just curious

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hillbillycat
hillbillycat Member Posts: 79
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My dr,said I could take tamoxafan or choose not to take it . She said it raised my chances 1 to 2%. She said she would take it even for 1 or 2%. In my case she said with chemo and radiation I am 95% cured. I think this is great news and I weighed the pros and cons with tamoxafan and I think blod clots and endometrial cancer and weight gain are enough (could happen) side effects that I don`t want to deal with.What does everyone else think?............Shirl

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  • Unknown
    Unknown
    #2
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    I had bc surgery in 1993, and at the time the oncologist said that I wasn't a very good candidate for chemo or rad because of other physical problems (which I already knew), however he wanted me to try tamoxifin so I took it for about 6 weeks - I didn't just get some of the side affects, I got nearly ALL of them, and the longer I took it the sicker I got so I decided it simply wasn't worth living the rest of my life sick and stopped taking it. That was 11 years ago and to date I haven't had a recurrance of cancer. You don't say if you are pre or post menopausal - I was 56 and post menopausal so that made a difference in my outlook.
    It's a decision that YOU have to live with, NOT the DOCTOR and NOT ME, so all I can do is to tell you how I felt about it and hope it helps a little.
    Whatever you decide - we're rooting for you!
    Clara
  • isaiah4031
    isaiah4031 Member Posts: 240
    #3
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    I've been on tamoxifen for over 3 years and just have minor side effects...occasional hot flashes and some joint pain. It's tolerable, and for me, I just wanted to know that I had done every thing I could to fight the ca. I agree with Clara...it is a personal decision and whatever you choose will be right for you. There are other drugs, however, that may have less side effects. I only had the option of Tamoxifen, but I do know there are others. My best to you...
    Hugs, Jayne
  • mom62
    mom62 Member Posts: 604 Member
    #4
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    Hi,

    My doctor put me on Arimidex instead because the side effects are more with the Tamoxifen. You can't take it unless you are postmenopausal though. Check into it, it can't hurt. I have no side effects from the Arimidex at all.

    Terry
  • Kathy1108
    Kathy1108 Member Posts: 62
    #5
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    mom62 said:

    Hi,

    My doctor put me on Arimidex instead because the side effects are more with the Tamoxifen. You can't take it unless you are postmenopausal though. Check into it, it can't hurt. I have no side effects from the Arimidex at all.

    Terry

    My doctor gave me the choice of tamoxifen or Armidex. I picked Armidex because of the less side effects. I do get hot flashes and bone joint pain.

    Kathy
  • hillbillycat
    hillbillycat Member Posts: 79
    #6
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    Kathy1108 said:

    My doctor gave me the choice of tamoxifen or Armidex. I picked Armidex because of the less side effects. I do get hot flashes and bone joint pain.

    Kathy

    Thanks everyone for your input.I am pre-menopausal.The dr.said if the cancer come back then if I tried everything ,I will know that I did everything. But still, I think 95 is a good thing and if my cancer comes back with that percentage then it would probally come back anyway..Shirl
  • me2
    me2 Member Posts: 20
    #7
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    I was taking Tamoxifen also but the hot flashes and the hurting and stiffness in the joints were the worst pain I had had. Not to mention the 30lb weight gain. I feel I have made the right decision in stop taking it, but as in all things time will tell. Thanks for bringing up the subject.
  • hillbillycat
    hillbillycat Member Posts: 79
    #8
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    I know what you mean.I gained weight when I was a teen, so....... When I was a teen, I developed a eating disorder. I would go for days on a 300 calorie diet and then run every morning.I knew every calorie in everthing. Instead of thinking of boys, I was thinking of food. But soon I would be so starved . I would eat everything in sight even green beans for breakfast! My hands would shake and I felt out of control. Nothing ever really helped me until I got pregnant with my first child. I just couldn`t get myself to binge or throw up knowing I would be hurting him too. That is when I started to get well. To make a long story short,I don`t want to go through anything that makes me miserable. I have already wasted a large portion of my life being miserable. And believe me, it was embarrasing and terrible.I have to weigh the pros and cons and then decide if it is worth it.Maybe a weight gain is a small price to pay for not getting recurrance of cancer but if they ever had a eating disorder in their life they would understand....Shirl
  • SweetSue
    SweetSue Member Posts: 217
    #9
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    Most of us have the choice of taking Tamoxifen or Arimidex, and most of us choose to take them because we want to do everything in our power to prevent a recurrance , even if the percentages are 1% or 2%.
    Good luck with your decision.
    Sue
  • dtrofgrace
    dtrofgrace Member Posts: 9
    #10
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    I thought long and hard about whether to take Tamoxifen. Since I was already at high risk of uterine cancer I decided not to take it. I agree with other posters who have said it's really an individual decision. You have to consider whether you are comfortable with your decision, whatever happens. If you choose to take Tamoxifen, you can stop if the side effects are too much for you. If you're comfortable with the decision not to take it, do everything else you can to improve your health: exercise, eat nutritious foods, etc.
    Lynn
  • KimInBeirut
    KimInBeirut Member Posts: 39
    #11
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    hillbillycat said:

    Thanks everyone for your input.I am pre-menopausal.The dr.said if the cancer come back then if I tried everything ,I will know that I did everything. But still, I think 95 is a good thing and if my cancer comes back with that percentage then it would probally come back anyway..Shirl

    I had the same option, with just about the same percentages. I opted against taking tamoxifen because the 1-2% improvement for BC left me with at least a 1-2% chance of another cancer or negative side effect. I felt the trade-off wasn't worth it, and opted to put my faith in that 95% chance the BC wouldn't come back.
  • hillbillycat
    hillbillycat Member Posts: 79
    #12
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    dtrofgrace said:

    I thought long and hard about whether to take Tamoxifen. Since I was already at high risk of uterine cancer I decided not to take it. I agree with other posters who have said it's really an individual decision. You have to consider whether you are comfortable with your decision, whatever happens. If you choose to take Tamoxifen, you can stop if the side effects are too much for you. If you're comfortable with the decision not to take it, do everything else you can to improve your health: exercise, eat nutritious foods, etc.
    Lynn

    Thanks all,,,,I don`t feel so alone with my decision to not take tamoxafan.I respect everyones decision and their individual reasons for taking verses not taking....Shirl

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