Tamoxifen or Not?

Christmas Girl

mimivac said:

Tamoxifen and Reduction of Recurrence
Kristin,

It is so difficult to make these decisions, especially with all the numbers being thrown around and the fact that we don't know what will happen to us, individually. Some information on Tamoxifen as I understand it: it can lower your risk by up to 50%, which is huge. I suspect that your 6% is 6 percentage points, not 6 percent, am I right? So, if you had a risk of recurrence of 12%, Tamoxifen would lower it to 6%: a reduction of half your risk, or 50%. Is that making sense? In my book, that kind of protection is worth the risk of side effects.

About side effects: yes, women have all the side effects you mentioned. But many women do not. Susan is right: bulletin boards and reports of adverse effects are skewed toward people with worse outcomes. People who take Tamoxifen and have no problems are not signing onto message boards to write about it and seek advice. So, in a way, you are getting a worse picture of the drug than is warranted when you read message boards and people's complains. I'm not saying that you won't have side effects, just that discussion boards do not always present a complete picture. I'm not sure about permanent side effects. I'm sure it's possible, but pretty rare.

I wish you peace and luck in deciding this difficult issue.

Mimi

Thank you, Mimi!
Like you so eloquently stated, and I agree wholeheartedly...

I truly worry sometimes that some may refuse what could be a LIFE SAVING medication for them because they're scared off by what they read - so many negatives - in forums like this.

It's human nature to complain. We all do it. I truly wish more who have/had no problems (and, I know they're out there! because I'm one of them! and we ARE the MAJORITY!) would step forward in order to balance out the posts on this subject. No matter for what BC-related med.

Jeez, there are risks even with OTCs - like Tylenol.

Kind regards, Susan

mmontero38

Christmas Girl said:

Thank you, Mimi!
Like you so eloquently stated, and I agree wholeheartedly...

I truly worry sometimes that some may refuse what could be a LIFE SAVING medication for them because they're scared off by what they read - so many negatives - in forums like this.

It's human nature to complain. We all do it. I truly wish more who have/had no problems (and, I know they're out there! because I'm one of them! and we ARE the MAJORITY!) would step forward in order to balance out the posts on this subject. No matter for what BC-related med.

Jeez, there are risks even with OTCs - like Tylenol.

Kind regards, Susan

You're right Susan, and
You're right Susan, and that's why I keep stressing that you can absolutely not go by my experience. Everyone reacts differently. I am know on Arimidex and it too has it's own side effects. So, we just try to find the medication that will lower our risk and at the same time give us the least amount of side effects. I would never consider not taking anything, but at this point we are trying different ones until we find one that agrees with me. Hugs to all, Lili

Christmas Girl

mmontero38 said:

You're right Susan, and
You're right Susan, and that's why I keep stressing that you can absolutely not go by my experience. Everyone reacts differently. I am know on Arimidex and it too has it's own side effects. So, we just try to find the medication that will lower our risk and at the same time give us the least amount of side effects. I would never consider not taking anything, but at this point we are trying different ones until we find one that agrees with me. Hugs to all, Lili

Hi, Lili...
I sincerely hope you'll do OK on Arimidex. I took Tamoxifen for 2 years; then, Arimidex 3+ years now - still - & counting.

NO side effects from Tamoxifen, for me. The Arimidex, a completely different experience! Yet, it is "holding" my risk of recurrence at 20%. I think I would do just about anything (well, not murder!) to get that number even lower. For now, Arimidex is all that's available for me. So, I put up with the side effects. Which are not affecting my health. They're just annoying & a distraction.

Good luck to you, Lili.

Kind regards, Susan

Kristin N

mimivac said:

Tamoxifen and Reduction of Recurrence
Kristin,

It is so difficult to make these decisions, especially with all the numbers being thrown around and the fact that we don't know what will happen to us, individually. Some information on Tamoxifen as I understand it: it can lower your risk by up to 50%, which is huge. I suspect that your 6% is 6 percentage points, not 6 percent, am I right? So, if you had a risk of recurrence of 12%, Tamoxifen would lower it to 6%: a reduction of half your risk, or 50%. Is that making sense? In my book, that kind of protection is worth the risk of side effects.

About side effects: yes, women have all the side effects you mentioned. But many women do not. Susan is right: bulletin boards and reports of adverse effects are skewed toward people with worse outcomes. People who take Tamoxifen and have no problems are not signing onto message boards to write about it and seek advice. So, in a way, you are getting a worse picture of the drug than is warranted when you read message boards and people's complains. I'm not saying that you won't have side effects, just that discussion boards do not always present a complete picture. I'm not sure about permanent side effects. I'm sure it's possible, but pretty rare.

I wish you peace and luck in deciding this difficult issue.

Mimi

Mimi
This is what my report says inre to the % of Tamoxifen of a recurrence. I think it says what you are saying..right? "An adjuvant online calculation predicts a 17.5% 10 year recurrence rate if no systemic therapy is employed, an 11.1% 10 year recurrence rate with Tamoxifen, and a 7.1% 10 year recurrence rate if both chemotherapy and Tamoxifen were given. My oncologist said that she wouldn't recommend chemo herself for a 4% return inre to the side effects would outweight the 4% benefit. So, no chemo. My tumor was small with lymph nodes and margins clean. So, that is where I got the 6%..is that right? lol This stuff is cofusing...

mimivac

Kristin N said:

Mimi
This is what my report says inre to the % of Tamoxifen of a recurrence. I think it says what you are saying..right? "An adjuvant online calculation predicts a 17.5% 10 year recurrence rate if no systemic therapy is employed, an 11.1% 10 year recurrence rate with Tamoxifen, and a 7.1% 10 year recurrence rate if both chemotherapy and Tamoxifen were given. My oncologist said that she wouldn't recommend chemo herself for a 4% return inre to the side effects would outweight the 4% benefit. So, no chemo. My tumor was small with lymph nodes and margins clean. So, that is where I got the 6%..is that right? lol This stuff is cofusing...

Hi Kristin,
From that it seems that Tamoxifen would reduce your risk by about 37%. Both Tamoxifen and chemo would reduce your risk by about 59% overall. I still think 37% is pretty good

Mimi

Kristin N

mimivac said:

Hi Kristin,
From that it seems that Tamoxifen would reduce your risk by about 37%. Both Tamoxifen and chemo would reduce your risk by about 59% overall. I still think 37% is pretty good

Mimi

I don't know..lol
On the Adjuvant online graphic that my oncologist gave me, it says:
76.3 alive and without cancer in 10 years
17.5 relapse
6.2 die of other causes

With hormonal therapy: Benefit = 6.4 without relapse

With chemotherapy: Benefit = 5.8 without relapse

With combined therapy: Benefit = 10.2 without relapse

So, that is where I got the 6% adavantage with Tamoxifen. Does this make sense?

dbs1673

Kristin N said:

I don't know..lol
On the Adjuvant online graphic that my oncologist gave me, it says:
76.3 alive and without cancer in 10 years
17.5 relapse
6.2 die of other causes

With hormonal therapy: Benefit = 6.4 without relapse

With chemotherapy: Benefit = 5.8 without relapse

With combined therapy: Benefit = 10.2 without relapse

So, that is where I got the 6% adavantage with Tamoxifen. Does this make sense?

just my 2 cents
About 4 years ago I started on Tamoxifen after having had an abnormal left breast biopsy with atypia hyperplasia which basically means high alert but not cancer. My mother had breast cancer. I met with an oncologist and agreed to the recommended plan of Tamoxifen for 5 years. Outside of 5lb weight gain I had NO side effects. Still trying to address my risk factors I had the BRACA testing done and it was negative. Last May I was diagnosed with DCIS right breast with suspicious but clear biopsy on the left. At least I knew hearing that diagnosis that I had done everything possible to avoid being caught by the beast. I had a bilateral mastectomy in June(enought of the biopsies already) and met again with the oncologist. The pathology report was borderline hormone receptor positive. Clear lymph nodes but very close margin even with the mastectomy so had the radiation. After discussion on the continuation of Tamoxifen it was agreed that there was no benefit in my case and hence stopped only for that reason. Don't let the fear paralyze you from considering this option. Good Luck.

dawn

mimivac

Kristin N said:

I don't know..lol
On the Adjuvant online graphic that my oncologist gave me, it says:
76.3 alive and without cancer in 10 years
17.5 relapse
6.2 die of other causes

With hormonal therapy: Benefit = 6.4 without relapse

With chemotherapy: Benefit = 5.8 without relapse

With combined therapy: Benefit = 10.2 without relapse

So, that is where I got the 6% adavantage with Tamoxifen. Does this make sense?

Right
That is a 6.4 percentage points advantage -- So that your risk of relapse goes from 17.5% to 11.1%. 11.1 is about 37% lower than 17.5. Therefore, Tamoxifen lowers your risk of relapse by 37%, or by 6.4 percentage points. Your advantage from Tamoxifen is 37% lowered risk. Am I explaining it right?!

swatts1943

tasha_111 said:

Tamoxifen
I have been on it since I finished chemo and before I started rads... July 2008......Night sweats (probably one night in 10) not so bad that I don't sleep through it....Other side effects/Problems......Remembering to take it. That's it. 6% hell you went through the worst to foil the beast, another 6% is well worth it, especially with little or NO side effects. Jxxxxxxx

Tamoxifen
I have been taking Tamoxifen since I had my surgery last June and the only side effects I have had are night sweats and hot flashes (power surges) lol. I am taking effexor to keep the side effects of Tamoxifen down and it has seemed to help a lot. They just increased the dosage and that helped a lot. I feel pretty good.

Kristin N

mimivac said:

Right
That is a 6.4 percentage points advantage -- So that your risk of relapse goes from 17.5% to 11.1%. 11.1 is about 37% lower than 17.5. Therefore, Tamoxifen lowers your risk of relapse by 37%, or by 6.4 percentage points. Your advantage from Tamoxifen is 37% lowered risk. Am I explaining it right?!

Mimi..you are so helpful!
I think I understand Mimi, and, I am sure you are explaining it right. But, all I see is that for 6% more chance of a recurrence..why take Tamoxifen and even risk any side effects or uterine cancer etal? I don't have my mind made up to take it or not. I have to finish my radiation treatments first before they will put me on Tamoxifen. And, after I finish radiation..I am taking a couple of weeks off..no doctors..no appointments..no treatment. I just need to get my skin back to normal and give my mind and body a rest. I thank you Mimi and all of you for the replies..keep them coming, as, I am still undecided.

mimivac

Kristin N said:

Mimi..you are so helpful!
I think I understand Mimi, and, I am sure you are explaining it right. But, all I see is that for 6% more chance of a recurrence..why take Tamoxifen and even risk any side effects or uterine cancer etal? I don't have my mind made up to take it or not. I have to finish my radiation treatments first before they will put me on Tamoxifen. And, after I finish radiation..I am taking a couple of weeks off..no doctors..no appointments..no treatment. I just need to get my skin back to normal and give my mind and body a rest. I thank you Mimi and all of you for the replies..keep them coming, as, I am still undecided.

Sweetie, your risk does not fall by 6%
Your risk falls by 37%. Which is good!

Mimi

Kristin N

mimivac said:

Sweetie, your risk does not fall by 6%
Your risk falls by 37%. Which is good!

Mimi

Still confused
I have been reading on another board about the side effects of Tamoxifen. Some of the women there said that they had or had read where a lot of women that take Tamoxifen have hysterectomy's within a year or two or other "female" problems that were more than likely caused by Tamoxifen. Anyone here know of that? I seriously just don't think it is worth the risk. And, the whole uterine cancer thing..it is known to cause that too. I don't think that the benefit that it would do for me is enough to risk all of that. Why is this so confusing?

phoenixrising

Kristin N said:

Still confused
I have been reading on another board about the side effects of Tamoxifen. Some of the women there said that they had or had read where a lot of women that take Tamoxifen have hysterectomy's within a year or two or other "female" problems that were more than likely caused by Tamoxifen. Anyone here know of that? I seriously just don't think it is worth the risk. And, the whole uterine cancer thing..it is known to cause that too. I don't think that the benefit that it would do for me is enough to risk all of that. Why is this so confusing?

Kristin, it may be true that
Kristin, it may be true that some women have hysterectomy's due to Tamoxifen and it may be true that there are a slew of other problems that can be caused by Tamoxifen but those posts and boards attract those who are already having problems or haven't started it yet.
There are a zillion women out there who have taken Tamoxifen for 5 yrs and have little or no problems. We don't usually hear from them unless they are using the boards for another reason. I don't think these se are common and they certainly scared me too but you know, you can give it a shot and then quit if you are the one having problems.

Some of your confusion may be that although you are seeing a 6 point decrease in recurrence your gut is saying there may be more to this. Converting those points to percentage as Mimi showed adds a different perspective.

Another option may be to start off at 1/2 dosage (which would be better than nothing) or consider an AI. Perhaps your onc would be open to trying other options.

For myself I really want to be on something. I really really really do not want to do chemo again and I really do not want to hear I have mets. Then it gets a lot uglier than the more benign se that most women experience.

Whatever you decide Kristin, I wish you much success. I know there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made. If only we could see the future right??

hugs
jan

Kristin N

phoenixrising said:

Kristin, it may be true that
Kristin, it may be true that some women have hysterectomy's due to Tamoxifen and it may be true that there are a slew of other problems that can be caused by Tamoxifen but those posts and boards attract those who are already having problems or haven't started it yet.
There are a zillion women out there who have taken Tamoxifen for 5 yrs and have little or no problems. We don't usually hear from them unless they are using the boards for another reason. I don't think these se are common and they certainly scared me too but you know, you can give it a shot and then quit if you are the one having problems.

Some of your confusion may be that although you are seeing a 6 point decrease in recurrence your gut is saying there may be more to this. Converting those points to percentage as Mimi showed adds a different perspective.

Another option may be to start off at 1/2 dosage (which would be better than nothing) or consider an AI. Perhaps your onc would be open to trying other options.

For myself I really want to be on something. I really really really do not want to do chemo again and I really do not want to hear I have mets. Then it gets a lot uglier than the more benign se that most women experience.

Whatever you decide Kristin, I wish you much success. I know there are a lot of difficult decisions to be made. If only we could see the future right??

hugs
jan

Thanks Jan and everyone else!
Jan, I assume you are on Tamoxifen then? And having no side effects? And, correct me if I am wrong, but, didn't you refuse radiation? Or, was it not part of your treatment? It seems I read that somewhere on here about someone. Maybe, it wasn't you. I know I should probably try Tamoxifen, I do know that. It is just that the fear of more problems, more side effects scare the heck out of me. Ofcourse, I am still in radiation and I am getting so tired of it and the few problems that I am having with it, that maybe it is clouding my brain because I just want to be done with this cancer fighting crap and feel good again! Make sense? Well, thank you again everyone for your comments. Keep them coming as I need help in making this decision! Hugs to all of you!

EveningStar2

Kristin N said:

Thanks Jan and everyone else!
Jan, I assume you are on Tamoxifen then? And having no side effects? And, correct me if I am wrong, but, didn't you refuse radiation? Or, was it not part of your treatment? It seems I read that somewhere on here about someone. Maybe, it wasn't you. I know I should probably try Tamoxifen, I do know that. It is just that the fear of more problems, more side effects scare the heck out of me. Ofcourse, I am still in radiation and I am getting so tired of it and the few problems that I am having with it, that maybe it is clouding my brain because I just want to be done with this cancer fighting crap and feel good again! Make sense? Well, thank you again everyone for your comments. Keep them coming as I need help in making this decision! Hugs to all of you!

for me
I decided that I would try the tamoxifen. I started *after* radiation so I would know where any side effects came from. 25 days and no issues. Should something start up, I'll look at it then.

BTW, I met with my surgeon yesterday for my 3 month check up--it's all good. Mammo in 3 months (6 months post op) and take the tamoxifen. One thing I go a kick out of: she did a manual breast exam. My tumor was caught on mammo and was *never* palpable. But OK, she did it and we all feel better. *grin*

Maureen

phoenixrising

Kristin N said:

Thanks Jan and everyone else!
Jan, I assume you are on Tamoxifen then? And having no side effects? And, correct me if I am wrong, but, didn't you refuse radiation? Or, was it not part of your treatment? It seems I read that somewhere on here about someone. Maybe, it wasn't you. I know I should probably try Tamoxifen, I do know that. It is just that the fear of more problems, more side effects scare the heck out of me. Ofcourse, I am still in radiation and I am getting so tired of it and the few problems that I am having with it, that maybe it is clouding my brain because I just want to be done with this cancer fighting crap and feel good again! Make sense? Well, thank you again everyone for your comments. Keep them coming as I need help in making this decision! Hugs to all of you!

Hi Kirstin, no I am not on
Hi Kirstin, no I am not on Tamoxifen anymore. I, like you didn't want anything and was deathly afraid of se especially the ones I had read that were permanent. But I knew I had to have something. I was 6 mos into Tamoxifen when my eyes started bothering me. I had other se too, like major hotflashes for instance. But for me I knew something was not right and I had my dna checked for the cyp2D6 enzyme that converts Tamoxifen into Endoxifen (which is the real player when fighting BC). As it turned out I did not have the full functioning genes to metabolize the drug. So I concluded that that was why I was having so much trouble. I took it for 1 1/2 yrs.

So then I tried Arimidex and that was a no go as well. Now I'm trying Aromasin and it's only been a couple of weeks but it seems OK so far. The thing is, if the se are unacceptable you can always go off it. And if the Aromasin doesn't get along with me, then I have a couple of other options I will try. I need to tell you that the se I experienced are rare. I also need to tell you that I'm glad I tried, cause in the end if this beast rears its ugly head again, I can say to myself, well at least I tried. I don't want to have any regrets. But I may have some yet due to refusing the rads.

Part of the reason I chose the mastectomy over lumpectomy was to avoid radiation. I have small breasts, a lumpectomy probably would have taken most of it anyway. They wanted to do the rads anyway because I only had a 1mm margin between the tumour and chest wall. But I may regret that decision as I thought the chemo and hormonals would look after anything that was left but I wasn't counting on having such a hard time with them.

I was trying to walk a fine line between destroying this disease and keeping an acceptable quality of life. I tried to feel my way at each step as to what would be the right thing to do. (for me) I tried to use my gut. And I will have to live with those decisions.

I can honestly say I was a fearful as you but what came to my mind was that I didn't want to make any decisions based on fear. I believed for me that a decision based on fear would not help me survive this. So I plunged in. And you know, I'm soooooo not fearful of it anymore.

A cute analogy is this: I'm a pharmacy technician and one of our jobs is to mix chemo. This is only of course if your hospital is a cancer centre. I was always terrified of it. I wasn't going to touch that stuff and luckily our hospital wasn't providing it. Now I've been through it and now our hospital is mixing it. Everyone is tip toeing around it and I laugh and ask what they think it will do,....jump out of the box at them?? My whole perspective is so different now that I've had it coursing through my veins.

Anyways Kristin, I'm sorry I've rambled. You do what's best for you, that's all any of us can do. Some people do nothing but drink wheat grass and low and behold, they're healed.
Everyone is different and we all have to live with our decisions.

I wish you tons of success at whatever you chose.
All good blessings
jan

Kristin N

phoenixrising said:

Hi Kirstin, no I am not on
Hi Kirstin, no I am not on Tamoxifen anymore. I, like you didn't want anything and was deathly afraid of se especially the ones I had read that were permanent. But I knew I had to have something. I was 6 mos into Tamoxifen when my eyes started bothering me. I had other se too, like major hotflashes for instance. But for me I knew something was not right and I had my dna checked for the cyp2D6 enzyme that converts Tamoxifen into Endoxifen (which is the real player when fighting BC). As it turned out I did not have the full functioning genes to metabolize the drug. So I concluded that that was why I was having so much trouble. I took it for 1 1/2 yrs.

So then I tried Arimidex and that was a no go as well. Now I'm trying Aromasin and it's only been a couple of weeks but it seems OK so far. The thing is, if the se are unacceptable you can always go off it. And if the Aromasin doesn't get along with me, then I have a couple of other options I will try. I need to tell you that the se I experienced are rare. I also need to tell you that I'm glad I tried, cause in the end if this beast rears its ugly head again, I can say to myself, well at least I tried. I don't want to have any regrets. But I may have some yet due to refusing the rads.

Part of the reason I chose the mastectomy over lumpectomy was to avoid radiation. I have small breasts, a lumpectomy probably would have taken most of it anyway. They wanted to do the rads anyway because I only had a 1mm margin between the tumour and chest wall. But I may regret that decision as I thought the chemo and hormonals would look after anything that was left but I wasn't counting on having such a hard time with them.

I was trying to walk a fine line between destroying this disease and keeping an acceptable quality of life. I tried to feel my way at each step as to what would be the right thing to do. (for me) I tried to use my gut. And I will have to live with those decisions.

I can honestly say I was a fearful as you but what came to my mind was that I didn't want to make any decisions based on fear. I believed for me that a decision based on fear would not help me survive this. So I plunged in. And you know, I'm soooooo not fearful of it anymore.

A cute analogy is this: I'm a pharmacy technician and one of our jobs is to mix chemo. This is only of course if your hospital is a cancer centre. I was always terrified of it. I wasn't going to touch that stuff and luckily our hospital wasn't providing it. Now I've been through it and now our hospital is mixing it. Everyone is tip toeing around it and I laugh and ask what they think it will do,....jump out of the box at them?? My whole perspective is so different now that I've had it coursing through my veins.

Anyways Kristin, I'm sorry I've rambled. You do what's best for you, that's all any of us can do. Some people do nothing but drink wheat grass and low and behold, they're healed.
Everyone is different and we all have to live with our decisions.

I wish you tons of success at whatever you chose.
All good blessings
jan

I wish we could see into the future
I am still leaning towards not even taking Tamoxifen. I have researched this a lot lately. I realize that some women have no side effects, but for others, the side effects can be life altering and even fatal. I know that I will have to live with my decision, whatever it may be. I will talk with my oncologist about it after I finish radiation. It just seems that so many women have so many problems with it and I just don't want them. Especially uterine cancer. Well, thanks again for all of your advice...I truly appreciate it. And, I do take it to heart!

Dancemom

Tamoxifen or Not?
Hi Kristin,

I have been reading your comments and they totally resonate with me. It has been almost two years since you were trying to make this decision. I am wondering what you decided to do and how you are doing today? I am in your shoes now, trying to make the same decision. I completed radiation treatments last month and like you, just wanted to take some time for my breast to heal and not have anymore Dr. Appts. for awhile. I didn't need chemo either per an oncotype test I had done. Right now, I am leaning far away from taking Tamoxifen... I am getting ready to have a complete blood profile done to see where I am deficient hormonally and nutritionally. At present, I know that I am low in progesterone and I was Viamin D deficient, both contributing factors to BC. I am taking a number of different supplements that are known cancer fighters along with Vitamin D. the combination of all that I am taking, has similar estrogenic effects to Tamoxifen. I am planning to use progesterone cream to help get my hormones back in balance. Once I get my blood results back, I plan to meet with a Dr. that does Bio identical hormone Therapy to help determine what I need to do to get my body back in balance so that I can keep the cancer recurrence at bay naturally. Anyhow, I am very curious to know how you are doing and what you decided.

New Flower

Dancemom said:

Tamoxifen or Not?
Hi Kristin,

I have been reading your comments and they totally resonate with me. It has been almost two years since you were trying to make this decision. I am wondering what you decided to do and how you are doing today? I am in your shoes now, trying to make the same decision. I completed radiation treatments last month and like you, just wanted to take some time for my breast to heal and not have anymore Dr. Appts. for awhile. I didn't need chemo either per an oncotype test I had done. Right now, I am leaning far away from taking Tamoxifen... I am getting ready to have a complete blood profile done to see where I am deficient hormonally and nutritionally. At present, I know that I am low in progesterone and I was Viamin D deficient, both contributing factors to BC. I am taking a number of different supplements that are known cancer fighters along with Vitamin D. the combination of all that I am taking, has similar estrogenic effects to Tamoxifen. I am planning to use progesterone cream to help get my hormones back in balance. Once I get my blood results back, I plan to meet with a Dr. that does Bio identical hormone Therapy to help determine what I need to do to get my body back in balance so that I can keep the cancer recurrence at bay naturally. Anyhow, I am very curious to know how you are doing and what you decided.

please be careful with bioidentical hormonal therapy
if your cancer hormone dependent you need to be very cautious about any hormone replacement remedies including bioidentical hormones.

Kristin N

Dancemom said:

Tamoxifen or Not?
Hi Kristin,

I have been reading your comments and they totally resonate with me. It has been almost two years since you were trying to make this decision. I am wondering what you decided to do and how you are doing today? I am in your shoes now, trying to make the same decision. I completed radiation treatments last month and like you, just wanted to take some time for my breast to heal and not have anymore Dr. Appts. for awhile. I didn't need chemo either per an oncotype test I had done. Right now, I am leaning far away from taking Tamoxifen... I am getting ready to have a complete blood profile done to see where I am deficient hormonally and nutritionally. At present, I know that I am low in progesterone and I was Viamin D deficient, both contributing factors to BC. I am taking a number of different supplements that are known cancer fighters along with Vitamin D. the combination of all that I am taking, has similar estrogenic effects to Tamoxifen. I am planning to use progesterone cream to help get my hormones back in balance. Once I get my blood results back, I plan to meet with a Dr. that does Bio identical hormone Therapy to help determine what I need to do to get my body back in balance so that I can keep the cancer recurrence at bay naturally. Anyhow, I am very curious to know how you are doing and what you decided.

Thanks for asking!
I am still not on tamoxifen and I am doing great! No problems at all! My choice to not take tamox was my decision and only mine. I do not regret it at all.


Everyone has to make their own choices. It is your body, your treatment.


I wish you well in what you decide to do!