knees

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tgf
tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My knees (one in particular) is really bothering me ... especially going up and down stairs. I started on tamoxifen about a month ago ... and wondered if this might be one of the side-effects. I know joint pain is a side effect of some chemo ... but my joints didn't bother me then. I think I've read that claritin helps ... and I take claritin every day ... for allergies ... but ... for some reason... this past week the old knees are really getting to me. I do see the oncologist Friday ... but just wondered if this might be something some of you experienced with tamoxifin ... and if it got better as time went on???

hugs.
teena

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  • CypressCynthia
    CypressCynthia Member Posts: 4,014 Member
    #2
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    my ramblings
    Ok here is the difficult part: what is an adverse effect and what was destined to happen anyway because of age, overuse, etc? My experience with tamoxifen's side effects: no sex drive (I was young so very noticeable), fatigue and weight gain. I did not have joint pain but I do now (22 years later) on arimidex. I told my oncologist yesterday that, yes I had joint pain and achiness, but I wondered how much of that I would have anyway. He laughed and said that women who were off meds told him they were surprised when they still had the some of the same symptoms and realized some of the symptoms were from aging or other problems. Having said that, everyone of us is an amazing, unique combination of chemical reactions who will react to meds very individually. First rule of pharmacology is every drug has an adverse effect (to someone). The goal is to find a drug that is more beneficial than harmful--easier said than done I think. Ask your oncologist and ,also, maybe think about seeing an orthopedist or rheumatologist if you think something else is going on.
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #3
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    CypressCynthia said:

    my ramblings
    Ok here is the difficult part: what is an adverse effect and what was destined to happen anyway because of age, overuse, etc? My experience with tamoxifen's side effects: no sex drive (I was young so very noticeable), fatigue and weight gain. I did not have joint pain but I do now (22 years later) on arimidex. I told my oncologist yesterday that, yes I had joint pain and achiness, but I wondered how much of that I would have anyway. He laughed and said that women who were off meds told him they were surprised when they still had the some of the same symptoms and realized some of the symptoms were from aging or other problems. Having said that, everyone of us is an amazing, unique combination of chemical reactions who will react to meds very individually. First rule of pharmacology is every drug has an adverse effect (to someone). The goal is to find a drug that is more beneficial than harmful--easier said than done I think. Ask your oncologist and ,also, maybe think about seeing an orthopedist or rheumatologist if you think something else is going on.

    Hope you get some answers
    Hope you get some answers Teena. Hope you feel better.

    Leeza
  • KathiM
    KathiM Member Posts: 8,028 Member
    #4
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    Ask for a bone density scan....
    I did, and ended up on Actonel for osteoporosis!!!

    I feel sooooooo much better, 2 years later...I had bones of an 80 year old from the chemo, etc. Tamoxifen is better for this than the AI's (arrymidex, etc)....the mechanisms are different.

    Hugs, Kathi
  • patti anne
    patti anne Member Posts: 101
    #5
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    thought it was just me
    I've been on Tamoxifen for a couple of months and noticed my knees kind of aching as well when going up and down the stairs. I figured it was just from being stiff or whatever, but now that you've posted the same thing, I wonder ???

    Could be an age thing, I don't know. I'm 43. I'll be anxious to hear what the Oncologist has to say.

    Patti

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