I was fully expecting Tamoxifen to be a nightmare given that chemo gave me truly horrendous hot flushes and night sweats, but I have been pleasantly surprised instead. My hot flushes are controlled by the fact that I am also taking Citalopram but I was waiting for the mood swings etc to kick in and so far no problems at all. The only weird thing was that for the first few weeks I was incredibly thirsty all the time but that has now worn off. I started taking it in May at the same time as having rads.
Chemo kicked me into the menopause so I haven’t had a period since January and my onc thinks they are unlikely to come back now as at 48 I was peri-menopause when dx.
When I mentioned to my GP that I was so happy not to be dealing with some of the SEs people so often get with Tamoxifen, he said that in his experience about 60% of women get none or very mild SEs and only a small percentage get them all.
Considering how many things have gone wrong or been really difficult for me during treatment, I cannot begin to tell you just how relieved I am that this is something has been okay to deal with. It’s nice to know that I got lucky over one thing!
In the 3.5 years I was on tamoxifen (and zoladex/ovary removal) I just had a few mild flushes each day. I started it on the day of my results, 3 weeks before rads. I was told that it does take 3 months to fully get into your system.
Hi all
I had a few se’s at the start of taking tam (May 11) but they all seem to have calmed down except the imsomnia and the odd night sweats but I’m getting used to them now
xx
I’ve been taking Tamoxifen for about 5 weeks now and I was told to start before rads so thats a bit worrying about it making rads not so effective!
I’ve had no obvious side effects at all. I take starflower oil every day as well so whether that has had an effect I don’t know
I heard about Tamoxifen may be making rads not as effective so looked into it and, at the time, all the things I read suggested there was no difference to whether you started it before or after. I really hope that’s true!
I started tam about 3 weeks after the end of rads.
I was told SEs peak at 3 months and if you’ve OK then you should be OK for the 5 yrs.
Chemo killed off my periods and they have not returned - am told that as i am 42 there’s a 50/50 chance of them returning in next 3 yrs- and had hot flushes. Flushes are more intense now and despite warnings of weight gain I think I’ve also lost a couple of pounds!
I have sailed through My operation i had a wide excision lumpectomy and 4 lymph nodes removed and thoght i was doing ok but im about to start rads and tamoxifen next week and i have been dreading it i worry it is going to kill my sex drive which i dont think anyone has touched on yet, i worry about getting menopausal symptoms before my time im 44.so i know its not that far off. its encouraging to hear peoples hair getting thicker i was worried about losing that as well. i am normally so positive and upbeat but the last few days i have been a wreck tearful not sleeping being totally irrational any thoughts?
Hi electra
Please to report that Tamoxifen hasn’t killed my sex drive and I’ve lost weight (1 1/2 stone) since starting on it. Mind you I was so overweight that percentage wise that wasn’t that much and I should still lose more weight.
But the main message is that the SEs aren’t necessarily too bad. Don’t forget that most of the posts you see on here are from people who are having a tough time with something and are asking for advice or help. You don’t tend to hear as much from the ones who are not finding things too awful.
@Electra: “i worry about getting menopausal symptoms before my time im 44”
The peri-menopause can last for 10 years - that’s the time that one tends to get symptoms, that NOT EVERYONE gets.
The actual menopause is when it’s all over, really.
I started my peri-menopause at about 44 so you’re not really “before your time”.
The benefits of Tamoxifen as a treatment for BC far outweigh the potential SEs.
Tamoxifen also lowers the risk of bone loss due to ageing, a condition caused by changes in oestrogen levels. When taken regularly over a period of years, this could help to prevent osteoporosis symptoms, common in post-menopausal women.
Tamoxifen can lower harmful cholesterol levels. This can directly benefit your cardiovascular health. Post-menopause, women’s risks of a CVA rise in line with men’s. Tamoxifen can help to delay this.
If one can tolerate any POSSIBLE (not definite) SEs, it’s a no-brainer IMO.
Hi Electra, I worried that about tamoxifen too. Seemed like the final straw. I also had WLE and SNB plus re-excision, rads and now tamoxifen. Pleased to report that tam not really doing much to me other than making me a bit hot at night (now I really AM hot stuff) and doing weird things with periods - just spotting but quite long? -and certainly not affecting my sex drive or having any of the other nasty SEs people mention.
I suspect those of us who don’t have SEs probably don’t bother to come back and say that much. I am seven months in and would barely know I was taking it xx
You will also see from other threads on here that many people find that different brands of Tamoxifen affect them differently. So even if you DO get unpleasant side effects, don’t assume you will get them with all brands of it, try another one. The main ingredient is the same in all of them but the additives are different. I found Wockhardt was awful but on APS I’m a happy bunny.
Its funny isn’t it. I’m fine on Wockhardt. I guess different people respond differently to whatever coatings or bulking agents they put in the different versions x
