Hi I’m taking tamoxifen its early days decided to go out dressed today as not been out much since surgery,then they started,hair wet but I could just feel my make up sliding down my face,i even had black under my eyes from sweating,what a sight by the time I got in, Any recommendations ladies,as I’m going to really struggle with this when i do go back to work,thanks.
Hi Kary,it’s miserable isn’t it .Ok ,firstly for a lot of people the side effects do settle down after a few months so it may not be like this forever .There are a number of things you could try to help .You could try taking the tablet at night if you don’t already, I’ve found this means flushes at night rather than during the day which I prefer as can kick the covers off and sweat without attracting attention !! There is something called Ladycare magnet which you can order from Boots that some people have found v helpful .You could try a different brand of Tamoxifen as some brands affect people worse than others when it comes to side effects (although some people don’t find any difference), finally there are a couple of antidepressants that GPs can specifically prescribe to help with hot flushes, Venlafaxine is one which people I talk to have found very helpful .Good luck !!
Hi Kary - flushy make up the difference between being Doreen or Madonna!! I’ve tried lots of stuff - bare minerals powder was a good find - however, I’ve given up eyeshadow in the Summer and did have an eyelash tint once. I have found Clinique make up quite good and a primer was suggested but I’ve been make up less since diagnosis - no good if I have a weep!! The Clinique foundation stick good for cover ups. I tend to buy only when bonus time, as it’s so costly! I think this could be another thought for Dragon’s Den! Xx
If you find anything let me know xx
Hi ladies,
the dreaded hot flushes…
Just post chemo and during the first month on Letrozole I suffered badly. Thankfully they have now settled down. And I am sure the tip of taking the tablet in the evening has helped, too.
My personal tips
Layered cotton clothing, pure woollen cardigan - no fleeces or fleece materials. They seems to make things much worse, as they do not soak up the sweat.
Make up - for day to day I have taken to Garnier Skin Naturals BB cream, the original/classic one. It is a tinted cream and gives me just about enough coverage and colour. I set this with Clinique loose face powder and add some blusher and highlighter. The loose powder may not be cheap, but it lasts a very, verly long time.
For more formal make up I use Clinique super balanced make up - again set with the face powder.
Waterproof mascara is a must for me - to avoid it running, when very hot - or crying for that matter.
Eye shadow - Urban Decay, which has strong and long lasting pigments and they also have a waterproof eyeliner. I used the eye liner through chemo to ‘replace’ my eye lashes. It worked brilliantly and never slipped off or faded, no matter how much I sweatedand cried. Otherwise I tend to use a solid stick/thick pencil eye shadow, which tends to hang on much longer than powders.
It may be worth your while to have a discussion with the Clinique beauty advisors - and let them know about your challenge. They may be able to recommend the right type of make up for this speciic issue.
At a guess it will never be quite perfect - but hopefully better.
Hugs
Sue x