Tamoxifen Side Effects

Hi I gained weight during and after chemo, had a tough time taking it off, eventually it did. Everybody is different,just because your mom knows a couple of other women does'nt mean anything. You are you and happened to gain weight,its bothersome , if you can do some walking that will help. I started with 1 mile a day, slowly worked my way up to 4 miles, nothing happened at first, then I started to loose 1lb per week. have been the same weight for 1 yr.Not a skinny Minni but satisfied. Now I am on chemo again and know I'll gain. Just do your best,there is no fast solution. Best of luck....Emmi

banker said:

Jamie, forgot to tell you, I know a couple of women that are on Tamoxifen and have gained some lbs. From what I have heard....weight gain and hotflashes the biggest side effect.Emmi

Weight gain is helped by the side effect of fluid retention from tamoxifen. I felt so fat the last time I saw my primary care doctor - she said not a word about my weight - it is really on the back burner for doctors with their cancer patients.
Jean

Jamie - I have not started Tamoxifen yet but am supposed to and have heard that weight gain is a side effect of the drug. I also gained weight on chemo and also had steroids when I was allergic to it so I have 20 pounds to lose before Tamoxifen.
Good luck to you.

ddancy said:

Hi Jamie
I've been on tamoxifen since July of 2001, and yes, I've gained weight as well, very frustrating, I also am very bloated most of the time since it screws up my whole system and I skip my periods constantly. Even exercising isn't seeming to help, I've probably only gained like 6 or 7 pounds but its still a gain, I've always had a high metabolism so it's frustrating!!!
I guess if it's helping fight the cancer then a little weight gain is worth it.
Good Luck to you.. Debbie :-)

weight gain
It's good to hear that I'm not the only one out there gaining weight and having hot flashes. I've gained 15 lbs.over 2 years.....not good I know, and very depressing. I haven't been able to exercise,but hope to start soon. Does anyone know of a good diet to try? Something to get my metabolism going again?

mmontero38 said:

Hey Jamie: Sounds like your
Hey Jamie: Sounds like your mom and mine might be sisters. Haha! I also gained weight going through chemo. I had adriamycin, cytoxan, 5FU and gained 20 lbs even though I could barely eat. Now, I am on Tamoxifen, and have gained another 5 lbs, but have also developed a thyroid problem. So, it is very hard for me to loose weight even though I control every bite I take. I haven't gained any more but would like to loose some. I think that it's best to be thankful we are alive and not worry to much about losing weight until we are off the Tamoxifen. Best of luck to you, Hugs, Lili

Tamoxifen Side Effects
I was diagnosed in May of 2006. I had chemotherapy, a mastectomy (left side) and radiation. I, too, take Tamoxifen and have gained almost 20 lbs since I was diagnosed. I already hated the way that I look (I did not have reconstructive surgery) and now I hate it even more. I'm struggling emotionally, still, with all of this. I'm married with 2 daughters (14 and 5). It's hard sometimes - I get undressed and look at myself and immediately start to cry. My hair is still really short and curly. I don't have eyebrows - and I get hot flashes too. It's very very difficult. When I'm around others, I put on the happy face and act like every thing is good - when deep inside I'm still a mess. I do understand how blessed I am that I survived this awful disease - I just still hate that it happened to me. Don't mean to sound so selfish and immature. Wonder if anyone else struggles the way that I do.

Special K said:

Tamoxifen Side Effects
I was diagnosed in May of 2006. I had chemotherapy, a mastectomy (left side) and radiation. I, too, take Tamoxifen and have gained almost 20 lbs since I was diagnosed. I already hated the way that I look (I did not have reconstructive surgery) and now I hate it even more. I'm struggling emotionally, still, with all of this. I'm married with 2 daughters (14 and 5). It's hard sometimes - I get undressed and look at myself and immediately start to cry. My hair is still really short and curly. I don't have eyebrows - and I get hot flashes too. It's very very difficult. When I'm around others, I put on the happy face and act like every thing is good - when deep inside I'm still a mess. I do understand how blessed I am that I survived this awful disease - I just still hate that it happened to me. Don't mean to sound so selfish and immature. Wonder if anyone else struggles the way that I do.

Tamoxifen side effects
I was diagnosed in Sept. 2006. I had the the same treatment you had. I had lost 30 lbs. in 2006, but when they put me on Tamoxifen I gained that back plus more. I try to exercise, but can't do the walking or anthing that puts pressure on my knees, because of a back problem.
Believe me, I hate having a mirror in the bathroom. I see myself and want to cry. I also didn't have reconstructive surgery,because there's always a chance of getting it on the right side, and I didn't want any more surgery.The hot flashes are wicked, but they do have a drug that helps cut down on them. Check with your doc.
You are not immature or selfish, a lot of people feel the same way. I also do the same thing around other people, can't really help it, because I catch them looking at my chest. It makes me feel bad, but then sometimes when that happens I think to myself I am a survivor and I'm proud that I made it. And who cares what they think, unless they've been there.
I also lost all my friends when I got cancer, from fear. I understand that fear, but you would think at least one would have the guts just to make a phone call.

energy said:

me too!
I was diagnosed in August 2006 and had a lumpectomy, chemo & radiation and I am on Tamoxifen and HATE IT! I was very fit prior to my diagnosis, worked out 5-6 days a week and I have been a spinning instructor for 4 years. I stopped teaching for 5 months only and started back teaching during radiation, while I was still fat and bloated from chemo steroids, and I was still bald. It took some guts but I was determined and completely convinced that I could get back to where I was physically...I had beaten the cancer. Lance Armstrong beat testicular, lung and brain cancer and then won 4 more Tour De Frances!
I am still teaching, exercising pretty regularly (not like I use to though) and I have only taken off about 12 of the 25 pounds I gained. I am very discouraged about it. I had to buy a whole new set of clothes to go back for work (yes, I have a real job and worked all during treatment)
I have hot flashes all the time, I am sorry to say I am depressed alot. I have tried a few different anti depressants (for depression and hot flashes or so my oncologist thinks) and nothing seems to help.
So MAYBE? there is some vanity in all of this, but I can tell you, this drug is zapping my energy and spirit.
You absolutely are not alone!

Energy
Your post made made feel better. Although I can't do any of the jobs I was trained for for 36 years, I still try to do what I can. Everyone is different, symtoms are different and recovery is different. I am depressed alot too. But I was diagnosed with bi-polar suicidal depression a while ago. I got through the cancer fine, but after I was told it was gone I fell apart. I still stay depressed all the time. I lost almost everything from the cancer and even wrote on my space page that I wish I had died when I had cancer. It would have been easier. But it wasn't my time, so I'm still here.
The doctor can give you something for the hot flashes. My doctor offered me something early on, but they weren't this bad. Now I can't afford to go see him much less pay for medication.
If you have taken off 12 pounds the rest will come off eventually. It takes time. Ad far as the depression goes, it might help to talk to a professional, not just do drug therapy.
Something that helped me, that my son told me about, is that now I take 1000mg of vitamin C a day and more important I take a High Potency B complex vitamin. That B vitamin gives me so much more energy. Let me tell you, that B vitamin is like taking caffeine(which I can't have). I couldn't sit down and rest, I had to be doing something.
I think chemo takes a lot of things out of you, lets face it, its made to kill people. Try a vitamin and talk to somebody about the depression. It's normal to be depressed after a life changing experience. Find that one thing that makes you happy. You may have to find it everyday, but it's worth it.
You are not alone.Buy a new wardrobe if you need it. My son and daughter-in-law bought me summer clothes. But try the B complex vitmins, and I'm sure they will help. The depression may be caused by the fatigue your feeling, and yes there is a certain amount of vanity. We're women aren't we!!
Your a strong woman. I can tell by what you have written, and what you are accomplishing. IT WILL GET BETTER.
Thank you for giving me hope to go on. You are an inspiration.
Love, Suzanne

suzanne56 said:

Energy
Your post made made feel better. Although I can't do any of the jobs I was trained for for 36 years, I still try to do what I can. Everyone is different, symtoms are different and recovery is different. I am depressed alot too. But I was diagnosed with bi-polar suicidal depression a while ago. I got through the cancer fine, but after I was told it was gone I fell apart. I still stay depressed all the time. I lost almost everything from the cancer and even wrote on my space page that I wish I had died when I had cancer. It would have been easier. But it wasn't my time, so I'm still here.
The doctor can give you something for the hot flashes. My doctor offered me something early on, but they weren't this bad. Now I can't afford to go see him much less pay for medication.
If you have taken off 12 pounds the rest will come off eventually. It takes time. Ad far as the depression goes, it might help to talk to a professional, not just do drug therapy.
Something that helped me, that my son told me about, is that now I take 1000mg of vitamin C a day and more important I take a High Potency B complex vitamin. That B vitamin gives me so much more energy. Let me tell you, that B vitamin is like taking caffeine(which I can't have). I couldn't sit down and rest, I had to be doing something.
I think chemo takes a lot of things out of you, lets face it, its made to kill people. Try a vitamin and talk to somebody about the depression. It's normal to be depressed after a life changing experience. Find that one thing that makes you happy. You may have to find it everyday, but it's worth it.
You are not alone.Buy a new wardrobe if you need it. My son and daughter-in-law bought me summer clothes. But try the B complex vitmins, and I'm sure they will help. The depression may be caused by the fatigue your feeling, and yes there is a certain amount of vanity. We're women aren't we!!
Your a strong woman. I can tell by what you have written, and what you are accomplishing. IT WILL GET BETTER.
Thank you for giving me hope to go on. You are an inspiration.
Love, Suzanne

energy
I know in my last post I got a little long winded. I have suffered from depression for as long as I remember. Your depression sounds like it's because you can't do all the things you use to yet. You may not be able to do everything you use to, but you learn to compensate and do other things.
I'm 52, and since I hit 40, I can't do everything I used to do. That was the hardest thing for me to cope with. You're still young and full of life, and you can adjust. I still think you could talk to a therapist about the depression.
And the vitamins work.
Suzanne