Hi, I have been on tamoxofin for 1 year. I have had a lumpoctemy and chemo and completed the radiotherapy in dec 2023. The menapause seem to have really hit me with constant hot sweats. Is there a safe supplement that i can take. The cancer that i had was Er posotive her2 negative, which feeds of estrogen.
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My oncologist said i could take Evening Primrose, i did for the first 18months. Now after 2.5 years coping much better thanks to yoga.
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Thanks, i will try these 
Hi Claire
Thank you for your post.
Hot flushes are the most commonly reported menopausal symptom due to breast cancer treatment such as tamoxifen and many women contact us describing the difficulties they are experiencing with them. The frequency and severity of them vary from person to person. For most women they will fade over time and become less severe, but for some they may continue to experience hot flushes which can really affect their quality of life.
We know that there are different things that help with hot flushes. You can speak with your breast care nurse or treatment team to discuss possible options, including supplements for managing hot flushes. Your GP may also be able to help. You may want to ask about a referral to specialist menopause clinic where you can get further advice and information about coping with menopausal symptoms. As @andihulse says, yoga and other forms of exercise can be helpful.
Many people ask about vitamin and herb supplements to help manage their symptoms. There is much we don’t know about supplements and herbal remedies. Herbal treatments don’t have to comply with the same regulations or rigorous testing that conventional medicines do. For many products there is a lack of research to support their use, and some can interfere with conventional medicines including cancer treatments. So do speak to your treatment team, GP, or a pharmacist before taking any supplements.
You can search this American website, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre, for information about individual herbs and vitamins. Each has sections on existing evidence and what known interaction there is with other medications. You may find that that some herbs have different names in America. You can also search herbal products and supplements on the European website Complementary and Alternative Medicine for cancer and on the American website Medicine Plus
Talking to someone who has had a similar experience can often be helpful. Our Someone Like Me service can match you with a trained volunteer who’s had a similar experience to you. You can be in touch with your volunteer by phone or email and they can share their personal experiences to answer your questions, offer support or simply listen to how you are feeling.
You can ring the Someone Like Me team on 0114 263 6490 or email them at someone.likeme@breastcancernow.org so they can then match you to your volunteer
Do call our helpline if you would like to talk this through or have any further questions. The helpline team have time to listen, talk things through and signpost you to more support and information if necessary. Your call will be confidential, and the number is free from UK landlines and all mobile networks. The number is 0808 800 6000, (Relay UK -prefix 18001).
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Best wishes
Wendy
Breast Care Nurse
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