Tamoxifen prescription

Hope everyone’s OK through this lock down. 

Does everyone get 56 tablets on their prescription for Tamoxifen?  I have been on Tamoxifen since February and have received a variety of brands.  I started with a pack of 30 from the hospital, but since getting the prescription from my doctor I get 56 tablets.  I have received a full pack of one brand, but the second pack has a mixture of brands, so with my current prescription I have 3 different brands.  I asked the pharmacist about the brands as when I took one I got spots on my face, but he said that when he orders Tamoxifen he cannot specify a particular brand. 

I was thinking of asking the doctor when I order my next prescription if I could get 60 tablets so hopefully I would get 2 full packs of the same brand.  Just wondered if anyone else has this problem or if there’s a reason for getting 56 tablets?

Take care everyone xx

Hi Tookie - when I first started taking Tamoxifen my health authority would only issue one pack of 30 at a time, which was a huge pain. I then moved and like you I started getting 56 tablets - one pack would have been opened and 4 tablets cut off! I spoke to others and nobody I knew was getting 56, everyone was getting 60. So I spoke to my GP as 56 tablets made no sense and also seemed like a waste as I don’t know what they would do with those 4 tablets, and my prescription is now for 60 tablets at a time (2 boxes of 30). I have also always had a brand specified on my prescription, by the GP. I originally had Teva but they seem to have stopped doing the 20mg tablets, so now I have Wockhardt. Some people get on fine with all brands and others find that brands can make a difference. It’s worth speaking to your GP or your pharmacist.

Good luck, I’d be interested to hear how you get on.

Evie xx