I’ve taken tamoxifen for 3 years. Have usual side effects of hot flushes and lack of sexual drive but also since the summer have been feeling light headed and dizzy, sometimes on getting up in the morning but also at other times. Have had blood tests and heart scan. All normal. By the time I get home from work I’m exhausted. Could this be tamoxifen side effects? My surgeon says it’s unlikely but what else could it be? Does anyone else have the same problem?
Hi Ailsa-Midge,
I am sorry to hear you have been experiencing these side effects. I am sure some of our users will be along to offer their support soon.
You may want to download our booklet on tamoxifen here. In the meantime you can always call our helpline on 0808 800 6000 who will be able to talk through what you have been experiencing and offer a friendly ear. The opening hours are below.
Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm
Late opening Wednesday 9am-7pm
Saturday, 9am-1pm
Best wishes,
Lizzy
Thanks for your reply. I have now had my eyes, heart, blood pressure, ears and blood checked. Got to say my doctor has been very thorough. So now we’ve ruled everything else out we can assume it’s the tamoxifen. At least I know I’m healthy otherwise so that’s good. I can live with it - sometimes I think I just panic when I get a symptom and imagine it’s something sinister. 
Hi Ladies,
was reading your thread and thinking, these things are really scary, arent they?
i did take Tamoxifen for about two years as part of a double blinded trial in around 2001/3… The only symptoms I had were spotting pv. As I was post meno anyway…after the trial(5 years) I stayed on Letrozole for another ? 4 years…I was told I could stop it then if I wanted to…
…the bc came back again…now I believe they are told to stay on Letrozole for at least ten years. Was that the case for yourselves with Tamoxifen?
letrozole had its own side effects…but if id known, I would have continued it…have seen that other ladies had the same experience as I.
do go and speak to your gynacologist re Side effects as dryness can be helped and maybe some of the other things can?
but also check with the onc/breast care nurse to find the very latest advice before stopping…the very thing you really dont want is a recurrence xxxx
Moijan???
Ailsa…have you ever had an ear infection? Those dizzy symptoms sound like the ones I occasionally get.
i had an ear infection quite a few years ago. But you are right…they can be caused by some drugs…I once had a severe bout after mixing a cold remedy with taking a glass of wine, hadnt spotted the instructions said…no alcohol!
best of luck with that…the web has a lot of info about how to manage dizzyness too. If it becomes a problem…do see your gp thoxx
Moijan???
I was just having a look through the forum for some answers myself. Im about 3 years into a 10 year stretch of Tamoxifen. My Dr seems to think I should be settled with it now. I have also had blood tests, ears checked and sight test but too often have a strange kind of dizziness like the inside of my head stightly shifts (about the best way I can describe it) I have terrible sleep problems, imossible to get comfortable, am always on fire or cold and sometimes both at the same time, its possible and really weird. Then every few months Im hit with a tiredness I cant fight. Can sleep for 14 or 15 hours. getting up is like fighting my way out of a general anasthetic. Arms and legs feel like they are made of string. I can only think its the tamoxifen as i was always very strong before.
Hi Jomar,
some ladies on here do complain of some of the symptoms you listed…I had heard that alcohol can inhibit Tamoxifens positive action in the body…so other drugs may interact…
best to chat with a pharmacist or your onc tho if you are worried, rather than be in a hurry to come off it…it is a very effective drug.
Hugsxxx Moijan???
Sorry to hear that. If it’s not one thing to worry about it’s another. Did the tamoxifen cause the clots? Good luck with the new drug for that x
hi Ailsa, although quite rare, blood clots/ deep vein thrombosis is a known risk with tamox, so any pain or swelling of the calfs has to be taken seriously.
Sorry to hear this has happened to you, Brobert.
ann x