So I’ve just picked up my 1st prescription of Tamoxifen and am dreading all the side effects so when have you found the best time of day to take it?
I was told by my BCN to take it at bedtime, as it was making me nauseous if I took it during the day. Worked a treat! Good luck!
Dugsy
Thank you Dugsy I’ll wait til this evening before taking it
Hi Dugsy,
I think it might be a case of trial and error to find out what suits you. I find it best to take it in the morning. If I take it at night my night sweats seem to be worse. Could be my imagination I guess, but they do seem to have improved since I changed the time I take it.
I haven’t really noticed too many side effects other than the sweats and hot flushes. I have some joint pain, but I think I had some before I started taking it, so it’s probably a bit of arthritis - just feels too easy to keep blaming everything on the cancer and it’s treatment.
Hope the tamoxifen is kind to you.
Jacqui
My GP told me to take it at a time that best suited me and I’ve definitely found taking it at bedtime works best. I don’t think there are any rules about when you should take it, just that it’s important to remember to do so! ;-D
Im a night timer too and have been relatively symptom free so far (except minor flushes and joint pain) but I am rubbish at remembering to take it! I would never remember in the morning tho, already stressy enough getting kids up and out in time without worrying about pills too!!
LOL - I have other meds to take morning and night so I do find it easier to remember it. However I also mark the days on the strips to make it really clear that I have actually taken it. I’m sure I’m still suffering from chemo fog as I can be so gormless these days! 
Well I am just about to take it so I will report back on any SEs
Hi Jo
I take it at night and haven’t had any SEs.
Good luck
Dx
Nymeria says: “However I also mark the days on the strips to make it really clear that I have actually taken it”
Phew, I thought it was just me! Each time I open a new box I label the three strips 1,2 3, and write the day letters on the ‘blisters’. Why can’t they put it in calendar packs?!
As for time of day, I started with evening (5 p.m.) as I was advised that would minimise hot flushes during the day… so all night then… Switched to morning, then half a trablet morning half evening… for me, no change whatsoever, still around 12 - 20 a day and 4 - 8 a night. I am now taking it when I get up in the morning… a bit Pavlovian really, my cat yowls to be fed and my brain thinks ‘tamoxifen’!!!
Just to note, that different brands may give different degrees of side effects. I have had far worse flushes/sweats and aches/stiffness with Generics than I did for the two months I was given Wockhardt. My local chemist seems to get whatever is on offer that month but you can request a specific brand if it helps.
Hope your s/e’s are minimal and efficacy maximum.
I write the days on the back of the strips too. I take mine at 7pm and have an alarm set on my phone. Even so, five minutes later I can sometimes think “did I take it, or just think about it?!” So I would be in trouble if I didn’t mark the strips!
Good luck Jo! Hope you have minimal SEs xx
I haven’t started taking mine yet I am nervous re side effects I have the script but have to wait till chemo out of system. Don’t know if to wait till rads are finished and I have had at least one herceptin or to bite the bullet !! Any advice ?
Well I’ve taken 2 tablets both just before bed and I’m happy to report that I have had no SEs at all yet, thank goodness. I just hope they don’t sneak up on me at some point. Thank you all for your advice x
Hi JoC, I’ve been taking mine (in the evenings) for 10 days now with no SEs but have been told that it can take months for SEs to develop. Eeeeky…
Anyone know if that’s true…?
X
Oh I really hope not I was just feeling good cos they hadn’t affected me (yet). I am generally starting to feel ok again now although I did have to crash out on the sofa yesterday (still don’t like the reconstruction but that’s another thread entirely) so I was hoping to keep improving without any nasty SEs from Tamoxifen. Sandy toes I will keep my fingers crossed for both of us that the SEs continue to keep away x
Oh really? Oh no…
Yeah - I’ve just started feeling “normal” again too. Let’s hope that person was lying to me…! 