I,m taking tamoxifen which is causing night sweats can anyone suggest anything herbal that i can take along side my medication , that will alleviate this problem ? I would be so grateful and I know my husband would be eternally thankful to get a good nights sleep !
thank you from one hot chick…
Hi Dynamite and welcome to the forums,
Below is a link to a Breast Cancer Care publication called ‘Menopausal symptoms and breast cancer’ which you may find useful to read, please also feel free to call our helpline on freephone 0808 800 6000 for further support and information, the line is open Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm and Saturdays 9am - 2pm.
breastcancercare.org.uk/docs/menopausal_symptoms_jun_2006_0.pdf
Best Wishes
Lucy
thanks lucy will do some homework…
dynamite
I have been taking evening primrose oil for my hot flushes and they have helped, I take 3 a day of the 1000mg this is the max you can take, they have been on offer at a holland and barrett so I have haves stocked up on them.
Debra
Hi, my homeopath gave me a remedy to help my liver and the flushes stopped. bliss. I thought I’d try homeopathy and after that fantastic ‘quick win’ I’m a fan.
I take vitamin E for the flushes, and they do work.
Claire x
Starflower Oil Capsules1000mg with 220mg ELA have helped me enormously with hot flushes.
Hi everyone,
I,ve been taking 1 vit E 67mg and 2 black cohosh 200mg daily but not noticed any difference to my terrible hot flushes in fact I think they are getting worse as the weather gets warmer. Am I not taking enough ? have anyone tried Red Clover ?
lots of love Andrea x
Hi Andrea
The publication posted to Dynamite above contains some information about managing hot flushes which you may find of interest. If you have any further queries on this or any other issue, please don’t hesitate to call our helpline for advice and information on 0808 800 6000 Mon-Fri 9am-5pm and Sat 9am-2pm.
Best wishes
Lucy
WARNING.
Just thought that I should warn people that herbs can effect hormone treatment (for instance Red Clover should NOT be used and black cohosh may also be a problem).
There is a very good site for checking these interactions and I hope the mods don’t mind me posting the link.
mskcc.org/mskcc/html/11570.cfm
Hope you all find a safe cure for the problem .
Best wishes
Roberta
Hi Roberta,
Just after buying pots and pots of Black cohosh, I read a posting on here that mentioned that it was oestrogenic.
I then checked with my onc who said it was denifately safe to take whilst on Tamoxifen she said that there had been tests on it. I thought Oh well she knows what she,s doing. Today I was in my health food shop talking to the homeopath, she said that Black cohosh is definately oestrogenic and she showed me a leaflet that says the same.
She said that Red clover is completely safe for me so I have just ordered some. Now you put this into question also.
What should we believe ?
Also I,m thinking about getting some Flax seed oil, does anyone have an opinion on this ?
I,m getting obsessed about getting rid of these hot flushes they are driving me mad.
Lots of love
Andrea x
Hi All
Just wanted to add that it’s always best to check with your medical team before taking any herbal or complementary medicines.
Kind regards
Louise
Facilitator
Hi Andrea,
As Louise suggests, its always best to check with your onc (though even they seem to have differing opinions sometimes).
I found further info on the use of black cohosh which suggests not to use with tamoxifen.
Maybe you can get refund on the pots that you have already bought.
There has been some recent evidence on acupuncture helping with hot flushes, maybe you could try that.
Best wishes
Roberta
xx
I suppose its horses for courses. Somethings work for one person but not the other. I,ll give my Black cohosh to my friends Mum who is menopausal and is not a BC lady, She thinks that they work for her.
I have read differing opinions on Sage, some say you can use it and some say not.
I might give Acupuncture a try. I,m normally quite a strong person and I try and put up with things without moaning too much, But when you are constantly tired and irritable it starts to get you down .
Lots of love
Andrea x
I have had only one consult with our local part-time female GP - never again! Some 3 yrs ago when I asked for some meds for hot flushes (having had them since 1991 when I had a hysterectomy), long before bc in 2003, she suggested sage and black cohosh. I googled them and it seemed to me they are both a no-no with ER+ bc. As I haven’t had an Onc since finishing chemo and rads 4 yrs ago, not really had any doctor to get advice from. So, I googled these herbs…came to the conclusion, probably not scientific, but trust my own instincts, that I should not take them. A friend in the US sent me a chillow pillow, which helped at first, but it went flat and was consigned to the dustbin, so I cope with finger towels under my pillow at night and every 2 hours throw the duvet off. Not a perfect solution, but rather that than get some horrid side effects or recurrence of bc.
JaneRA and/or ChristineMH (where are you? never see any posts from you anymore - hope you are doing okay) do you have any input? You both post so intelligently, after copious research, and not just with anecdotal evidence.
I did have acupuncture with a chinese girl when going through chemo, but can’t say it helped - just hurt, as the needles were connected to some sort of electronic machine and thought I would be beamed into cyverspace. Didn’t go back obviously, for another treatment.
Would really love to hear of something that stopped these flushes, without harm.
Liz.
I wouldn’t touch Red Clover. It has plant oestrogen and with me personally, it has caused fibroids in my womb…be careful what herbal medicines you take.
Linda
Hi Liz,
I think that JaneRA and ChristineMH probably don’t necessarily read these types of posts as neither of them are hormone positive (though I agree with you they are both very knowledgeable on most subjects ‘bc’ related.
On my last post I did provide a link (which I didn’t know would be disallowed) giving details on a recent properly regulated trial that seems to show acupuncture as a promising treatment. If you google ‘Acupuncture Relieves Hot Flushes In Breast Cancer Patients Taking Tamoxifen’ you will be able to read the results on various other medical sites. BCC have even commented on the trial.
Sorry it didn’t work for you though.
For all those suffering from hot flushes (not myself) I hope you can find an effective cure. I did however find some information that suggests that having hot flushes is actually a good prognosis factor (google ‘Hot Flashes May Be Welcome Sign In Women With Breast Cancer’), so at least there is a positive angle to your problems.
Chillow Pillows are available on a few sites in this country (froogle found cheapest for £24.75 with free delivery). I’ve heard many people say it’s a great help and maybe Liz you should invest in another one.
Good luck
Roberta
xx