Tamoxifen - is it working?
Tamoxifen - is it working? I’ve been taking Tamoxifen for 2 years now, after mastectomy / reconstruction / chemo / radio. However, my periods are regular as clockwork, I have the odd hot flush but only once or twice a day, no vaginal dryness.
In short, is the drug working? I thought it was supposed to stop me producing oestrogen altogether so why do I still have a cycle? Should I be on a higher dosage? It’s not that I want menopausal symptoms, but I don’t want the cancer back!
well i don’t know.
my periods stopped half way through chemo and have not had 1 since. ( since april)
have you mentioned it to your breast nurse or asked at the doctors. i thought it stopped periods but perhaps that is not always the case.
what about phoning the help line and asking the nurse, think you can email… ask the nurse. and they get back to you.
sorry not much more help.
sharon. x
Tamoxifen doesn’t really deplete the system of oestrogen, like AIs. What it does is to prevent any cancer cells present from taking up circulating oestrogen in the blood by means of a locking mechanism. You have to be ER+ for this drug to work.
Mcgle
Helpline and Ask the Nurse Hi AliBaby
I have given below details of both the Helpline and Ask the Nurse services from Breast Cancer Care which you may find a helpful source of advice and support.
You can call the helpline on 0808 800 6000
Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm.
The team is able to talk about both technical and emotional issues surrounding breast cancer and breast health.
They can talk through the complexities of different treatments and conditions and I am sure you would be able to clarify some of the questions you have.
Alternatively, our email Ask the Nurse service is available by following this link:
breastcancercare.org.uk/content.php?page_id=119
Kind regards.
Online Host
Breast Cancer Care
Tamoxifen actually protects the bones and also the reproductive tract from menopausal syptoms, hence no vaginal dryness and protectsed against oseoporosis. It MAY push you thrugh the menopause at some point, but not necessarily so - depends on your age, own body, etc