tomoxifen help.

Diva Dee66
Diva Dee66 Member Posts: 9
in Breast Cancer #1
Can someone help. I just started tomoxifen 2months ago. Have been through chemo and radiation. My joints ache ,stiffness, crying alot, moody,weight gain. I asked my doc about joint stiffness says not from pill I know am not crazy, some days are ok others not good. joints hurt and stiff can anyone relate or am I just nuts.

Comments

  • jphilpo
    jphilpo Member Posts: 177
    #2
    tamoxifen
    PLEASE don't think you are crazy or anything like that!! I too have suffered for almost 2 1/2 years on femara and tamoxifen. Some survivors are very lucky and have either no or minimal side effects. Others are not so fortunate. My onc. has prescribed tramadol to help relieve pain at night so I can sleep. Over the counter pain relief just didn't work for me. Please know you are not alone. I know it is so hard.

    Blessings to you,

    Jean
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #3
    jphilpo said:

    tamoxifen
    PLEASE don't think you are crazy or anything like that!! I too have suffered for almost 2 1/2 years on femara and tamoxifen. Some survivors are very lucky and have either no or minimal side effects. Others are not so fortunate. My onc. has prescribed tramadol to help relieve pain at night so I can sleep. Over the counter pain relief just didn't work for me. Please know you are not alone. I know it is so hard.

    Blessings to you,

    Jean

    I have joint pain my onc
    I have joint pain my onc said can be from chemo. but I think the tamoxifne adds to it. I started taking a claritin, hoping it would help. I thought if it helps people with bone pain....however I think what really helped was exersizing. I didnt want to move but once i did I felt better
  • AMomNETN
    AMomNETN Member Posts: 242
    #4
    Tamoxfin
    I have been on tamoxifin since Aug. of 2010. I haven't had the joint issues. The moody, crying, weight gain. I've had. The weight gain has been the worst to me. I've gained 20 lbs. I'm on antidepressents so the other hasn't been as bad. My onc told me that my hot flashes and things would be much worse if I wan't on the meds for depression. No you are not nuts. Maybe talk to your doc about some antidepressants to help. With what we've all been through sanity is a relative to me. Hope this helps.

    Janie
  • LoveBabyJesus
    LoveBabyJesus Member Posts: 1,679 Member
    #5
    Hi -- I am sorry you are
    Hi -- I am sorry you are having such a hard time with tamoxifen. When I started in Aug of 2011, I developed a level of depression. Felt really sad all the time, cried and was very anxious. It eventually went away, but it took about 3 months. I hear for some people some of these side effects pass, as soon as your body starts getting used to it. Are you taking high levels of vit. D? This also helps with joints pains. I hope you feel better soon. Hang in there!
  • camul
    camul Member Posts: 2,537
    #6
    Not crazy
    I too suffered from joint pain, weight gain, could cry watching commercials (this is not me, I have never been much of a crier), swelling (water weight), and headaches. Went off it and lost the weight quite quickly (although have put some back on with steroids). He said with all the swelling in the legs, arms, and face that it was toxic to my system. I was also on Tamoxifen with the first diagnosis in 2002, and after 6-8 months had to go off for the same reasons.

    Now I am on Evista and didn't notice any side effects when I went on this. But the others left when I went off the Tamoxifen. We are not crazy when we notice that the symptoms begin when we start a medication and go away when we stop it!

    Good luck to you, but there are other options.

    Carol
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #7
    carkris said:

    I have joint pain my onc
    I have joint pain my onc said can be from chemo. but I think the tamoxifne adds to it. I started taking a claritin, hoping it would help. I thought if it helps people with bone pain....however I think what really helped was exersizing. I didnt want to move but once i did I felt better

    I've never taken tamox but a
    I've never taken tamox but a lot of what you are going through sounds like what so many pink sisters describe while on it. Talk to your doctor about possibly something to relieve some or all of your side effects.


    Good luck, Lex
  • robang13
    robang13 Member Posts: 333
    #8
    Yes!!! I was finally put on
    Yes!!! I was finally put on effexor for the depression and the horrid hot flashes. My flashes were so bad I looked like a cherry most of the time! It has helped the flashes and the depression. I still cry for no reason, but not as much. I have never been a crier so it's weird to be this way. My joints ache a lot! I have gained 30lbs in 7 months. I am exhausted most days and feel like I'm 90! My 87 year old mother has more energy than me. So, you are NOT crazy! If you are then I guess I am too!! It makes me wonder if this medication is worth what we have to endure while on it.

    angela
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #9
    robang13 said:

    Yes!!! I was finally put on
    Yes!!! I was finally put on effexor for the depression and the horrid hot flashes. My flashes were so bad I looked like a cherry most of the time! It has helped the flashes and the depression. I still cry for no reason, but not as much. I have never been a crier so it's weird to be this way. My joints ache a lot! I have gained 30lbs in 7 months. I am exhausted most days and feel like I'm 90! My 87 year old mother has more energy than me. So, you are NOT crazy! If you are then I guess I am too!! It makes me wonder if this medication is worth what we have to endure while on it.

    angela

    I've heard from others that
    I've heard from others that Effexor has helped them. You might try it and see.


    Good luck,

    Jan

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