Been a while since I posted anything...emotionally I was having a challenging time of it. In part, at least, because I am covering for an employee on maternity leave at work, I had to get ready for traveling and celebrations for the holid...
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Your choices
Maria Gifford
Sunday, January 06, 2008 at 10:30 PM -
Tamoxifen
Karen Tanaka
Friday, January 11, 2008 at 08:10 PMI've been taking Tamoxifen for over a year now. My doctor has also prescribed Effexor (an antidepressant) for my side effects. My problem is the hot flashes and night sweats!! Over time it has subsided but not gone away completely. My husband always tells me that my internal thermostat is broken. I am hot and sticky one minute and next thing I am cold and reaching for a sweater! Yikes ....
I have not noticed any emotional side effects, however, I am on an antidepressant to counteract the heat issue! I did gain some wait since I started my med's ... can't wait till this is over. Don't like taking pills and sometimes I forget and end up with a massive headache!
replyre: Tamoxifen
Jolene Boyd
Friday, January 11, 2008 at 09:39 PMKaren,
Thanks for sharing your experience. I thought I was going to get by easy with the Tamoxifen side effects (I started having hot flashes almost right away, but they were very mild.) In the past week, though, they have really ramped up...I now know all about the night sweats and the chills that inevitably follow. My husband makes similar comments (always in a supportive way, of course!) I have been having them throughout the day several days this week, too. Makes me feel like I have a fever! (No other symptoms of illness, though, so pretty sure it's just the hot flashes.) Unfortunately it has really affected my sleeping now, too. My husband has lost sleep because I have been tossing and turning and even talking in my sleep, he says. Thank goodness we have a spare bedroom...we agreed to utilize it when needed to maximize the sleep quotients for both of us!
Jolene
replyre: re: Tamoxifen
Karen Tanaka
Friday, January 11, 2008 at 11:18 PMHi Jolene!
Thanks for sharing as well! I know what you mean about trouble sleeping. The first month I suffered through each night and day and tried to be positive about it. By the second month, I insisted on getting a sleeping pill from my doctor. He prescribed Ambien which ended up being an incredible relief. I did have to make sure that I was getting between 7 and 8 hours of sleep time. I used it for a month and stopped using it to see if I could sleep without it. I realized I didn't need it after that. I do have nights where I talk alot in my sleep and occasionally have trouble sleeping. My husband is a trooper .... he just laughs off my night "blubbering" and thinks it's a fair trade off for his snoring. :)
replyre: re: re: Tamoxifen
Jolene Boyd
Friday, January 11, 2008 at 11:22 PMThanks for the tip on the Ambien...I'll see how it goes the next week or two and check that out if it doesn't improve. I wonder if talking in your sleep is a side effect?? Pretty sure it wasn't on the list! We're lucky to have supportive husbands, at least! Jolene
reply -
living too
summer
Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 03:27 PMI made the same decision after the oncotype DX. I told myself if I'm able to have this test, that means the cancer was early. I did fret over it, but funny, once I decided - I left it alone. If the cancer recurs or a new cancer starts it won't be because of this decision. I took your advice & played it over in my mind both ways before saying no. I just took my 1st tamoxifen today! I hope you have peace with your decision. you helped me make mine
replyre: living too
Jolene Boyd
Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 03:48 PMI am sure my peace will come with time...regardless of how I may feel emotionally, intellectually I know I made the best decision for me. Thank you for letting me know that my advice helped you make your decision...I am honored to have been able to help in that way. We don't always know the small differences we make in other people's lives, so I really appreciate you sharing that! Keep in touch about your experience with the tamoxifen! It was good to hear another persepctive on that for me!
Jolene
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depression...
PJ Hamel
Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 07:29 AMJolene, I've had several friends oon tamoxifen who had problems with depression, so whatever "they" say officially, it IS an issue for some. One woman actually went off tamoxifen, because it was making her feel too bad. One did the whole course before she realized she was mildly depressed - once she went off it, she said it felt like the sun had come out again. One, like you, was already dealing with depression, and she went to a "psychopharmacologist" (I think that's how you spell it!) who worked with her to adjust her meds to the tamoxifen - which helped her. So don't "suffer in silence" or think it's all in your head (HA) - see if you can get someone to help you.
As for the hot flashes and sleeping -unfortunately, I think a lot of us go through that with tamoxifen. and not sure it's just the tamoxifen - I did 5 years of tamoxifen, and am now in my third year of Arimidex, and the hot flashes are still going pretty strong. During tamoxifen I actually participated in a sleep study, since I was having such sleep issues. The things they taught me helped. And somewhere on this site I posted a series about sleeping better... bet you could search and find it (my computer is SO slow, it's hard to search...) So, it sounds your symptoms are totally in line with tamoxifen use. And I'd bug your doc till s/he helps you- GOOD LUCK -PJH
replyre: depression...
Jolene Boyd
Sunday, January 13, 2008 at 01:27 PMPJ,
Thanks so much for all the insight...it is so much better knowing it's not just me (or, as you said, just in my head!
)I'll try to find the info on sleeping tips you mentioned. Thanks for everything!
Jolene
reply
Hi Jolene,
Great to hear from you again. I've wondered how you've been.
I think your choice to pass on chemo -- based on all the background, decision-making thoughts and feelings and advice (medical and personal) you've shared with us -- is for the best, especially mentally and emotionally for you. You seem to know in your gut what's best, even if the decision has been a tough one. Follow that - there's no truer guide.
Here's an article by our expert patient PJ Hamel that I hope you find helpful:
Breast Cancer and Depression
http://www.healthcentral.com/breast-cancer/c/78/2875/breast-cancer/
Keep us posted on how you're doing. Write again soon.
Best,
Maria
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