Starting Tamoxifen*****

babebussie
babebussie Member Posts: 150
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hi sisters, it's been a long time since i've posted anything but once again i have questions. I'm doing my rads now for the next 5 weeks and the oncologist gave me my RX for the white pill for the next 5 yrs. Okay, so i know it causes hot flashes something wicked and i've read about the crazy weight gain, (like i need more of that) anyway, what other side effects do i have to worry about. It's bad enough i cant swallow pills, yeah i cant swallow pills, how lame is that huh. I guess if i wanna beat this beast i better learn and learn pretty damn fast. Well....HELP!!!! What horry will the pill bring me.

Comments

  • babebussie
    babebussie Member Posts: 150
    #2
    One other thing****
    The Dr.gave me the script but didnt say when to start taken it. I hear your not to begin tamoxifen until after rads is complete. Is this true? Has anyone eles taken the pill while they were doing rads. Plz advise! Oh, and i'm down to seeing the oncologist every 3 months with blood draws at that time also. Markers are very low. (Good sign)*** One more thing, i told the Dr.i wasnt doing anymore test. She wanted to do a ct scan just to check stuff out and i told her no. She said she wasnt taken out my port until i took this damn test and i said well it's been in there all this time it can stay in there forever i dont care. I shouldnt have this baby **** attitude but after being told you have frigging cancer you really dont wanna hear nothing else. Something else for my sisters to help me on. More advise.
    Thanks again. (Kisses and hugs)

    Babe
  • suzanne56
    suzanne56 Member Posts: 18
    #3
    babebussie said:

    One other thing****
    The Dr.gave me the script but didnt say when to start taken it. I hear your not to begin tamoxifen until after rads is complete. Is this true? Has anyone eles taken the pill while they were doing rads. Plz advise! Oh, and i'm down to seeing the oncologist every 3 months with blood draws at that time also. Markers are very low. (Good sign)*** One more thing, i told the Dr.i wasnt doing anymore test. She wanted to do a ct scan just to check stuff out and i told her no. She said she wasnt taken out my port until i took this damn test and i said well it's been in there all this time it can stay in there forever i dont care. I shouldnt have this baby **** attitude but after being told you have frigging cancer you really dont wanna hear nothing else. Something else for my sisters to help me on. More advise.
    Thanks again. (Kisses and hugs)

    Babe

    tamoxifen
    Maybe you should call your doc and see when to start taking the tamoxifen. They didn't start me on it until I was finished with rads. The worst thing are the hot flashes, you may gain weight or not. Some people do like me and some don't. Other than that I can't tell I'm taking anything.
    They do have a pill for the hot flashes if they get too bad. Me I've had hot flashes for 15 years so it doesn't bother me that much.
    Good Luck
    Suzanne
  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    #4
    Took my tamox. after rads.
    Took my tamox. after rads. I haven't gained weight. The worse hot flashes were with chemo. I hardly get them anymore. Actually, I can't attribute any problems to tamoxifin.
    But, just be a little careful of the emotions after you finish rads. This is a good time to be gentle with yourself and pay loving attention to your heart's need to heal from the trauma your body has been through. I wish you an easy time, in everything. love, Joyce
  • tan39
    tan39 Member Posts: 49
    #5
    Tamoxifen
    hey there,

    Started Tamoxifen afew weeks ago now, lots of hot flushes, no weight gain although i have read that it is not necessarily this that adds weight but everything to do with chemo?, but time will tell i suppose. I have found myself very emotional, ie: bursting into tears and feeling very low, im not really sure if its this pill or perhaps early menopause. Good luck with the pill swallowing thing, perhaps you should do what my mum used to with me years ago, mash them up with sugar !!! Hugs Tan x
  • zahalene
    zahalene Member Posts: 670
    #6
    tan39 said:

    Tamoxifen
    hey there,

    Started Tamoxifen afew weeks ago now, lots of hot flushes, no weight gain although i have read that it is not necessarily this that adds weight but everything to do with chemo?, but time will tell i suppose. I have found myself very emotional, ie: bursting into tears and feeling very low, im not really sure if its this pill or perhaps early menopause. Good luck with the pill swallowing thing, perhaps you should do what my mum used to with me years ago, mash them up with sugar !!! Hugs Tan x

    Be careful....
    about smashing any pills. Many of them (not sure about Tamoxifen) are coated with something to prevent irritation to the stomach lining or to create a timed-release effect in the system. Smashing negates the protective effect. Check with dr first. :)
  • kbc4869
    kbc4869 Member Posts: 159
    #7
    zahalene said:

    Be careful....
    about smashing any pills. Many of them (not sure about Tamoxifen) are coated with something to prevent irritation to the stomach lining or to create a timed-release effect in the system. Smashing negates the protective effect. Check with dr first. :)

    Hey Babe
    First off, you crack me up, Babe. Thanks for the morning giggle.

    Just a thought -- this may sound crazy, but I've had cats that don't take pills well and the vet has been able to get the pharmisists to make their medication into a liquid form. I don't see why this couldn't be done for people? Mention it to your doc. Would be interested in hearing what he/she says.

    I've been on Tamox for a while now. I don't even really get hot flashes. I haven't gained weight on Tamox, but I haven't been able to lose weight either. And it makes me tired. Other than that, I was suprised at how little Tamox has affected me. I expected much worse.

    Lots of Love,
    Kim
  • mmontero38
    mmontero38 Member Posts: 1,510
    #8
    Starting Tamox
    Hi Babe: Glad you are almost finishing your treatment. I didn't have rads but dr gave me prescription for tamoxifen 1 month after my last chemo infusion. He did say it can cause tiredness, hot flashes, weight gain, mood swings, etc. He gave me the 10mg dose and told me to take it 2x a day. I unfortunately gained weight during chemo, and am still gaining weight with the tamoxifen. I will be starting my diet and avoid all kinds of fatty foods and hopefully I will loose weight. The pill is small but check with your dr before crushing it. Hugs, Lili
  • dbs1673
    dbs1673 Member Posts: 203
    #9
    babebussie said:

    One other thing****
    The Dr.gave me the script but didnt say when to start taken it. I hear your not to begin tamoxifen until after rads is complete. Is this true? Has anyone eles taken the pill while they were doing rads. Plz advise! Oh, and i'm down to seeing the oncologist every 3 months with blood draws at that time also. Markers are very low. (Good sign)*** One more thing, i told the Dr.i wasnt doing anymore test. She wanted to do a ct scan just to check stuff out and i told her no. She said she wasnt taken out my port until i took this damn test and i said well it's been in there all this time it can stay in there forever i dont care. I shouldnt have this baby **** attitude but after being told you have frigging cancer you really dont wanna hear nothing else. Something else for my sisters to help me on. More advise.
    Thanks again. (Kisses and hugs)

    Babe

    tamoxifen
    Due to atypia hyperplasia 3 years ago in a biopsy result and a family history of breast cancer, I started on tamoxifen. I was not like what you read or hear about...I had absolutely no side effects. It really is possible!! With recent diagnosis of DCIS, and double mastectomy and now 1/2 way thru radiation the tamoxifen is no longer in the regime. I don't want to think that it didn't work: for 3 years I was cancer free. I was curious how stopping the meds would be, but also no side effects. You've got a lot of good signs going for you Babe.....attitude!
  • Joycelouise
    Joycelouise Member Posts: 482
    #10
    mmontero38 said:

    Starting Tamox
    Hi Babe: Glad you are almost finishing your treatment. I didn't have rads but dr gave me prescription for tamoxifen 1 month after my last chemo infusion. He did say it can cause tiredness, hot flashes, weight gain, mood swings, etc. He gave me the 10mg dose and told me to take it 2x a day. I unfortunately gained weight during chemo, and am still gaining weight with the tamoxifen. I will be starting my diet and avoid all kinds of fatty foods and hopefully I will loose weight. The pill is small but check with your dr before crushing it. Hugs, Lili

    For the record, my doc. gave
    For the record, my doc. gave me 20 mg. to take once a day. So if anyone wants to split the dosage, it should be easy to ask onc. to re-prescribe the smaller dosage X2. love, Joyce
  • sylva
    sylva Member Posts: 80
    #11
    Month and a half with tamoxifen
    Hi girl. I've been taking the tamoxifen for month and a half. The hotflashes are real, and they seem to be worst at night. Very emotional, and cry a lot. I don't know if it's the pill or that the chemo put me on menopause... maybe both. The doctor told me to take an aspirin every day due to the possibility of clots. In my case, I had a lot of varicose veins before starting with the pill, and now the veins are really worst.
    For what I read, with time it gets better, at least the hotflashes. I also read that it's better not to take it with orange juice. ???
    Although I don't like to take medications, this one we have to take it, it's been in use for a long long time and seems to be effective.
    Good luck! And try not to think it too much, just do it.
  • Eil4186
    Eil4186 Member Posts: 949
    #12
    Not so bad
    Hi Babe, I started taking tamoxifen a couple weeks after chemo and right through rads. I have been having flashes since chemo but much worse with the tamoxifen. My bloodwork shows I am not in menopause so we know its a side effect of the medication. I take 20mg a day. I lost weight during chemo but gained right after. I had trouble taking it off until a cancer scare in August helped me lose 10 lbs and I have kept it off. Don't worry, its not a problem---the hot flashes seem to be worse at night though.

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