Hi. Just reading the thread as I had my first oncology appointment today and came home with a box of tamoxifen! So just at the worrying about taking the first one tomorrow morning phase! He wants me to start before rads, and will look again when I go back in sept after the rads just incase I have tok many side effects as I also have fibromyalgia. The nurse recommended acupuncture to deal with hot flushes.
Hi Eggster,
Just do it & see how you go. I remember feeling as you do now & thinking after a couple of hours, do I feel anything yet? & after a day?, a week? Well no, as it turned out!
As ever when going through this, the prospect is generally worse than the reality, it may well all be just fine.
If not, then you’ll deal with it.
ann x
Ive been taking Tamoxifen for 5 weeks and feeling pretty good apart from slight head pains, not a headache as such but random pains or sensations around my head, on and off for past four weeks. Not debilitating but wonder if others have anything like this?
Hi all, i have deleted this post so not to upset anyone about to or just starting Tamoxifen. My reactions aren’t general ones and i never meant to scare anyone with my post. I am sorry.
CONTENT DELETED BY ME SO NOT TO UPSET ANYONE… I APOLOGIZE FOR STRESSING ANYONE OUT
Hi Jane, what an awful time your having of things, I just wanted to say I take an antidepressant called Venlafaxine along side Tamoxifen, I was put on it to help with the side effects and can honestly say I barely have any , it helps massively with flushes, I do get some but very infrequent and they are short lived! Initially I felt sick and dizzy when I started Tamoxifen but once the venlafaxine kicked in after a couple of weeks I felt so much better , been taking the combination for 2.5 years now and still going strong!
As your feeling so low medication sounds like a good idea and can have the added bonus of helping your side effects, hope your feeling much better very soon Xx Jo
Sorry to hear you are having such a tough time Jane. I have nothing more to add than Jo & Hollis said below, other than wishing you the very best with it all xxx
I would just like to reassure others who maybe reading this who know that tamox is going to be part of their treatment plan, that most of us are fine on tamox or at least find any side effects manageable. Understandably, those having problems will report it, but those who are ok on it wont feel the need to.
I remember feeling very apprehensive about starting tamox when reading the experiences here, but as it turns out, I have been fine on it as many of us are.
ann x
I’’ sorry to have scared anyone with my earlier rant… Most people don’t have the effects that l have. I didn’t think of others reading my most and i’m sorry… I deleted it because i don’t want my experience to put anyone off. Again i am sorry to anyone i have scared
Jane, please do come & rant, that’s what the forum is for.
You are going through a rough time & writing it down does get it out of the system, we all understand that.
sending hugs
ann x
Hi Jane,
Welcome and don’t feel you can’t rant about things here. We all do that from time to time.
I’d just like to back up what Jo said. I too am taking Venlafaxine. Started it about three months ago after my flushes got considerably worse and more frequent. Like Jo, I still do have some flushes but they are far fewer in number and much less intense. I feel so much better and wish I’d gone to see my GP earlier. She was very sympathetic. An added bonus is that my mood has also improved. Earlier this year I was having a stressful time dealing with my mum’s Alzheimer’s. On top of the BC treatment it was just the last straw and I became very anxious. The Venlafaxine has treated both.
I hope you get some relief. Don’t be afraid to ask for help as there are options out there.
Ruth xx