So… I’ve hardly (like many people) seen much sun this summer. But every time I do I am extremely queasy and want to throw up and sometimes get really bad headaches. It’s a like a big hangover but without the fun beforehand.
The first time I thought I had sun stroke. Now I’m a bit suspicious.
Any one else? Could it be Tamoxifen?? Or radiotherapy (which I finished in May)
Would be grateful for any thoughts.
Love to you all
Oasis xxx
Hello Oasis,
When it was quite warm recently, a friend took me out for tea and cakes.
Suddenly I came over all queasy, warm , clammy etc. I had to go outside splash water all over my face, sip cold water and I hadn’t even drank any of the tea or eaten any of the cake. It has certainly knocked my confidence now. I am so worried about how I will cope when the sun comes out again.Stay indoors?
I am taking arimidex but did have radiotherapy. Mine surely couldn’t have been sunstroke- I wasn’t even out in the sun for very long, only a few minutes. I do however suffer from hot sweats.
I am so glad that I am not the only one who suffered in the heat.
I’m sorry but I don’t know what the answer is.
LOL
x
Lambkin
Hi i think maybe it could be the fact that we get hot flushes, its lovely today, but i am really a bit wary of going out in it, had about half an hour yesterday in the sun, and i felt so ill last night, even the sleeping tablets didn’t work, i was up twice in the night! had i have been out in it all day, well i could understand it, but it was as though i just wanted to be sick, but wasn’t going to be sick, if you get what i mean, and i didn’t have rads, but am on tamoxifen.
lots of love
Alison xxxxx
Hi Oasis and Lambkin
I have also experienced this queasiness when out in the sun, I also had little blisters on my face and arms which disappeared the next day. I hadn’t been out in the sun for more than half an hour so it was abit alarming. I have been on tamoxifen since last December but switched to Arimidex 2 weeks before this happened. I’m sure there is a link. I’ll be very careful in the sun now, that’s if we see any more this year.
sandief
xx
I had this for a while both after RT and chemo. It’s not just the heat but a general effect of sunlight. To reduce the effect, wear some really good sunglasses and cool, loose clothing and ideally protect the top of your head from the heat and sunlight with a hat. I live in a hot country and just had to stay indoors during the sunshine hours. It took a while for this effect to wear off. When I went out, I stuck to the shade and early mornings and evenings.
If your skin has become sensitive to the light, do use a sunscreen - one without parabens and with (i think it’s called) titanium dioxide, to avoid blistering, and a wide brimmed hat and long sleeved loose garments.
It’ll pass but maybe not till next year.
Wishing you well,
Jenny
Hi! Just to add my tuppence worth, I came off Tamoxifen in April, but still feel terribly sick if I got out in the sun, or even sit under the dryer at the hairdresser! You’re definitely not imagining it. xx
Hi everyone. Thanks for your thoughts. I will take care. I’m away this weekend at a horse show and I will be outside and the weather is supposed to be good. Which I should be pleased about - but now I’m not so sure!!
I’ll just have to be careful especially after you’ve confirmed my suspicions.
Thanks all
Take care.
Love Oasis xxx
Hi
Hopefully the radiographers told you to apply high factor sun cream - SPF50 I was told in December!!! I can now appreciate why though as the skin is so delicate and won’t recover any further I don’t think.
Chemo also makes us more suceptible to the effects of the sun but I don’t think that is permanent.
Doing any sitting in the sun these days is uncomfortable except for short periods but I do find I can enjoy cycling in the sun because you create your own cooling breeze but still need to take care with slapping on the cream.
My neighbour is fence judging somewhere on Monday and took a horse for a pregnancy scan today!!!
Enjoy your horsey weekend.
D
I didn;t have chemo or rads, but am on tamoxifen and like Oasis am having the very same symptoms, only went into the garden for about ten minutes today, but am suffering for it now, will have to invest in a hat, i already slap the suntan high factor on, as i am very fair skinned anyway. thanks for the good tips, beginning to think that any cancer blocking drugs may have similar effects in general, happy days all
Alison xxxx
I had not even made the connection!! I have been on arimidex for 8 months (no rads) - and have recently noticed a feeling of queasiness when I get too warm - now I see it must be a side effect! At least I can stop looking for something more sinister.
thank you girls!!
I still feel a bit queasy today and its not been that hot, also had a bit of bloating to my tummy, well, it feels that way, all very strange
xxx
I was just about to start a new thread on keeping out of the sun after rads, and I found this one! So, anti-hormone therapy apart, will I be advised to just keep the bit that has been rt’d out of the sun, or will I be told not to go in the sun at all, as far as is possible? I really like to get a little tan and feel the sun on my skin, although I will be on Tamoxifen so, by the sounds of your experiences, I won’t want to. Queasiness, eurrgghh. I thought at least I could try for tanned arms and legs.
Emma
xxx
I used to really enjoy being in the sun but that all changed when I was diagnosed at the age of 46 in December 2000.
Following diagnosis I was given 6 months of chemo, Taxol which had to be kept covered with a black bag while being administered to prevent daylight getting to it, mastectomy and rads finishing around November 2001, followed by 5 years on Tamoxifen which finished August 2006.
For the first few years I was awful in the sun, covered up completely and felt so ill !! This did gradually ease off but looking back it did take a long time. We started travelling to Europe in our 1972 VW campervan 3 years ago and I’ve not looked back since. The final hurdle for me was to go away on a holiday which included a flight as I’d lost my confidence and didn’t want all the aggro involved. We went to Lemnos with Sail 4 Cancer in June where it was in the 40s all week so everyone was suffering !! I’m glad I went and now feel more ‘normal’ with regard to holidays and the heat, mind you, I still won’t be spending hours sunbathing like I used to pre bc !!