Tamoxifen after menopause

Elaine_wi
Elaine_wi Member Posts: 124 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

I have been on Tamoxifen for a couple of months now. I am still considered perimenopausal but I believe I am going through natural menopause now. When I eventually become post-menopausal, is there another hormone therapy medication that would work better than Tamoxifen? I will ask my oncologist at my next follow-up visit but I'm just curious if anyone has had experience with this. Thanks!

Comments

  • crselby
    crselby Member Posts: 441
    #2
    Tamoxifen after menopause

    Hi Elaine.  I was well past menopause when I was diagnosed, had surgery and radiation, then went on Tamoxifen.  Why my oncologist chose Tamoxifen when usually we are given an aromatase inhibitor might have been because it actually aids in building up bones whereas AIs destroy bone density.  Being postmenopausal meant, in his mind, that I was probably losing bone as a result of that (not in my case, but...).  In any case, the drug affected my uterus to make polyps multiple times, which had to be removed and biopsied (all clear).  My choices:  have hysterectomy and keep taking Tamoxifen or stop taking it, maybe start an AI.  I refused the AI as I heard the side effects of joint pain were bad.  Six years later I had a recurrence show up.  More surgery, no radiation this time and I have been on Arimidex or anastrozole (the generic) for 1 year and nine months.  Yes, joint pain, improvement (!!) in bone density, and slight hair loss.  I'm determined to take it for 5 years even though all I had was DCIS high grade the first time and DCIS intermediate grade the second time. Good luck!

  • Elaine_wi
    Elaine_wi Member Posts: 124 Member
    #3
    crselby said:

    Tamoxifen after menopause

    Hi Elaine.  I was well past menopause when I was diagnosed, had surgery and radiation, then went on Tamoxifen.  Why my oncologist chose Tamoxifen when usually we are given an aromatase inhibitor might have been because it actually aids in building up bones whereas AIs destroy bone density.  Being postmenopausal meant, in his mind, that I was probably losing bone as a result of that (not in my case, but...).  In any case, the drug affected my uterus to make polyps multiple times, which had to be removed and biopsied (all clear).  My choices:  have hysterectomy and keep taking Tamoxifen or stop taking it, maybe start an AI.  I refused the AI as I heard the side effects of joint pain were bad.  Six years later I had a recurrence show up.  More surgery, no radiation this time and I have been on Arimidex or anastrozole (the generic) for 1 year and nine months.  Yes, joint pain, improvement (!!) in bone density, and slight hair loss.  I'm determined to take it for 5 years even though all I had was DCIS high grade the first time and DCIS intermediate grade the second time. Good luck!

    Thank you for the explanation

    It does seem like Tamoxifen is a better choice if it will keep my bones stronger. I am supposed to take it for ten years. I don't like the idea of taking any medication that long but I have to remember that it will help my cancer not to reoccur. I'm glad you are doing well and have a great attitude!

  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    edited October 2017 #4
    I went through menopause and

    I went through menopause and didn't even know it. I was on Tamxofien for 5 yrs-2.5 years I had to have a total hysterctomy due to "enlarged" usterus (A known side effect)

     

    I went back on tamoxifen to finish up the 5 yrs.

  • Gingerpeg
    Gingerpeg Member Posts: 1
    edited October 2017 #5
    Can Clomid Cause Breast Cancer

    I was treated with Clomid for nearly 3 years in 1972/73 and had my son in 1974.  I understand that it is now only given for a few cycles.  It suddenly came to me a few days ago that it might have caused my cancer.  So, I started researching and it seems that although it hasn't been proved there seem to be a lot of women who have taken it and later developed BC.  Anyone out there who took it?

  • meschellejensen
    meschellejensen Member Posts: 117
    edited October 2017 #6
    Clomid

    I took it in 1994 and 1996.

  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #7
    Clomid

    gingerpeg, I took clomid for about a year and the question was on my intake questionnaire, so there must be a correlation. So many of the drugs that we are given cause major health problems! Of course, they assured me it was perfectly safe and I was never warned of cancer. I also took hormone replacement therapy at my doctor’s urging to prevent osteoporosis. I asked if it was safe and he assured me it was. i told him it made no sense to me to mess with nature and wondered if it would cause problems down the road. of course, he said it was perfectly safe. Wrong again! Both correlate with BC!  

  • HapB
    HapB Member Posts: 527
    #8
    Clomid

    And the kicker is that it didn’t work for me and only after I stopped it all did I get pregnant and had a healthy baby. I listened to the doctors that told me it was never going to happen without intervention. WRONG again! 

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