Hi, I’m looking for advice on the menopause while taking tamoxifen.
I started taking tamoxifen in January this year. I am just 50 now but before having BC I hadn’t had any menopausal symptoms.
Obviously now I have. Which is fine, but I can’t find any information about having the menopause due to cancer treatment and after cancer. Everything I read talks about HRT which obviously I can’t take. Does anyone know if there is any specific information for women going through the menopause after having BC? I talk to friends but I find myself being resentful that I’m not going through it naturally like they are and I hate myself for feeling like that. I also feel like I can’t relate to them as mine is a different situation.
I also worry now about home health but I don’t know if it’s ok to take supplements with Tamoxifen.
Any advice would be very much appreciated x
Hi there, there is a fantastic podcast called Menopause and Cancer which is very helpful. I too was told nothing about the medical menopause I would be put into because of cancer treatment and it was all such a shock. Look up the podcast - it is full of ideas of how you can manage the side effects of menopause without taking HRT.
Thank you, I will have a look xx
I feel your frustration. It still infuriates me that everyones answer to the menopause is HRT and there is limited empathy for those of us that can’t take it. I was 36 at diagnosis and I still get annoyed with folk now, 18 years on! You will find some things thst help manage your symptoms. Excerise helped mine alot. Have a look at this link too. It will settle down. Best wishes.
https://breastcancernow.org/about-breast-cancer/treatment/hormone-endocrine-therapy/menopausal-symptoms-and-breast-cancer/
My team are happy for me to have blissel ( low strenth vaginal estrogen) …following the 2023 published reseach on BC patients …its somethong like the equivalent of one days hrt in a years blissel…its been a godsend for incresed frequency of urination and vaginal atrophy symptoms
I’d also suggest looking up Annice Mukherjee her book The Complete Guide to the Menopause and her Instagram the.hormone.doc were my bible (and still are) following my breast cancer treatment and starting on Tamoxifen
Annice had breast cancer and took Tamoxifen herself and she aims to “thrive not just survive”: 3 years on I can definitely claim to be that position thanks to her advice
Lots of love
Hi dolly-diva22
Thank you for your post.
You may find it reassuring to know that we hear from many women who, like you, are experiencing menopausal symptoms while being on hormone therapies like tamoxifen.
Having treatment for breast cancer can make it harder to cope emotionally. This can be made more difficult if your situation is very different to friends going through a natural menopause and who, unlike yourself, may have the option of taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to help manage their symptoms.
As @edp says, we have information on managing menopausal symptoms after a diagnosis of breast cancer on our website which you can read via the link above as well as in our booklet. As @edp also mentions, depending on the type of symptoms you’re experiencing, some women find that regular physical activity can be helpful.
The podcast Menopause and Cancer which @hopeful1974 suggests might be useful to listen to, along with our Facebook Live session with Dani Binnington who hosts the Menopause and Cancer podcast.
Do speak with your breast care nurse or treatment team if you’re struggling with menopausal symptoms. They have the details of your breast cancer diagnosis and treatment and will be able to discuss possible options for managing any menopausal symptoms you may be struggling with. Your GP may also be able to help. You can also ask about a referral to specialist menopause clinic where you can get further advice and information about coping with menopausal symptoms if needed
Many people ask about vitamin and herb supplements as a way of managing menopausal symptoms. There is often the belief that vitamins and herbs are safe as they are considered natural.
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.
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
It’s important to speak to your breast care nurse, treatment team, GP, or a pharmacist before taking any supplements.
Some people find it helpful to connect with others in similar circumstances. You can do this by posting in the other areas of our online peer-to-peer support forum where people affected by breast cancer and breast health concerns can learn from other people’s experiences and share their own if they wish to.
You might find this tamoxifen board helpful.
You can also connect with others through our Someone Like Me service where we can match you up with a trained volunteer who has been through a similar experience to you.
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, If you have hearing or speech difficulties prefix our number with 18001 and the call will go through Relay UK. Our helpline has access to telephone interpreters if language translation is required.
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Best wishes
Heidi
Breast Care Nurse
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