I have been diagnosed with grade one cancer and have been told that I will receive radiotherapy and have to take taxmoxafen for five years. I have a very significant family history of embolism and clotting and have therefore stated that as I understand tamoxafen can cause dvt I would not be happy taking the drug. Just wondered if anyone else had a problem with taxmoxafen and what drug they were offered instead.
I am jumping the gun a bit as I don’t have my appointment with the oncologist yet, surgeon was a bit funny about it, but with the emoblism problems I don’t think I’m being unreasonable to ask for an alternative drug.
I suppose that’s a conversation you will have with your oncologist: ie the level of risks and what alternatives might exist …
I developed a large dvt and multiple pulmonary emboli whilst on AC chemo. I am guessing my pre-existing thrombocythemia might have been an added risk factor, although nobody ever mentioned that. I am now on daily heparin shots for the duration as you can’t take oral anticoagulant while on chemo as the INR cannot be easily controlled apparently.
It is a pain in every sense of the word, not to mention the fact that I could have dropped dead while trying to walk off what felt like bad cramps!!! … 
Hi nameo my mum found tamoxifen exhausted her and felt her quality of life was very poor she was changed to arimidex which was great for her ,but apparently you have to be post menopausal for it
.Now that ive started on this journey myself ill have to see how i go as after chemo and rads ill be starting on tamoxifen to ,just write it all down for the oncologist and hopefully hell be able to work something out for you xx all the best caz
I was just looking for some reading around the question of thromboembolism and cancer and chemo, and found this paper.
http://circ.ahajournals.org/content/107/23\_suppl\_1/I-17.long
It might be of interest, and also carries references to other articles. I cannot see when it was submitted, but the last article referred to was in 2002 if that gives you any idea … Good luck with what you decide…
Hi Ladies
many thanks for your posts. I will discuss with the oncologist and as I am pretty much post menopausal I may be able to have arimidex. I’ll keep posting as I go along and find out more.
