A question for the women

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

My Drs have been trying me on Tamoxifen.
The want me to take it for a least 5 years due to my breast cancer. But what I would like to know has anyone had any trouble with it?
They want me to take 20 mgs. a day. First I took one pill a day. But had some vomiting and headaches that just would not stop.
So they had me try to spit the pill and take half twice a day. But I am still not handling it.
As anyone else had trouble with this pill?

 

[Buckalew11]

They had my mom on something else besides tamoxifen but it was essentially like it , prescribed for BC for 5 years. She had some pretty bad side effects and felt terrible. He gave her 2 more scripts to try (tamoxifen is one of them) and she has opted out altogether. For her, quality of life is more important than feeling like crap plus she had a rare and slow growing type of cancer. She's almost 71, btw, and is in great shape (plays tennis 5 days a week for about 4 hours at a time! so she is a young 71).

Those meds are something to really think about but when you are younger, you have even more at stake. However, no one wants to feel terrible which so many women do while on these meds. The doctor really frowns on mom's choice but we're backing her on it.

I am sorry you are faced with this. I hope you can find a med. that won't make you feel so badly. I think I'd really think about the meds if I'd already gone through menopause though.

Best wishes to you. I'll be thinking of you.

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

They had my mom on something else besides tamoxifen but it was essentially like it , prescribed for BC for 5 years. She had some pretty bad side effects and felt terrible. He gave her 2 more scripts to try (tamoxifen is one of them) and she has opted out altogether. For her, quality of life is more important than feeling like crap plus she had a rare and slow growing type of cancer. She's almost 71, btw, and is in great shape (plays tennis 5 days a week for about 4 hours at a time! so she is a young 71).

Those meds are something to really think about but when you are younger, you have even more at stake. However, no one wants to feel terrible which so many women do while on these meds. The doctor really frowns on mom's choice but we're backing her on it.

I am sorry you are faced with this. I hope you can find a med. that won't make you feel so badly. I think I'd really think about the meds if I'd already gone through menopause though.

Best wishes to you. I'll be thinking of you.

I am glad yor mom is doing well with out the meds.
I have every side effect but the hot flashes. DH keeps saying he thinks he rather the hot flashes.

 

[JerseyJanice]

I don't know anything about that drug, but it's a good idea to talk to your pharmacist for ideas on how to tolerate what you're prescribed. Often they can provide important hints on when to take it, or what to eat or avoid.

Good luck to you.

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Hi! I'm sorry you are having to deal with this.. Your side effects are probably too severe for this, but have you tried taking the meds before you go to bed?

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

I don't know anything about that drug, but it's a good idea to talk to your pharmacist for ideas on how to tolerate what you're prescribed. Often they can provide important hints on when to take it, or what to eat or avoid.

Good luck to you.

That is a good idea. I did talk to them and they also said try cutting the pill and take it with food. But nothing seems to be helping.

Hi!

Hi

 

[hrh_disney_queen]

Hi

I added something after the wave..

 

[sjaakie]

I started using Tamoxifen in July.
The firs three months I suffered from quite a few side effects.
An itchy red rash, headaches and hair grow on places I can’t describe here without earning points and I had to watch my potty visits like an eagle.

After three months the side effects got less heavy and milder. Could also be I just got used to them.
I still eat lots of fruit and fibres and I do eat a sandwich before I take it.

The 5 of December I will have my first check up after my chemo and 2 operations.
I will ask my oncologist what she think about the side effects.

After talking with other users I heard that Tamoxifen is the cheapest pill. I don’t know if this is thru but I will surely ask if the more expensive ones are better and if I will have to pay extra that will be no problem.


Just remeber you are not allone

 

[SHAYMARAYSMOM]

I started using Tamoxifen in July.
The firs three months I suffered from quite a few side effects.
An itchy red rash, headaches and hair grow on places I can’t describe here without earning points and I had to watch my potty visits like an eagle.

After three months the side effects got less heavy and milder. Could also be I just got used to them.
I still eat lots of fruit and fibres and I do eat a sandwich before I take it.

The 5 of December I will have my first check up after my chemo and 2 operations.
I will ask my oncologist what she think about the side effects.

After talking with other users I heard that Tamoxifen is the cheapest pill. I don’t know if this is thru but I will surely ask if the more expensive ones are better and if I will have to pay extra that will be no problem.


Just remeber you are not allone

no rash for me. Instead of hair growing it is falling out. So not in the mood to be bald.
On the cost not sure what is more or what cost less. But like you if the side effects are better then I will gladly use something else.

 

[Buckalew11]

It is strange. My mom's friend is taking tamoxifen and she almost could not tolerate it. Her doctor said to try taking 1/2 in the a.m. 1/2 in the p.m. and she seems to tolerate it better.
However, my mom's doctor thought that was not right to do because of time release or something. Mom said, "Well, it is working better for G."

Mom's side effects were more like muscle aches, mental cloudiness (2 of her grandkids thought she might be getting Alzheimer's! LOL) Trouble sleeping at night, wanting to sleep in the day and having no energy. Plus her head hurt "in a weird way" she said. She was someone who could not tolerate hormones after menopause though. She came close to suffering a stroke while taking hormones so who knows what that head thing was about.

I really hope you feel better soon. I feel sorry for everyone who has to take those meds. I hear a lot of the same bad side effects from a lot of women. I think a lot of people blame the cancer for feeling so wiped out when it seems to the meds they put everyone on instead.