This may be a dumb question, buttttttttt

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  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
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    jnl said:

    Disneyfan, tamoxifen is not
    Disneyfan, tamoxifen is not hormone replacement therapy, it is just hormone therapy for bc patients. Completely different drugs and different uses.

    Leeza

    Leeza-Tx for info
    I dint' think it was...but then was getting confused...
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
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    DebbyM said:

    I haven't taken tamox yet.
    I haven't taken tamox yet. I got the prescription for it, but, just can't bring myself to take it. I am one of the ones that are fearful of the side effects. Maybe someday, I will take that first pill. Like my husband says, I can always stop it if I want to.

    Hugs, Debby

    Debby:
    I have been on tamox for just over year and very few side effects...I am not sure if common or I am one of the lucky ones with very few...good luck..
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
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    I thought if this is a dumb
    I thought if this is a dumb question I'd be able to answer it...but after reading the question which isn't dumb but really complicated...not sure I could do it justice. But I don't know if they gave me a metabolize test for Tamoxifen or not. The onc just said it wasn't helping me that much. I took it for 9 months anyway until I was switched to Aromasin and I stayed on that 2 1/2 years. I haven't taken anything for 2 1/2 years and so far so good. It just varies so much between different people.

    BTW I had plenty of side effects on Tamoxifen and the onc said it wasn't helping me that much.

    You should ask your onc how much these medications are helping you and you could always try it and if the side effects are too bothersome, stop taking it (of course talk to onc).
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
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    sal314 said:

    My Thoughts on Tamoxifen...
    It's the oldest hormonal drug out there. It's been around for 30+ years and has more studies on it's effectiveness than any other hormone therapy drug. It's not a cure all, but I believe it does help the rate of recurrance in a lot of women.

    I didn't like taking it initially. And actually didn't start it until 4 years after my initial diagnoses and treatment. But after being bugged my my oncologist every time I saw him, I finally gave in.

    I'm glad I did. Anything that will help the chance of the cancer NOT coming back is a good thing. I'd hate to have it come back some day and regret that I never did ALL I could have to perhaps stop it from doing so. JMO.

    Sally

    since on Tamoxifen
    MY U.C. (ulcertive colitis) is in total remission since starting it...after 18 yrs...so my oncologist said that is the silver lining to cancer....

    I took that and ran...something good of all this..
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
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    sal314 said:

    My Thoughts on Tamoxifen...
    It's the oldest hormonal drug out there. It's been around for 30+ years and has more studies on it's effectiveness than any other hormone therapy drug. It's not a cure all, but I believe it does help the rate of recurrance in a lot of women.

    I didn't like taking it initially. And actually didn't start it until 4 years after my initial diagnoses and treatment. But after being bugged my my oncologist every time I saw him, I finally gave in.

    I'm glad I did. Anything that will help the chance of the cancer NOT coming back is a good thing. I'd hate to have it come back some day and regret that I never did ALL I could have to perhaps stop it from doing so. JMO.

    Sally

    since on Tamoxifen
    MY U.C. (ulcertive colitis) is in total remission since starting it...after 18 yrs...so my oncologist said that is the silver lining to cancer....

    I took that and ran...something good of all this..
  • TxRn64
    TxRn64 Member Posts: 26
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    Marcia527 said:

    I thought if this is a dumb
    I thought if this is a dumb question I'd be able to answer it...but after reading the question which isn't dumb but really complicated...not sure I could do it justice. But I don't know if they gave me a metabolize test for Tamoxifen or not. The onc just said it wasn't helping me that much. I took it for 9 months anyway until I was switched to Aromasin and I stayed on that 2 1/2 years. I haven't taken anything for 2 1/2 years and so far so good. It just varies so much between different people.

    BTW I had plenty of side effects on Tamoxifen and the onc said it wasn't helping me that much.

    You should ask your onc how much these medications are helping you and you could always try it and if the side effects are too bothersome, stop taking it (of course talk to onc).

    A thought?
    If Hormone replacement therapy is highly suspected to cause BC then why are the docs giving us tamoxifen? I'm still in chemo and not at that stage yet, but it just dawned on me to ask my onc doc? Any ideas anyone?

    Thanks,

    Tammy
  • Boppy_of_6
    Boppy_of_6 Member Posts: 1,138
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    Janice TN?
    Janice, I thought your were triple neg. but you are saying that you take Tamoxifen. Are you pos. or neg.?
    Confused Annette :)

    Annette
    I am not TN ER+ PR+ HER 2- God Bless
    (((Hugs))) Janice
  • dee1962
    dee1962 Member Posts: 99
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    Angie2U said:

    How are you doing Dee?
    How are you doing Dee? Great post Leeza.

    thank god
    Angie, So far so good haven't had any issues i just finished my 4 th taxol, and next week i will do my 3rd carbo/taxol, so i really can't complain except for losing my hair , but i actually got a wig that looks so good on me...lol. They took my markers today and hopefully next week she should sent me for some scans to see how this is working out. I'll keep u posted and thanks for asking....Dee
  • phoenixrising
    phoenixrising Member Posts: 1,508
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    TxRn64 said:

    A thought?
    If Hormone replacement therapy is highly suspected to cause BC then why are the docs giving us tamoxifen? I'm still in chemo and not at that stage yet, but it just dawned on me to ask my onc doc? Any ideas anyone?

    Thanks,

    Tammy

    Hi Tammy, that's a good
    Hi Tammy, that's a good question to ask your onc. The way I understand it is hormone replacement is where they are giving you estrogen/progesterone to replace what you are missing. Women have taken it to prevent hot flashes and various other signs of aging that are due to a lack of our natural hormones. Tamoxifen acts an anti-estrogen in some places and a pro estrogen in others. For the breast it prevents your estrogen from using the estrogen receptors there. In the bone it acts as a pro estrogen which is good for the bone, but in the endometrium it's not such a great idea and can cause thickening of the lining and in some rare cases cancer which your doc would monitor you for. So Tamoxifen is more of a hormone therapy rather than hormone replacement therapy. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more :)
    hugs
    jan
  • shelbyhome
    shelbyhome Member Posts: 145
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    Leeza,
    I was on Tamoxifin in

    Leeza,

    I was on Tamoxifin in 2001 for 5 years for pre breast cancer in my left breast and then this Feb. I was DX with cancer in my left breast so I am now on Aromasin after having both breasts removed, I just didn't want to wait for the cancer to show up in the other one with no cancer in that breast I have to say that the Tamoxifen worked for that one! I do have side effects hot flashes and joint pain are the ones that bother me the most but I did it before and can again. They told me that it was given me another 5% chance that it wouldn't come back and 5% is 5% so I am going for it. I did try to take Femara and Arimidex and I couldn't take them so hopefully this will help.I have never been told that if you didn't have side effects that it wasn't working. I wish you well and whatever decision you make is the right one for you as it is all of us, there is no wrong one only the one we don't make. Hugs :) Robbin
  • DianeBC
    DianeBC Member Posts: 3,881 Member
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    Hi Tammy, that's a good
    Hi Tammy, that's a good question to ask your onc. The way I understand it is hormone replacement is where they are giving you estrogen/progesterone to replace what you are missing. Women have taken it to prevent hot flashes and various other signs of aging that are due to a lack of our natural hormones. Tamoxifen acts an anti-estrogen in some places and a pro estrogen in others. For the breast it prevents your estrogen from using the estrogen receptors there. In the bone it acts as a pro estrogen which is good for the bone, but in the endometrium it's not such a great idea and can cause thickening of the lining and in some rare cases cancer which your doc would monitor you for. So Tamoxifen is more of a hormone therapy rather than hormone replacement therapy. Hope this helps and doesn't confuse you more :)
    hugs
    jan

    Your reply helped me Jan.
    Your reply helped me Jan. Thanks!

    Hugs, Diane