Hello again:
I am going to rely on you for your take on Tamoxifen. My doctor gave me my first perscription and told me to start taking it about 2-3 days after my last radiation treatment.
What can any of you share with regard to side effects? I appreciate any and all input. Does it tend to affect your stomach? For example, what time of day is best to take it - night? in the morning?
I thank you all.
Kaye
Kaye,
I agree with the previous post--everyone seems to be affected differently. I have been taking it for just over 3 months now and have hot flashes (though not as severe as what some women seem to describe, especially those who had chemo, which I didn't), increased vaginal discharge, and perhaps increased depression, although that may be related to other life factors and not to the tamox. I haven't really noticed anything else, no stomach upset or anything like that. I take mine in the AM and haven't had any problems with it.
Jolene
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Hi Kaye: to my knowledge, tamoxifen has no effect on your stomach - it's best to take it same time every day just so you remember to take it. Anecdotally, the two things I know friends of mine have excperienced is depression, and weight gain. I gained weight... took it off after I went off tamoxifen.
Here's an excerpt from a sharepost FAQ I wrote about tamoxifen that hasn't been posted yet:
Thankfully, tamoxifen’s side effects are generally pretty mild. We all have our own personal body chemistry; there’s no telling how YOU will react to any particular treatment, including tamoxifen. That said, here’s a list of side effects you MAY encounter. PLEASE don’t think all of this will happen to you! I’ve known plenty of women on tamoxifen, and while most report hot flashes, vaginal issues, and weight gain, the other side effects seem less common.
•hot flashes;
•vaginal discharge, and/or dryness, and/or itching, and/or pain;
•fluid retention and/or weight gain;
•irregular periods;
•headache;
•nausea/vomiting;
•skin rash;
•fatigue;
•increased fertility*
*Yes, INCREASED fertility; ask your doctor about appropriate forms of birth control if you’re premenopausal. Birth control pills are no longer an option, as they alter the effects of tamoxifen.
In addition, there are possible serious side effects that are, thankfully, quite uncommon (under 1.5% of women taking tamoxifen are likely to encounter these):
•increased blood clots;
•uterine or endometrial cancer;
•stroke;
•cataracts.
As with the decision to take any drug, you’ll want to consider the side effects. But realistically, based on decades of real data, taking tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer recurrence is pretty much a no-brainer. Good luck!