wish to worry you but go see your Oncologist (not doctor) I went to my doctor who missed a partially collapsed lung - oncologist spotted it immediately.
Beat wishes Janx
Hi ladies,
I have been on Tamoxifen since No 1st, and I am also on Zoladex and Herceptin. Recently I have had frequent episodes where I have become v.v.short of breath, so much so that I couldn’t even hold a conversation! Anyway, this was particularly bad last week so I went to A&E. Initially they thought it was a blood clot on my lung which was causing the breathlessness so treated me as such. I had to stop taking Tamoxifen in case that was what was causing it, I was admitted to the ward for further tests and started on blood thinning injections.
Well, after many tests and 4 days in hosp it was found that there was no blood clot, instead my breathlessness is caused by heart failure. (Its not as dramatic as it sounds, and this is by no means meant to scare you!!). My medical cons believes that it is either the Herceptin, or chemo that I had May-Oct, that is causing it. I have been put on a load of drugs and am due to see my onc on Monday to discuss what happens next. My medical cons reckons there is no way I’ll be able to continue the Herceptin.
Hope that helps,
Take care,
Kelly
-x-
Hi Jan and Kelly,
Thanks for that - I’m not under my oncologist anymore (I’ve only seen him once and he wasn’t planning to see me again - something I said?!) so I saw my GP today. He’s great and doesn’t fob me off and make me feel like I’m bothering him. So I was sent off to the hospital for a chest x-ray and I have blood tests and an ecg booked for next week. I was wondering about the heart thing, as I was having a rest a coulple of days ago in the afternoon (anyone else get so tired on tamox?) and I could feel what felt like my heart stopping and starting - not too often, but about every 30 mins or so. Also, I feel breathless lying down like when you’re at the end of a pregnancy.
Anyhoo, results from chest x-ray not until two weeks today, so another lovely wait. I’m not sure whether to carry on with tamoxifen or not - think I’ll have to phone doctor.
Thanks again,
Sally xx
Hello everyone
I have been suffering from breathlessness finished rads 6 weeks ago and am on tamoxifen. Saw my onc on thursday and she said that rads can cause it , inflamation in the lung so has put me on a course of steroids which is helping
Best wishes
Hilary
Hi Hilary,
I didn’t have rads so that’s not an option - my partner’s scared me by googling tamoxifen and pulmonary embolism - sounds just like me! Probably not, but you can’t help imagining the worst.
Jackie - how’re you doing off the tam - any better?
Kelly - sorry you’ve had to stop the Herceptin, but hope you’re feeling better.
Hope you’re all well,
Sally xx
Hi Sally,
just wanted to wish you the best of luck for when you go to get your chest x-ray results. I will be keeping everything crossed for you and hope that it doesn’t play on your mind too much over the coming days. Waiting for results is never nice but hopefully the news will be good,
Take care and keep in touch,
Kelly
-x-
Hi everyone
Went to a&e three weeks ago and spent a week in hospital being treated for a pulmonary embolism.
Dont know if tamo the cause but have been off that for 6 weeks and have to see my surgeon on May 7th.
Currently on warfarin and trying to get level right have had about 14 blood test in 3 weeks in my damaged veins which is no fun.
If anyone gets breathless and doesn’t normally, i would say get it checked.
jackie
x