Tamoxifen after menopause
I have been on Tamoxifen for a couple of months now. I am still considered perimenopausal but I believe I am going through natural menopause now. When I eventually become post-menopausal, is there another hormone therapy medication that would work better than Tamoxifen? I will ask my oncologist at my next follow-up visit but I'm just curious if anyone has had experience with this. Thanks!
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Tamoxifen after menopause
Hi Elaine. I was well past menopause when I was diagnosed, had surgery and radiation, then went on Tamoxifen. Why my oncologist chose Tamoxifen when usually we are given an aromatase inhibitor might have been because it actually aids in building up bones whereas AIs destroy bone density. Being postmenopausal meant, in his mind, that I was probably losing bone as a result of that (not in my case, but...). In any case, the drug affected my uterus to make polyps multiple times, which had to be removed and biopsied (all clear). My choices: have hysterectomy and keep taking Tamoxifen or stop taking it, maybe start an AI. I refused the AI as I heard the side effects of joint pain were bad. Six years later I had a recurrence show up. More surgery, no radiation this time and I have been on Arimidex or anastrozole (the generic) for 1 year and nine months. Yes, joint pain, improvement (!!) in bone density, and slight hair loss. I'm determined to take it for 5 years even though all I had was DCIS high grade the first time and DCIS intermediate grade the second time. Good luck!
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Thank you for the explanationcrselby said:Tamoxifen after menopause
Hi Elaine. I was well past menopause when I was diagnosed, had surgery and radiation, then went on Tamoxifen. Why my oncologist chose Tamoxifen when usually we are given an aromatase inhibitor might have been because it actually aids in building up bones whereas AIs destroy bone density. Being postmenopausal meant, in his mind, that I was probably losing bone as a result of that (not in my case, but...). In any case, the drug affected my uterus to make polyps multiple times, which had to be removed and biopsied (all clear). My choices: have hysterectomy and keep taking Tamoxifen or stop taking it, maybe start an AI. I refused the AI as I heard the side effects of joint pain were bad. Six years later I had a recurrence show up. More surgery, no radiation this time and I have been on Arimidex or anastrozole (the generic) for 1 year and nine months. Yes, joint pain, improvement (!!) in bone density, and slight hair loss. I'm determined to take it for 5 years even though all I had was DCIS high grade the first time and DCIS intermediate grade the second time. Good luck!
It does seem like Tamoxifen is a better choice if it will keep my bones stronger. I am supposed to take it for ten years. I don't like the idea of taking any medication that long but I have to remember that it will help my cancer not to reoccur. I'm glad you are doing well and have a great attitude!
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I went through menopause and
I went through menopause and didn't even know it. I was on Tamxofien for 5 yrs-2.5 years I had to have a total hysterctomy due to "enlarged" usterus (A known side effect)
I went back on tamoxifen to finish up the 5 yrs.
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Can Clomid Cause Breast Cancer
I was treated with Clomid for nearly 3 years in 1972/73 and had my son in 1974. I understand that it is now only given for a few cycles. It suddenly came to me a few days ago that it might have caused my cancer. So, I started researching and it seems that although it hasn't been proved there seem to be a lot of women who have taken it and later developed BC. Anyone out there who took it?
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Clomid
I took it in 1994 and 1996.
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Clomid
gingerpeg, I took clomid for about a year and the question was on my intake questionnaire, so there must be a correlation. So many of the drugs that we are given cause major health problems! Of course, they assured me it was perfectly safe and I was never warned of cancer. I also took hormone replacement therapy at my doctor’s urging to prevent osteoporosis. I asked if it was safe and he assured me it was. i told him it made no sense to me to mess with nature and wondered if it would cause problems down the road. of course, he said it was perfectly safe. Wrong again! Both correlate with BC!
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