No hot flushes and worried
No hot flushes and worried Here I am again thinking my worries were over for a while but I can’t get these niggling worries about my oestrogen levels out of my mind. My Cancer was oestrogen and progesterone positive++++ and I’m taking Tamoxifen. However I’m not getting any hot flushes now ( I had a few early on-I’ve been on Tamoxifen for 3 months) but nothing now. Also the blood test which looked at my hormone levels after Chemo but before hormone therapy showed I was post menopausal and my oestrogen count was 9 . I asked for another blood test a few weeks ago and my oestrogen levels had gone up to 121. Does anyone out there take Tamoxifen and find that they do not get hot flushes. They won’t take my ovaries out. I’m not complaining as it’s all very easy but I.m worried that my body may be full of oestrogen which any rogue cancer cells would love. I’m going to speak to my BC nurse next week.
Thanks
Frances
Frances
I had a natural menopause before being dx with bc. My symptoms were minimal, with only the occasional hot flush.
Last year, I got the news we all dread, and after surgery and rads, I was prescribed tamoxifen (my choice - could have had arimidex). Apart from tiredness, I have had no side effects whatsoever.
I can understand your feeling about being awash with oestrogen; my tumour was ER+ and PR+ like yours. But as I understand it, tamoxifen stops any receptors taking up any circulating oestrogen. Time will tell for both of us.
Hope this helps.
Mcgle
Hi Frances I have been on Tamoxifen for almost 4 years, and I didn’t get any flushes for the first 3 years. In January I asked for a blood test to see if I could swap to Arimidex, and that showed I was only peri-menopausal, so that explains why there were no flushes. I am sure you probably wouldn’t get any if you were post-menopausal either, but I can’t understand why you were not put on Arimidex if you were post-menopausal before starting hormone therapy. As your oestrogen level seems to have risen a lot, I would definitely talk to your bcn.
By the way, I have been getting flushes since July, and It’s not much fun, so I’m looking forward to being post-menopausal!
nj x
hi frances.
i am sure i also heard somewhere that the tamoxifen will mimic how your body would naturally deal with the menopause, you could be one of those people that would have minimum effects anyway.
i am having lots of flushes but my mother in law went through the meno with hardly a scratch.
Boo Hoo, wish i was that lucky.
sharon. x
thanks pals thanks for your thoughts. I’ll let you know what the BC nurse says. I’m also seeing one of my Oncs next week so I intend to get clarity on this if I can. They really do seem adamant that this is the right path.
lots of love Frances
No hot flushes Hi there i have been on Tamoxifen for about 4 months and like u i had hot flushes at first but now I dont have any I never thought it mattered but mayybe I should mention it to my oncologist and see what they say. Do you know i fit does matter if you are not having hot flushes???
Love Clairemm x x
it doesn’t matter I spoke to my bcn today and she said that lots of women do not get hot flushes on Tamoxifen and that it isn’t significant.
I’m reassured Clairemm that you’re similar in your experience.
frances
Hot Flushes - Not Hi Frances
I am 39 years old and after being diagnosed as OR+ (and HER2+), I started Tamoxifen in August this year. To-date I have had no side effects. The consultant says I may be one of the lucky ones that doesn’t experience them!! I do get a little hot at night but not sure whether this is just body heat or the central heating - although I’m sure I would know if I was having a hot flush!!
Sandra
tamoxifen I have been on tamoxifen since May of this year and other than hot flushes, feel pretty well on it. However I wondered if anyone had ever experienced a side effect of a dry tickly cough? I have had this since starting tamoxifen, though I have not had a cold or chest infection or even a sore throat. I feel very well otherwise, it is just a nuisance! I have asked my gp and he does not seem to think it is anything to be concerned about but I just wondered if anyone else has had this.
that’s interesting Chrissy as I have started to wake at night with a tickle in my throat. I had heard that women can get voice changes on Tamoxifen and a cough and voice are produced at the same level in the larynx at the vocal cords so I wonder if we are experiencing a slight change in the moistness at the level of our vocal cords which would definitely lead to symptomatic dry cough.
Frances
Thankks for your reply. Where did you hear about voice changes on Tamoxifen? Did you read it somewhere or was it from your consultant or bcn? Everyone that I have asked so far doesn’t seem to have an answer. It is just so irritating!
hello girls
im dreadin the hot flushes - had my 1st zoladex 3mtn one yesterday i have to have an hysterectomy next cos im high risk cos of my ovaries - marvellous - kick a girl when shes down eh
reason im posting on ere is cos my nurse recommended taking sage (i have posted this on ‘undergoing treatment’) i got some today call me a coward (i dont want flushes) so i got em b4 it all starts
its good in helpin ease or sometimes stop hot sweats n that and also helps with sore throats too.
just a thought anyway
take care yall
loadsa luv adele xxxxxxx
Sage…! Hi there
Just a word of caution re sage. I too was looking for a relief from hot flushes brought on by Tamoxifen (and possibly being pushed through the menopause early) and sage was recommended. However, due to lots of stress and complications following surgery I have developed high blood pressure. One of the things I was told that I must not take is sage as it raises your blood pressure. You can’t win!! If you don’t have high blood pressure then you are fine…problem was I didn’t know I had till I went to my GP for a check up as I felt tired all the time.
Still searching around for something to help altho the hot flushes are getting less now…! My Chillo Pillow does help during the night.
Debx
Frances I just read your post and am reieved to find someone almost the same as me in that I am ER+/PR+ and HER2+ but am not haveng chemo or Herceptin just rads and tamoxifen. My surgeon in south said the benefit would be extremely small. I too had more or less completed menopause before dx last year in Ocober and had taken HRT to relieve awful night sweats. I now regret having taken HRT but too late for that.! Back to night sweats with tamoxifen but I have linked the worse nights with going out to dinner and enjoying a couple of glasses of wine. Sad to say it is defintely a trigger! Apart from that feeling good and have had 9/15 rads so far. I count myself very fortunate to have caught it early.