maybe i shouldn`t have but have read a survey that suggests that the risk of ovarian cancer when on tamoxifen increases to 50% , the risk of my grade 1 tubular recurring is lower , therefore i am in a muddle as to whether i should indeed be taking tamoxifen , i am having radiotherapy and am wandering if really that is enough , my tumour was oestrogen receptive,but i was down to 2 periods a year so on the verge of menopause anyway , has anyone else had this dilemma ? going to give nurses a ring i think x
Hi Trish
I am 51 and was already going through the menopause, not had a period for over a year and taking HRT when dx with bc.
I have had similar reservations about tamoxifen and cancer of the womb and discussed them with my Onc team. I was advised that I would only take tamox for 1 year until they were sure I was post meno and would have a blood test to measure my oestrogen levels (I was HER+ 7/8) before moving to Aromatase inhibitor, but I got the feeling that this was only because I voiced my concerns and made it clear that I was very reluctant to take tamox. They did say that the risks are only there if you take tamox for 5 years.
My advice is raise your concerns with your Onc and don’t let them brush them aside.
DaisyGirl xx
Hi Trish
I think what has happened is that you have confused absolute risk with relative risk. I suspect what you read is that the risk of ovarian cancer is raised BY 50% with Tomoxifen, not raised TO 50%. I haven’t checked the figures recently, but from memory I think Tamoxifen raises the risk of ovarian cancer something in the order of from about 1% to about 2%.
finty x
hiya ladies . have spoken to bcn , she has suggested i get bloods taken to see if indeed the menopause had taken hold ! if it has then the tamoxifen will be changed accordingly , finty i do get myself in a muddle sometimes lol, panic is my middle name , bcn said risk is increased by small percentage as you quite rightly said , going to get bloods taken tomorrow so will know within 7 days what the outcome will be , thank you for replying to me xxx
Sounds like your bcn has got everything under control - glad the panic is over. finty x
Hi all,
I’m 39 and have been presecribed Tamoxifen for next 5 years.
Like you Trish my cancer lump that has just been removed - 1st July was oestrogen receptive so off the pill on the Tamoxifen with the chat about no more kids, menopause possible, husky voice and facial hair… GREAT!!!
I get my results Weds 13th July from the Lumpectomy / Lympy node biopisy, to see if RAds and Tamoxifen is the only treatment required or if I need chemo, more ‘surgery’
I am totally feeling sick to the Stomach, but keep a brave face, bit like a swan, on the surfcae fine, but if you look under the water, not so fine, feet paddling 10 to the dozen!
Also too much Googling cancer, but can’t help it 
Wendy x
love your swan analogy. Fortunately no-one every looks under the water, not even me–i just look at my relection and see myself serenely sailing along.
hi, sorry if this sounds a bit thick of me! started tam in april. im 41,premenopausal and my bnc gave me the impression that i would begin the menopause on tamoxifan.had 4 periods since starting them, absolutely bang on time but so heavy. i know its prob early days but is this usual? thanks,alex xxx (sorry, prob not the correct thread to ask but pc,s playing up)
mummysboob - if chemo didn’t put you in to menopause, Tamoxifen is unlikely to. It doesn’t shut down the ovaries - in fact in higher doses it is used as a fertility aid. Some women have irregular periods on Tam, but other continue as before.
thanks finty. this sounds even thicker!!! if ur cancer is oestrogen positive, then why are u not given a drug that stops ur body producing it, thus lowering the risk of recurrence? i kind of understand the concept of tam for bc ladies but if u could clarify i would be grateful.(not keen on my bcn) luckily no se,s so far so cannot moan! thank u alex xx
You can have treatment to shut the ovaries down - either chemically or by surgery, but you would still be producing oestrogen in your tissues (mainly in fat, but also muscle), so would need to take AI’s for that. Tamoxifen doesn’t stop oe production, but works by blocking the oestrogen from reaching cancer cells, thereby allowing the body to still have oe to keep joints moving etc. Tamoxifen is generally first choice treatment, but ovary removal or chemical menopause are the next option and for some people may be a better choice. There are lots of things to take into consideration - age and child bearing status for a start. Going into a menopause in your twenties would be very hard - but having Tam for 5 years enables you to return to some normality afterwards.
thank you finty, see my onc end of month. will discuss it then. alex xx
I am a bit confused now!!! Doesn’t take much!!!
I am 64 but have been prescribed Tamoxifen for 5 yrs??? I have Arthritis so they said this was the best for me??
Anyone else like me??
i am 64 and about to start tamoxifen. I did not think it increased the risk of ovarian cancer, but did think it increased the risk of cancer of the uterous and cervix. So they tell you to report any bleeding straight away and to get smear tests. (shows they had not read my notes, I have had a hystorectomy) But the risk is very slight, cannot remember the figurs but it was something like 22 women in 1000 not taking tamoxifan got cancer whereby 25 women taking it got cancer. not a big increase realy.
We use oestrogen all over the body. Tamoxifan either stops cells using eostrogen or encourages them to use more. It stops the breast cancer cells growing cos it stops them getting eostrogen, but gives womb cancer cells more. But the good new is that the cells that make bones and joints need oestrogen and it makes them take more up and gives you stronger bones. Which will be good news for me.
As to all the other possible side effects they look bad when you look at them by themselves, but when you compare them to the figures of people our age who dont take the drug they are not much higher.
also the side effects do seem to affect people who are not active. So thats fine for me, i drum for a couple of hours a day, garden and walk my dog, but it might by difficult for you with your arthritus. Can you take up swimming or some other daily activity that you could manage.
as for loss of labido, the nurse said that they would prescribe something if that started to be a problem. My 70 year old husband was in the room at the time, and it brought a twinkle to his eye!
today is not a good day , everything seems to be painful including my head ! i have a bad chest and throat , i dont think being sick fri evening helped , had felt sick all day and taken my anti sicness 3 times to no avail , sat not too bad but yesterday throat sore , can i still have rads if not 100% well ? wendy swans tend to go around in pairs so see that one gliding in water to left of you - thats me lol , im awaiting results of bloods to determine stage of menopause but i cant go on feeling like this almost every day, maybe im just anxious i dont know , just so fed up today xxx
Hi Trish
I can’t see anything that says tamoxifen increases risk of ovarian cancer - where did you read that?
I also suffer a lot of side effects from tamoxifen I think. I say that because started treatment shortly after turning 46. After chemo I went into menopause (according to blood tests) but then 18 months later and I am now out of menopause again and feeling dreadful.
So I’m not sure how much is the tamoxifen and how much is my hormones going up and down like yo-yos. Any other drug and I’d stop for a while to see but can’t with this one.
Anxiety doesn’t help but let’s face it is perfectly understandable for all of us. i too have almost daily headaches, fatigue, and I can go months without hot flushes for them to suddenly kick in a big way for a few weeks.
Hopefully the nausea will pass. I would try to keep having rads unless really unwell but check with the radiographer if you’re not sure.
What anti-sickness are you on and at what dose? There may be other options if its not working for you.
take care, Elinda x
hiya elinda , i think i stupidly googled the risks of tamoxifen on the ovaries , i honestly cant remember ( cant remember much at all these days ) , today feel slightly better tho the nausea still coming and going , im on cyclizine 50mg ? i m 49 in few weeks and was down to 2 periods a year , my last one in feb , bcn advised me to get bloods done which i have to see what stage of menopause i am - if at all ,should hear tomorrow , i hated pmt which i got for a week before my period , my life and my kids lives were miserable for a week , thats why i hate this feeling , its just like pmt and nothing feels safe anymore ? xxxxx
hello OAL , i think ive googled myself out in panic mode , yes i do think if i were more active i prob wouldnt feel as if suffering so much , my problem is that since last tues when the side effects started i have felt exhausted and have given into it - i should i think give myself a kick up the rear and get out there , it doesnt help that financially im not well off and dont usually have spare cash to do anything , however thats not an excuse for not going out for walk , shall for def do that today ., the twinkle in your hubbys eye , i think the time to worry is when the twinkle has gone lol , how lovely to think that even as we get older our love doesnt diminish xxx
I think it increases the chances of cancer of the womb rather than of the ovaries.
I went to a BCC forum last weekend and they said that the increased risk of womb cancer is completely offset by the benefits of Tamoxifen. Now, I did have chemo brain, so don’t quote me on these numbers, but I think it was that Tamoxifen would save the lives of 50 people for every 1 person who got womb cancer as a result…
I’m going to take the risk!!
Hi Trish I hope you soon feel better im not on hormone therapy but am now going through menopause I found I felt yuk couple of times whilst I was having rads to which they checked my notes & asked about hormones but when I told them im in menapause & having bad night sweats & hot flushes they said it could very well be that making me feel sick I can only describe it as the same feeling as morning sickness comes on quite bad then eases then comes back then goes, the only thing I was told was to drink more water as that helps flush your body & if your not getting enough water you are more prome to that headachey & sicky feeling Try to carry on with rads just tell them as it is when they ask you each day how are you feeling … dont be tempted to say ok if your not they will note this all each day & will give it to your onc at the end if he/she don’t see it during your treatment
All the best love
Mekala x