Menopause
Menopause I have started a new topic on behalf of Angelaroz
Kind Regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
After a tram flap reconstruction in jan and radiotherapy i am now on tamoxifen…I would like to understand more about the side effects and is it normal for me to carry on having regular periods. At one point my doc said expect no more…i do experience night sweats and sometimes get so cold i cant warm up. My mood swings are a problem but am not sure if that is the tablets or an accumulation of incidents. Anyone out there can offer advice i would be grateful. Also I have heard there are different brands of tamoxifen the cheaper ones give more side effects is this true or just rumours?
Tamoxifen brands Some ladies have experienced problems with generic brands of tamoxifen. I started on Nolvadex but was changed onto a generic brand after the local PCT stopped GPs from prescribing branded drugs. I spoke to my GP about this and he said there’s actually very little in this medication other than the tamoxifen so did n’t see how there could be massive differences as the different brands tend to have the same ingredients. I have not had any problems with the generic drug. A friend of mine who takes a different generic brand has also not had any problems. Another lady I know has had problems with an existing health condition which seems to have been aggravated by tamoxifen.
Geraldine
After going through “chemopause”, my periods came back regular as clockwork while I was taking Tamoxifen and I only really suffered with hot flushes during the first couple of months. The only long-term side effect I would say I had (and still have!) was fatigue.
I think your age has a lot to do with whether or not Tamoxifen sends your body into menopause (I was 32 when I started taking it), but I’m sure I’ve read posts from women who are nearing the age of their natural menopause who’ve continued to have periods with Tamoxifen. I’m certain someone will be along to tell you more about this.
Hope that’s helped a bit, though.
All the best,
Mel x
No hard and fast rules. Hi,
First I hope your feeling good at the moment.
As my headline state I think there are no hard and fast rules for the drugs many of us need to take. They seem to affect different people in different ways. I was switched from Tamoxifen after 5 months as I had many of the symptoms posted about Tamoxifen, but also had a really heavy bleed which when investigated was due to small cysts. I was told this was probably the effect of the drug on me and I was switched to Arimidex. I get side effects with these of tiredness, aches in morning so I think it is just one of those things.
One day hopefully none of us will need lots of drugs to take. as research is always improving things.
Good luck.
Treakle.
Hi all. I started taking Tamoxifen in November last year. My periods came to a halt about half way through chemo and I suffered badly from hot flushes and night sweats. I was convinced that I had been pushed into an early menopause (I’m 41), but last month my periods started again. I guess there’s no golden rule. Our bodies are all different and cope with trauma in different ways. I never thought I’d welcome a period - but it felt great! Psychologically I feel my body’s telling me that it’s getting back to normal…now just gotta lose the weight that piled on during the treatment!!
tamoxifen and periods I’m 53 and I’ve been taking tamoxifen for over 2 1/2 yrs now. I continued to have regular periods up until 3 months ago, but I haven’t had one since then. I have only very recently experienced mild hot flushes. I imagine I am now going through a natural menopause.
The side effects I have experienced so far on tamoxifen are drier hair and skin, vaginal discharge, very weak nails (have vastly improved in condition in last month), and aching joints (which virtually disappeared after about a year).
Best wishes