Hi,
I have been on it for just over 2 years now, I am now 37. I found that the flushes came soon after starting but wear off, although now and again they happen but only briefly. I did expreience depression but that may have been all my internal thoughts after the cancer, treatment and feeling lost in my career. My only issue now is tiredness. I’m not sure why but I do struggle with this daily. I don’t know if thats just me or it’s due to my age (not use to menopausal symptons) but if anyone has advice on this, I would really appreciate it!!
Thank you
Hi Everyone, I know this post is a little old now. I am 42 and have been in Tamoxifen for almost 5 weeks. So far I have had no real notable side effects. However, because my Oncotype was 17 they now want me to have ovarian suppression through Zoladex injections. I have been asking if people have experience of this. I have had a few responses on other chats but would like to hear more. I work 3 days a week as a member of SLT in a small primary school. I am wondering whether I am going to find the job too demanding with the side effects of Zoladex. I also have two extremely lively young children.
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I’m 49 and have been on Tamoxifen since the end of November, so three months. Not too bad overall. Hot flushes and night sweats which I’m kind of managing, sleep isn’t as easy and feel rubbish after a couple of bad nights, my mood has improved since January but I think that’s seasonal. However, I keep getting constipated which isnt great. Before I didnt’ eat that healthily, but I was someone who couldn’t eat too much fruit and veg cause it gave me a bad stomach. Now its gone the other way, hate the constant bloated feeling and feel a bit mortified about it tbh.
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I also had no symptoms on Tamoxifen and used a brand called Mylan. I think what probably sometimes happens is those who take this drug go through peri menopause at the same time so it might be symptoms related to this and not the drug.
Hope all goes well for you on it. Also remember the first two weeks are settling into the drug in your body, so I think I might have got headaches but after that nothing.
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I am 58 years old and I finished on December 31 2024 with my tamoxifen treatment but I will continue on 2025 with Letrozole. The reason of the change of medication is that my oncologist said that is better for post menospausic women to change from tamoxifen to an aromatase inhibitor like Letrozole.
My case was the following: On February 2020 at 53 years old they found me 2 small tumors (0.8 mm and 0.7 mm) in my right breast and I had a lumpectomy. 7 lymph node were extracted and only the Sentinel node #3 had metastatic carcinoma, the metastatic deposit measured 0.5 cm. Doctor advised me to have radioterapia and to take tamoxifeno. I was very afraid of both and I did not follow the advice. On June 2020 doctors discover in a post operation mammogram that I had another tumor that was multiple foci, largest measuring 1.2 cm. Doctors advised me to have a mastectomy but I deny and I only authorized to have a second lumpectomy. They told me to take radiotherapy and tamoxifen but I only accepted to start the tamoxifen. I did not take radioteraphy because I was terrified to receive radiation so I said to them that I was going to take the risk.
Fortunately, 4.5 years have passed since I started tamoxifeno and no recurrence at all. My experience with tamoxifeno during this 4.5 years has been the following:
- Hot flashes (I learned to live with them, nothing too much terrible).
- Insomnia
- I gain weight (15 pounds) but when I started the tamoxifeno it was pandemic and everybody gained weight and I was eating heavily too and having a sedentary life, only walking in the mornings.
- Low libido and less interest in intimacy but because I was 53 entering in menopause, I already had a low libido before the treatment but I think tamoxifen also affected it.
- Heavy legs. Feet and ankles swallow.
- Eventually, cramps in the legs in the morning.
I could manage this side effects and I think it worth it to take tamoxifeno because I do not have any recurrence. However, I was concerned about cancer in uterus so my oncologist advised me to start the 2025 taking letrozole that does not cause cancer in uterus but can increase osteoporosis and pain in the joints, among other sides effect. I am very lucky that even though I did not have a mastectomy neither radioterapia o quimio, the hormonal therapy with tamoxifeno worked well for me and was effective. I will check in the next weeks how are the effects of the letrozole and I hope that I can tolerate as well as the tamoxifeno. This year I have started the intermittent fasting and I am trying to eat more healthy, cutting alcohol, rice, pasta and sugar. I will try to lose weight and I am planning to make more exercise, take vitamin D and calcio to prevent osteoporosis and check my bones periodically to take immediate action if any problem arises. I will be 59 this year, free of cancer and even though I am afraid of the side effects of letrozole, I will give a try. My oncologist told me that in case I have severe side effects I can return to Tamoxifen and monitor my uterus periodically to make sure everything is ok.
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I gave tamoxifen a go for 3 months, from biopsy results until the end of radiotherapy. Some people do well, or manage, some don’t.
Had most if not all of listed symptoms, and ankle swelling I noticed. Didn’t feel like me anymore, slowed brain functioning. Could not have managed at work on it.
I’d advise anyone to give it a try, as everyone is different. It wasn’t worth it in my case for the less than 2% 15 year survival according to predict, more people die of other causes meantime, and I can probably get a better percentage from an improved lifestyle- better than being depressed and drained for 5 years and unable to cope at work - which has been hard at times anyway. Had the radiotherapy which brought its own symptoms, but feeling much more zing this week after getting over that and a bad virus. Back at the gym, and my body is a temple. I’m 53, still having regular periods, no hot flushes anymore now off the tamoxifen, and much happier and with clarity of mind.
If my grade 1T1c lump had been worse, or travelled to a node ( my SLN was clear). I probably would of stuck with it for longer, I take a logical approach, on balance, I’m happy as I am.