Hi
Have only been on Tamoxifen for nearly a week and already I’m finding I can’t sleep well at all. I’m waking up regularly with horrendous hot flushes and night sweats. I’m hot one minute and cold the next. Also my legs ache like mad. I can’t get a comfortable position. Has anybody tried any gentle remedies i.e. herbal etc. I don’t really want to go on sleeping tablets but I can’t continue with the amount of sleep I’m currently having especially when I go back to work.
Cheers
Krissy xx
Hi Krissy,
I was on tamoxifen about 6 years ago and suffered with hot flushes and night sweats. I found that changing the brand of tamoxifen helped with the side effects. At that time there were at least 4 to choose from. Unfortunately I can’t remember the name of the brand that agreed with me but it was in a white box with blue writing on it.
Worth a try??
Maureen
Hi Krissy
I absolutely understand how you feel.I was never a great sleeper before all the BC stuff, but am much worse now. Its horrible to have your sleep disturbed isnt it.
Ive tried a range of things, and, like you, wasnt keen on tablets. But sometimes you have to think of the benefits of using them to get you through. I tried sleeping tabs-stopped cause I felt hungover and working was difficult feeling like that!. Tried Kalms, but again, didnt get much benefit. Am now on a hgh-ish dose of an anti-depressant and am finding sleep a little better. I dont plan to stay on them long, but Ive been told once they settle down, sleep becomes more ‘normal’
I hope you will speak to your GP as they might have some suggestions to get you over this horrible time.
If there are no alternatives to Tamoxifen (like me) then maybe a few tabs are the way to go.
Id also suggest some physical exercise to help tire you out, if youre able.
Best wishes, hope things improve
Cathie
It’s worth trying Evening Primrose Oil for the flushes but you would have to give it a few weeks. Also, I gather a chillow pillow is really good.
Ann x
I find nytol works for me (the real stuff not the herbal one) but you cannot use it continously - it is addictive and you would need higher & higher doses for it to keep working. So I use it ocasionally if I’m really tired, or feel I need a good night’s sleep for a particular reason.
Thank you all very much for your advice. I’ll have a chat with hubby tonight and think I’ll probably try Nytol and if that doesn’t work then a docs appt will have to happen I think.
Cheers
Krissy xx
Hi,
Similar boat to you with the night sweats. I keep a wet flannel by the bed and whack it on my head when I have a hot flush. Also I put a sheet under the duvet so when I wake up hot I throw the duvet off me but still have a sheet on so don’t get too cold. My general routine is- Bed about 11pm, wake up hot about 2am, open window, fall asleep, wake up hot again then within about half hour freezing cold so get duvet again then by about 6:30am I’m wide awake but then if I have time I fall asleep again about 7ish til 8. However now I’m back at work I have to get up about 7 anyway. Oh what fun!!!
I was advised to not have Evening primrose oil by my BC nurse as it has a similar effect to oestrogen, in fact she said no to anything that is used to balance out hormones. Acupuncture is meant to be effective though.
Em x
Em - From what I have read, the reason EPO works is to do with GLA and not oestrogen and I understood it was ok to take.
“Research has shown that supplementing with evening primrose oil which contains GLA (gamma linolenic acid) can have a significantly positive effect on breast discomfort. The GLA helps to control the production of a ‘bad’ prostaglandin called PGE2, which can causes heat and inflammation in the breasts if levels are too high. GLA also increases the level of another ‘good’ prostaglandin PGE1, which can help to balance the effect of prolactin on the breasts.”
I know we are not taking it for breast discomfort but I posted that paragraph to help explain about GLA.
Ann x
Hi,
Yer I thought it’d be safe too. She didn’t say it wasn’t but she said there wasn’t enough evidence to say it was fine or enough to say it wasn’t ok to take so best not to. I think she is an errr on the side of caution sort of person.
Em x
Em
I edited my last post before I saw yours, as I was halfway through my edit and had to get the dinner!
After my dx, I did quite a bit of researching on the internet to find out if EPO would be a problem and I didn’t find anything to say it was harmful to us.
Ann x
Hi
I asked my Onc if it was OK to take OEP and she said it was fine, and Omega Fish Oils too which would help with stiff joints.
Rosalind xxxx
I also asked my oncologist about EPO and she said “Does it contain oestrogen?”. I said it didn’t and she said it would be ok then. Neither does it contain phyto-oestrogens, which I believe we should also avoid.
As you say, Em, a lot of the staff err on the side of caution if they don’t know, which is fine but, if we are suffering, it is important to find out the things we can safely take, even if we have to do that ourselves.
Ann x