Hi Libby, yes I have also gained weight (about a stone). I am going to try to lose a bit in the new year - used to swim a lot but didnt swim throughout my chemo but now I have got some hair back feel ok to take it up again. It is a known side effect but have the investigations to put your mind at rest. Hope all is ok for you x
Hi All
ive put weight on too and im now getting caught up in a viscous circle, i feel fed up cos im fatter and therefore I eat and the cycle carries on, Im fed up now looking like this and just want to be the old me again.
Ive also noticed that my granny hairs are worse, im now on box no3. the hot flushes ae still bad too.
sorry for the moan just feeling fed up today
Sally xx
Hi,everyone i havent got the problem with waight gain not to annoy you girls i lost stone but i feel ok …dificult lifting ny son in his car seat,and out of the bath that is all…i have very dry skin and i am using that aquious every day ,cant do without skin is soooo dry that is cos of tamoxifen reduce estrogen …my hair isnt v good either but is again up to estrogen as well sometimes i think that regrowing will take year …wich is pain…i am now to start 3 th box of tamoxifen…all the best to all tamoxifen ladys Christina
Happy new year to all my tamoxifen buddies, how you all doing?
me, so fer so good, few hot flushes but no more than i had from the chemo i think, keeping fingers crossed
luv pauline xxx
oh just thought i would mention, as you may be aware a few of us are going to center parks, nottingham, on the 15th for 3 nights. there is one place going for grabs if anyone is interested. you would be more than welcome. let me know on here or pop over to our centerparks thread. would be a shame to leave one space empty on what is going to be a brilliant weekend…
luv pauline xxx
hope you have a great time, we have spent lots of weekends when the children were small and grown up to, we always had a ball, love the fact that everytime you go they have updated the areas so you never get bored and no where looks shabby.hope you manage the rapids and night swimming always my favorite with eating , and the spa area, of course.
one camping tip, we found ( and I may be preaching here), is that a box of matches in the toilet is invalualbe, one strike and the odour has gone, I would defo need it with the chemo wind at present
have a ball .no have a few
take care xx
Hi, I have not been on here for a long time. I was diagnosed with BC last year. All treatment finished apart from on Tamoxifen for 5 years. I have been on it since May. I didnt get the physical side effects as my my periods stopped with chemo so had the hot flushes then. My periods then came back around July time.
What I do seem to suffer with is and especially a week before my period is depression. I am also very irrational, irritable, over sensitive and not very nice to be around. It can last for 2 weeks. Im thinking its a combination of PMS (but so much worse then ever with my periods coming back) and my hormones being suppressed with the tamoxifen.
I hate being this way and by partner is really having to put up with a lot! my libido is non existent too and get very insecure about our relationship especially in those two weeks were ever emotion is heightened.
Im guessing there isnt a lot I can do and I have to ride through it? Is there anything herbal or natural I can take to help me? Im not going on anti depps as tried it in the past and they really didnt agree with me.
Any advice would be very grateful.
Thanks Em
Hi Emelf
Sorry to hear that your having a bad time emotionaly at the mo. Ive been taking tamoxifen since middle of oct and i too have found tht i get ratty more often and often feel like crying for no apparent reason.
I saw my onc today and she advised me to try a herbal remedy called Black Cohosh it can help with hot flushes and mood swings too, she also said that if that dosen’t work there is an anti-depressant that they can perscribe that helps with the effects of tamoxifen too. Ive been trying evening primrose oil for months now but I dont think its made alot of difference for me.
I dont know if this is of any help to you but i hope it helps knowing that your not alone in this.we can be cranky altogether on here LOL
All the best Sally x
Thanks Sally will look into that. definiatly dont want to go on anti depressents. Hope someting helps!
xx
hi Em - I know what you mean - my periods stopped half way thru chemo, 3 fec 3 tax and no more for 6 months - to the day!! It seems pretty common for them to come back…re the moodswings etc I take Efexor XL which is an antidepressant that is ok to take with tamoxifen (some aren’t recommended) and it helps with the sweats too - saying that since my period decided to come back or 2 wks before the night sweats got horrendous again…but for me the depression I had and the awful anxiety that overwhelmed me many a time was the worse thing - even worse than chemo - and I never want to feel that way again…if you try something and it doesn’t work you can always stop it, better than wondering if it would help or not maybe…good luck…mary x
Mary, my onc prescribed me an anti depresent today for my hot sweats. i feel if something iss ok to take and makes life more barable i am willing to give it a try. As you say, can always stop it if it doesnt work. What i was wondering was, she gave me 3 weeks worth, what happens then? do i get them from the doc? must do i suppose. Nice to talk to you again, hope your doing ok luv pauline xxx
Tamoxifen
Hello All
Not good with computers. Commenced tamoxifen mid Nov and an unbearable. I am on my own with 2 teenagers so you can imagine how well it’s going in our house. I feel irritable, irrational, tearful, dry skin, spotty skin, exhaustion. Trying very hard to sort myself out but my concentration is dreadful and I feel almost confused! Hope this posting works.
Liz
Hi Liz, - sounds like you are really suffering poor love - why not see your GP for some help and advice - if you read back through the thread there is lots can be done xx dont suffer in silence xx
hi Pauline - what did you get put on? Our gp only does 1 month tabs and it s a real nuisance every month. Liz - you sound like you’re really suffering - sometimes we just need a bit of extra support, if you had high blood pressure you take the things that help, same with feeling so low/anxious/depressed etc we need some treatment sometimes - sometimes long term and often not but its worth seeing your gp and having a chat. The efexor antidepressant really helps the s/e’s of the sweating/flushes/mood swings etc for me…mary x
Hi All,
Its been a month since I was last on, and since then…Was taken off Tamoxifen due to the SE beginning of Nov but had my 1st period since starting and not allowed those at the mo, so have been put on zoladex, had my 1st injection on 23rd Dec so far so good and start Armidex with next injection. But today I started another very heavy period only 15 days since my last 1… I thought that the zoladex was suppose to stop them, or is it too soon yet or is this my body just " clearing" itself out again!! Has any one else had this ??
love to all
Jenhar
xx
Hi mary my onc gave me 3 weeks of Dopupal which when i googled it was also called efexor and loads of other names. Bit unsure about taking it. Will my own doc continue to perscribe it to me do you think. Is it addictive? My doc told me the other day they are not allowed to prescribe more than 28 days at a time now caus i asked about a couple of months tamox but she wouldnt.
Luv everyone, Pauline xxx
Hi Pauline
I talked to my onc about going on those pills you mentioned but decided to wait a couple of months as she said the flushes can die down after the 1st few months and as im already on anti-depressents i thought i’d wait…I’l be interested to see how you get on with them though.
Hope your doing ok… like the hair
love Sally xx
Pauline - yes its efexor - the active med is called venlafexine, your gp will prescribe it - I only get monthly scripts too which is a nuisance having to remember to order them and collect them as I live a good bit away. Its a newer antidepressant and not addictive like the older tri-cyclics or tranquilizers are - they have helped me no end, I’d advise anyone to try them if their dr thinks they’d benefit. I’m on efexor xl which is basically a slower release tablet which is considered better if it makes you feel a bit sicky (the ordinary ones might do but might not) mary x
Thanks for that mary, very useful. makes me fell better about them…if i am ever brave enough to start them. Will let you know how i go on if i decide to take them, i start work next week so need some decent sleep!
luv pauline xxx
Hi, can you please help, i have got my first packet of tamoxifen, should have taken them on friday but thought couple of days break would be ok, to be honest bit scared of getting side effects when just getting last bit of chemo out of my system.
I have been prescribed ,wockhardt,has anyone any experience of these
never thought I would be so scared of taking a pill ,just dont want to feel ill…