Hi All, I hope you are doing well wherever you are on your breast cancer journey!
I am due to start Tamoxifen (just need to go collect the prescription) and still having some reservations. I obviously don’t want to develop breast cancer in my left breast (had right mastectomy and immediate SGAP reconstruction November 2025) but I’m also worried that the Tamoxifen will negatively impact my life also. I have suffered from anxiety and depression over the years and scared this might make matters worse (I am on antidepressants so maybe this is an unfounded fear?), not to mention all the other potential side effects. My oncologist has said if I can’t deal with the side effects we can review what other approaches can be taken so I guess there isn’t really a reason not to start…
I am now 4 years and 8 months into my tamoxifen journey
At the start I honestly didn’t notice anything much that I probably wouldn’t have had without it. I was (and have remained) perimenopausal throughout and was probably more bothered by not being able to take HRT than taking the tamoxifen.
I am now 55, and have noticed a few changes in terms of gaining a bit of weight and not being able to run as fast as previously, but accept that this could just be down to age and menopause anyway.
The other thing I have noticed is a reduced tolerance to alcohol (it doesn’t taste the same and too much results in hot flushes) again hard to know if that’s Tamoxifen or not as I know others who say the same and haven’t had BC or taken Tamoxifen
Ultimately it is up to you, no-one can force you to take it, and even if you start taking it, you can always stop if you find the side effects intolerable
I have been taking tamoxifen for two years. When I first started taking it I had a few days where I struggled to focus and find my words at times as well as a couple of slightly warmer nights. These were minor, only lasted a very short time, and I guess was just getting accustomed to a new medication. I changed the time I take it from morning to 5pm so it didn’t affect my work and since then have no issues at all. Apart from actually taking the tablet each day I wouldn’t know I was on any medication. I’ve had five or six different brands and not noticed any differences between them.
It’s your choice, and your choice alone and best wishes with whatever you decide. x
Sorry that you’re feeling so worried about taking Tamoxifen, which is completely understandable.
I took it for 2 years before I switched to Letrozole. I worried too but actually it was okay. I noticed in the first few months a lot of joint stiffness and I seemed to up in the night peeing a lot, insomnia, dry skin and some hair thinning. Things then settled down, I suppose your system just gets used to it. The stiffness never completely went, but I just kept moving, walking my dog and that always helped.
The trouble is, we read a lot about people’s bad experiences, but a lot do tolerate it well and it’s nothing to be too anxious about.
I wouldn’t let your understandable worries prevent you from trying it. Hormone blockers are our safety net against recurrence.