Hi Girls,
I went to my GP on Friday about something else, and asked for a repeat prescrit for Nolvadex. She looked on her computer and said ‘it’s been discontinued’. I just didn’t believe her, but she phoned the company (Astra Zeneca) while i was there, and they confirmed it. What a complete pain! I got side effects from the generic tamoxifen I had at first, and found Nolvadex much more tolerable. Now i have to start working my way through the other generic ones again until I (hopefully) find one that I can tolerate.
I managed to find one pack in a large boots, so that will see me over Christmas at least. If you need more, it might be worth getting a prescrit and then phoning around some pharmacies to see who still has a few on their shelves.
Apparently this happens with every drug. They are patent protected for the first 10 years, then anyone can make them, and cheap imports always win out over the drug companies’ own ones eventually.
Hope this info is helpful to someone
Jacquie x
Sorry Jacquie
What a pain for you. Hope you can resolve soon Alice
The same thing happened to me this morning - I too have managed to locate a box of 30 at one of the larger chemists, but am already worried about the return of all the horrific side effects i suffered when i first started taking the generic brand in 2006.
If anyone has any brands of tamoxifen that they could recommend I would be very grateful.
Thanks everyone
It’s definitely an individual thing - what suits me may not suit you. But I have found APS gives me fewer side effects.
Thanks for your replies. Keep the suggestions coming! I know we’re all different bodies but it helps to have an idea where to start…
Jx
I think I’ve just had my final box of Nolvadex, so I too will be getting used to something else next month.
Eliza xx
Me too! Have just re-ordered repeat script so will see what I get offered.
I take Soltamox, the liquid form of Tamoxifen, and have had very little in the way of side effects. I started taking it in 2007, and apart from the odd hot flush, I have been OK. Hope this is of some help to you.
Hi Bella,
Hope all is going well with you since finishing our rads thread back in March!
Lyn, I’ve not heard of Soltamox but thanks for mentioning another possible option. It is always good to know this and if I have problems with the generics can raise it with GP and onc.
Eliza xx
Im also on Nolvadex-d, mims says it has been discontinued as of dec 09. My chemist said they couldnt get it and offered a generic. I had the generic one first and had awful side affects, mood swings, depression, hot sweats, sleepless nights, bleeds the works - basically the whole list on the dfu. my oncologist told me to ask for nolvadex-d and it worked a treat it took two days for the the other drugs side affects to start to disappear. i feel more normal and centred again.
I tried another chemist rang them up and they tried two suppliers, one up in sheffield a large wholesaler and they supplied novadex 20. Which I believe from my research to be the same drug but manufactured in spain for europe. As far as Im aware nolvadex-d has been discontinued for the UK market. Im assuming its still in production throughout europe in the guise of nolvadex 20. I only get 2 months at a time, its such a shame they cant just prescribe you the whole five year course.
theres no way on earth Im going back on the generic tamoxifen it was like poison. id rather have my ovaries removed.
oh i wanted to add that my oncologist told me that the generic drugs are allowed by law to have a tolerance of +/- 20% difference of the active ingredient, so its the other things they are cut with which create the intolerances in some people.
As expected I couldn’t get Nolvadex this time and got APS. I took the first this morning.
I’m hoping that my body is now more used to the drug as a whole now so this time the SEs on the generic won’t be as bad as they were. Fingers crossed!
Siobhain, you can see the difference in the ingredients lists.
Eliza xx
I have only had the Wockhardt brand of Tamoxifen since starting in September 09 - and it’s been fine, no noticeable side effects - now I always ask the pharmacist which brand they have in stock before handing over my prescription !
Just wondering about Soltamox - is it generally known to have less SE? Been having SE again since having to change brands and just wondering how long they’re going to go on for.
I agree with Chipper - I am on Wockhardt (having experienced very nasty side effects on CP brand, then even worse side effects on Arimidex) and the side effects are virtually zero (just a little joint stiffness at times, that’s all,may be a little queasiness, but this I believe is a legacy of chemo)
Like you, Jenny, I seem to have gone back to having the headaches I had this time last year on the APS brand. Also some nausea and fluid retention which I didn’t have before.
I’m not sure whether to try to get APS again next time and see if the SEs settle, or to make a point of trying the Wockhardt.
Eliza xx
Hi, just joined this thread so relieved to hear that I am not completely going mad. I have been on tamoxifen (wockhardt brand) for over 3 years. I had very few side affects for 3 or 4 months then suddenly I couldn’t cope, I felt very anxious complete lack of confidence, couldn’t sleep, headaches, everyone said it had all caught up with me.
It has all happened again 3 years on but this time I feel so tired and depressed, don’t want to get up some mornings, I am getting the headaches in my eyes again and feeling sick with them. It is not like me I never felt like this even when I found out that I had BC. The doctor just said 'you are going through the menopause, I don’t quite know what is normal or what to expect.Is it the tamoxifen?
I was going to ask the breast care nurse about nolvadex to see if that helped but it sounds like I am too late if it is discontinued. I am 43 and still having irregular periods, I know I have to ‘keep taking the tablets’ but would be very glad to hear if anyone else has had this sort of problem.
love to you all, Chloe2
Hi,
Hooray I was given a prescription for 2 months supply of ordinary nolvadex-d today by my GP and the chemist just handed them over and he has 3 more packs for me after this. So keep asking as they are still around. I am hoping to keep mine going as Onc likes 2 years on tamoxifen before switching to an AI, which menas I am on them all the rest of this year. keep me posted how you get on with the other brands just in case and good luck to everyone
Lily x
Hope this helps: from Monthly Index of Medical Specialities
Deleted products 2009
The following products were discontinued from the UK market during 2009. The list below states the month they were withdrawn from MIMS.
DECEMBER 2009:
Dromadol SR (tramadol)
Sudafed Plus (triprolidine + pseudoephedrine)
Betaloc-SA (metoprolol)
Nolvadex-D (tamoxifen)