Questions about taking Tamoxifen????

twice a day
Tamoxifen taken twice a day makes the side effects easier to handle. I've been on it since May 1st, and have had no problems. I keep waiting for hot flashes, and while the heat seems to bother me more than normal, I haven't had any. (I live in Texas--I think it's been over 100 degrees daily for a couple of months, and the A/C on my car has quit.)

I actually am on a two-week break. I have some additional reconstructive surgery on 8/4, and my oncologist wanted me to stop the Tamoxifen because of the risk of blood clots when I'm inactive. (For nipple construction, I don't think I'm going to be out long, but....)

Lisa

stmgriffin said:

Split pill in half
The instructions from the pharmacy when I picked them up today, was to split the pill in half and take half in the morning and half at night..So, I guess I will start tomorrow and see what happens..

Some people do split it in
Some people do split it in half and take half in the morning and half at night. They find they can get along better with it like that. They say if you have no side effects that you aren't metabolizing it. So, I guess you want se's.

Good luck!

hot flashes

I take 20mg in the morning and the hot flashes are killing me! I am 56 and never had one before April and I'm really ready to be done with this. But I am resolved to try and ride out a year and see where I'm at with it--hot flashes really won't kill me but bc could!

Maureen

EveningStar2 said:

hot flashes

I take 20mg in the morning and the hot flashes are killing me! I am 56 and never had one before April and I'm really ready to be done with this. But I am resolved to try and ride out a year and see where I'm at with it--hot flashes really won't kill me but bc could!

Maureen

Good luck with tamox. I
Good luck with tamox. I have decided to probably not take it as some others.

Too many side effects.

No side effects from Tamoxfin and it's been 3 yrs
I have been on 20 mg of tamoxifin for three years and have not experienced any side effects. No hot flashes, mood swings, endometrial ca, etc. I was terrified to start the medication because of the noted side effects. It's been 3 years and still no side effects. In fact, I had an axillary lymph node dissection this month and was informed I had positive lymph nodes. Now I will be stopping the tamoxifin when I start chemo in two weeks.

Daledj85 said:

No side effects from Tamoxfin and it's been 3 yrs
I have been on 20 mg of tamoxifin for three years and have not experienced any side effects. No hot flashes, mood swings, endometrial ca, etc. I was terrified to start the medication because of the noted side effects. It's been 3 years and still no side effects. In fact, I had an axillary lymph node dissection this month and was informed I had positive lymph nodes. Now I will be stopping the tamoxifin when I start chemo in two weeks.

Hope you don't mind me
Hope you don't mind me asking---why the node dissection 3 yrs later?

survivorbc09 said:

Don't they say that if you
Don't they say that if you have no side effects that you aren't metabolozing it? And, therefore, it isn't working? Did you have the test Daled to see if you are metabolozing it?

Tamox scares me. Doubt I will take it.

Good luck!

I was thinking the same thing?
I have never heard anyone not having at least one side effect. Although, I would think it is possible, just not probable. If they are doing a node disection, I would question if I was matabolizing it in the first place. (:-) Pammy

Tamoxifen twice a day
I took Tamoxifen twice a day 10mg at a time for 1 1/2 years until the side efects started to get very bothersome. My doctor prescribed 10 mg 2x a day because in his experience with this drug, many women were having depression problems. There are a few on this board who had that problem, taking 20mg pills once a day. I would ask your doctor to prescribe the 10mg pills rather than the 20.

Side effects were non-existent in the beginning and I was able to tolerate it fairly well, until about 15 months into taking the drug. I then started developing muscle and joint aches as well as swelling of the joints. Once I got to the point were I couldn't make a fist because it was so painful, my oncologist switched me to Arimidex.

You will most likely get hot flashes and flushes, which is very normal since you are blocking the body from absorbing estrogen. It may be more in the beginning and then becomes more tolerable with time. But, please note that everyone reacts differently to medication and you should not take this as written in stone.

Make sure to take your calcium pills everyday as you may develop osteoporosis especially, if there is a history in your family. Also, take Vit D everyday as it helps the absorbtion of calcium and there have been studies that Vit D may prevent recurrence in breast cancer.

Finally, eating small meals more frequently may help with nausea, should you develop a quesy stomach.

If you need further info post on the board or send me a pm and I will answer you.

Hugs, Lili

mmontero38 said:

Tamoxifen twice a day
I took Tamoxifen twice a day 10mg at a time for 1 1/2 years until the side efects started to get very bothersome. My doctor prescribed 10 mg 2x a day because in his experience with this drug, many women were having depression problems. There are a few on this board who had that problem, taking 20mg pills once a day. I would ask your doctor to prescribe the 10mg pills rather than the 20.

Side effects were non-existent in the beginning and I was able to tolerate it fairly well, until about 15 months into taking the drug. I then started developing muscle and joint aches as well as swelling of the joints. Once I got to the point were I couldn't make a fist because it was so painful, my oncologist switched me to Arimidex.

You will most likely get hot flashes and flushes, which is very normal since you are blocking the body from absorbing estrogen. It may be more in the beginning and then becomes more tolerable with time. But, please note that everyone reacts differently to medication and you should not take this as written in stone.

Make sure to take your calcium pills everyday as you may develop osteoporosis especially, if there is a history in your family. Also, take Vit D everyday as it helps the absorbtion of calcium and there have been studies that Vit D may prevent recurrence in breast cancer.

Finally, eating small meals more frequently may help with nausea, should you develop a quesy stomach.

If you need further info post on the board or send me a pm and I will answer you.

Hugs, Lili

Are you doing ok on Arimidex
Are you doing ok on Arimidex then Lili?

Tamox is scary stuff.

Thanks

Lex

Eil4186 said:

Hope you don't mind me
Hope you don't mind me asking---why the node dissection 3 yrs later?

No I don't mind you asking.
No I don't mind you asking. I found an enlarged lymph node just above the collar bone. It was excised and biopsied. The result was "breast cancer cells" so the MD needed to go back and re-excise axillary lymph nodes.