I’m 6 weeks post op… mastectomy and DIEP reconstruction for early stage breast cancer (Grade 2), it was caught very early and hasn’t spread to my lymph nodes but I’ve been told I have to take Tamoxifen for 5 years. I have read too many things about it and got myself in a bit of a state about taking them. Has anyone got any positive experiences of taking them? Not even positive just neutral?
I have a touch of health anxiety anyway (pre cancer) but the blood clot thing is a massive trigger for me as I lost a close friend to one very suddenly.
I was also very nervous of taking tamoxifen, but I have found it nowhere near as bad as I thought, as you never hear positive stories about it. I am not without side effects, but what I have learnt is that there is a variation within brands and you don’t always get to choose. I had a brand recently that gave me hot flushes and sleepless nights so I went back to my doctor and got another prescription and went around all my local chemists to see what brand they had in stock. When I found a brand I got on with, my doctor has put it on my repeat prescription notes so I have that one now.
The most annoying thing is that I have to be very careful with alcohol! I can only tolerate very small amounts!
A lot of women take this and get on with their lives, hopefully you will be one of them. Wishing you well and sending love xx
I’d give it a go and see where you land. I was placed temporarily on tamoxifen and I’m 37. It has been difficult. But I’m told some older ladies only experience some hot flushes and others nothing at all. I drove into someone’s car in the parking lot and had an uncontrollable breakdown when I took a wrong turn. It definitely make you coo coo. But millions of women go through menapause and struggle with it. If it’s too much you can change your plan. Lucky for me I only have to take it another 4 weeks till my mastectomy. Compared to everything you are going through, I think Tamoxifen may be a walk in the park. No one can really advise you as it is different for everyone. Good luck. And take care.