Tamoxifen

Cher2063
Cher2063 Member Posts: 12
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hey all, I'm new to this site and will be starting Tamoxifen in a few short days. I am open to resource ideas and your knowledge. Happy, Healthy, New Year.
thanks,
Cher

Comments

  • TraciInLA
    TraciInLA Member Posts: 1,994 Member
    #2
    Been on it for 2 months
    Welcome, Cher -

    I've been on Tamoxifen for 2 months, and the most important thing I've learned is that there are a variety of ways to take it that can help manage side effects.

    The standard dose is 20 mg/day -- some women take 10 mg in the morning and evening, some take the whole 20 mg either in the morning or in the evening. My doctor has said that, medically, it doesn't matter which way I take it, as long as I'm consistent from day to day.

    My doctor had me start taking it at bedtime, and I had terrible night sweats for several weeks before I saw him again, and he said, "well, just take it in the morning instead." I didn't know I could do that, and was amazed that that small change made the hot flashes almost completely disappear.

    You have to start somewhere -- but, once you start, if you do have side effects, talk to your doctor sooner rather than later about possibly switching how you take it to help manage them.

    Hope that helps!

    Traci
  • teresa41
    teresa41 Member Posts: 471
    #3
    TraciInLA said:

    Been on it for 2 months
    Welcome, Cher -

    I've been on Tamoxifen for 2 months, and the most important thing I've learned is that there are a variety of ways to take it that can help manage side effects.

    The standard dose is 20 mg/day -- some women take 10 mg in the morning and evening, some take the whole 20 mg either in the morning or in the evening. My doctor has said that, medically, it doesn't matter which way I take it, as long as I'm consistent from day to day.

    My doctor had me start taking it at bedtime, and I had terrible night sweats for several weeks before I saw him again, and he said, "well, just take it in the morning instead." I didn't know I could do that, and was amazed that that small change made the hot flashes almost completely disappear.

    You have to start somewhere -- but, once you start, if you do have side effects, talk to your doctor sooner rather than later about possibly switching how you take it to help manage them.

    Hope that helps!

    Traci

    tamoxifen
    i have been taking tamoxifen for a month so far havent had any problems everyone is different good luck to you...

    teresa
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
    #4
    Tamoxifen use
    Hi Cher. I have been taking Tamoxifen for almost 2 months. I went through menopause naturally 8 years ago at age 49 and have had hot flashes ever since. The Tamoxifen has made them stronger. Peridin-C has not helped. Former menopause issues that flared up in the first month, but are now significantly less: leg cramps and vaginal dryness. As far as the blood clot, uterine cancer, and cataract side effects go, we'll have to wait and see.

    By the way, there are several old threads on the topic of Tamoxifen that you can read if you type that into the subject search line. Good luck.
    ~~Connie~~
  • Marcia527
    Marcia527 Member Posts: 2,729
    #5
    Hi
    Make sure you see your GYN doc every year for a checkup.
  • Taina
    Taina Member Posts: 166
    #6
    Tamoxifen
    hello...
    on it for 4 wks....
    the 1st day i took it at bedtime, couldn't sleep and night sweets...
    now i take it in the morning, some headaches and morning sickness the firts few wks but doing much better now...
    blood work every 3 months, regular pap exam....
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
    #7
    Taina said:

    Tamoxifen
    hello...
    on it for 4 wks....
    the 1st day i took it at bedtime, couldn't sleep and night sweets...
    now i take it in the morning, some headaches and morning sickness the firts few wks but doing much better now...
    blood work every 3 months, regular pap exam....

    Taina, a question
    At first my oncologist wanted me to take an AI, but I declined, thinking my recurrance chances were very low. When I found out that was wrong, and went back to him, he put me on Tamoxifen. Don't know why the switch. He did leave me at that visit saying, "If you don't like it, you can stop taking it and just throw the pills away." I will see him again 3 months after that last visit. I assumed it would be to see how I was tolerating the drug. My question: what blood tests? What are they looking for with them? Thanks in advance for your response.
  • Taina
    Taina Member Posts: 166
    #8
    crselby said:

    Taina, a question
    At first my oncologist wanted me to take an AI, but I declined, thinking my recurrance chances were very low. When I found out that was wrong, and went back to him, he put me on Tamoxifen. Don't know why the switch. He did leave me at that visit saying, "If you don't like it, you can stop taking it and just throw the pills away." I will see him again 3 months after that last visit. I assumed it would be to see how I was tolerating the drug. My question: what blood tests? What are they looking for with them? Thanks in advance for your response.

    blood test
    My oncologist wanted to see me 30 days after i started tamoxifen to make sure
    i was doing ok with the side effects...
    ex. he said if the hot flashes were bad he could give me a pill to make them better.
    At 1st i was getting headaches but i'm ok now. Also i don't take it at night anymore because i can't sleep.
    When doing the blood test they want to make sure your liver, kidneys blood counts are good.
    They can also do a tumor marker blood count which can tell them if there are a any tumor cells...
    I'm going to see my oncologist every 3 months....the week before seen him i will do my blood work so he will have the results on appt day...
    you can email me anytime you want....
    Good luck...
  • lukesmom
    lukesmom Member Posts: 2
    #9
    crselby said:

    Taina, a question
    At first my oncologist wanted me to take an AI, but I declined, thinking my recurrance chances were very low. When I found out that was wrong, and went back to him, he put me on Tamoxifen. Don't know why the switch. He did leave me at that visit saying, "If you don't like it, you can stop taking it and just throw the pills away." I will see him again 3 months after that last visit. I assumed it would be to see how I was tolerating the drug. My question: what blood tests? What are they looking for with them? Thanks in advance for your response.

    crselby, get another opinion immediately
    Though I don't know the details, the comment from your oncologist that you can just stop taking it and throw it away is disconcerting to me. I found a clinical trial that will allow me to take the AI instead of Tamoxifin, which is proven to be more effective in preventing recurrance. This trial also shores up bone density, which is equally important to prevent osteoperosis as well as recurrance in the bone. I strongly suggest you talk with another oncologist (or two, or three) and make sure this advice is appropriate for you. I got three opinions at every stage of my treatment, and I'm so glad I did. Best of luck and God bless.
  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441 Member
    #10
    lukesmom said:

    crselby, get another opinion immediately
    Though I don't know the details, the comment from your oncologist that you can just stop taking it and throw it away is disconcerting to me. I found a clinical trial that will allow me to take the AI instead of Tamoxifin, which is proven to be more effective in preventing recurrance. This trial also shores up bone density, which is equally important to prevent osteoperosis as well as recurrance in the bone. I strongly suggest you talk with another oncologist (or two, or three) and make sure this advice is appropriate for you. I got three opinions at every stage of my treatment, and I'm so glad I did. Best of luck and God bless.

    lukesmom
    Thanks for your comments and concern. I have several little things that bug me about him so maybe I WILL go for a second opinion.
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #11
    crselby said:

    lukesmom
    Thanks for your comments and concern. I have several little things that bug me about him so maybe I WILL go for a second opinion.

    tamoxifen
    I've been on tamoxifen for a couple of months. After reading about the possible side effects I thought I'd try taking half the dosage in the morning and half at night ... and so far that's worked great. No REAL hot flashes ... just slightly "warm flashes" ... that are totally managable.

    hugs.
    teena

Discussion Boards