Wednesday, September 16, 2009 SUZ4960 asks

Q: Will a lower dose of Tamoxifen allow me to have orgasms? Like 5mg?

I'm 42 and been taking 10mg of Tamoxifen for 5 weeks. Recently I stopped having orgams. I don't even feel the sensation build-up that you get before an orgasm. I've read that a dose as low as 1 - 5 mg of Tamoxifen provides breast cancer prevention, and I was thinking of cutting my pills in half to see if it will help. It is hard for me to think of enduring this for 5 yrs. I know I need to contact my oncologist but he is a man and this is an embarrassing subject. I know I should be more worried about preventing my cancer from returning than my sex life, but I consider this quality of life and I have only been married 10 years and this is becoming very frustrating for me and my husband. Any help you can give me would be appreciated.

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Answers (5)

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/16/09 7:58pm

Truthfully, I don't know the answer to that. It might work - might not. How about this - tell the doctor you're having some private side effects you'd rather not discuss, and are wondering if a 5mg dose would be OK to try for awhile. Then try it for a couple of months, and see if it helps. Good luck - PJH

SUZ4960

9/28/09 8:18pm

Thank you so much for your advice. I plan on making an appointment.

Suz4960

pmcctx

9/19/09 9:29pm

I wasn't even married one year when I was diagnosed with my breast cancer. I don't know if the tamoxifen is the cause of not being able to have an orgasm. My doctor didn't say anything about that. I just started on Wellbutrin. It is supposed to help stimulate me. My doctor told me that the chemo can cause nerve damage and perhaps that is what happened to me. I had a great sex life before the cancer and I hope to one day have it again. Good luck to you. I hope you get some answers.

SUZ4960

9/28/09 8:31pm

Thank you for your input. Fortunately I did not have chemo, so I think my lack of sensation is due to the Tamoxifen. My doctor did not tell me about Tamoxifen's effect on the ability to have orgasms and it is not one of the usual listed side effects. However, when mine stopped after taking Tamoxifen for a couple of weeks, I dug out the information sheet that I got at the pharmacy with my medicine and sure enough it was on there way, way down on the list of minor side effects, "difficutly having orgasms". Funny thing is, I'm not having any other side effect, no cramping, no hat flashes, no dryness, no disruption in my period. Everything is normal except that. I'm thankful, but frustrated. Has the Wellbutrin helped you in this area?

Thanks again for your help. Good luck to you, also. I'm anxious to hear if the Wellbutrin has helped you.

Suz4960

rsb1234

6/20/10 3:39pm

I am having the same problem - VERY frustrating - and my oncologist doesn't seem to understand or thinks it's in my head!! I didn't have a problem before taking tamoxifen. I am going to ask him about a lower dosage. Also, maybe it's not talked about enough - many women may be too embarrassed to discuss it with a male oncologist - so it isn't shown as a side effect. If it weren't for the internet, I wouldn't know there are other women out there suffering and frustrated, just as I am.

TAMMY

12/ 7/10 4:54pm

Me too. I noticed a problem not long after starting Tamoxifen but thought it was the chemo or maybe starting my menopause. However i made the correlation after I had to stop taking Tamoxifen before an operation. My orgasms were just returning after being off Tamoxifen for 2 months, then I had the operation and had to start taking it again and, lo and behold, my orgasms stopped again!

I am so pleased that i found this site and know that it IS a side effect and obviously not too uncommon. So hopefully the more we talk about it the sooner they will be-able to address it seriously.

I'm also going to ask about a lower dosage and see if there'e any other help. HELP!

Peglove

5/ 2/11 3:15am

also, a topical estrogen crem with the tiniest amount of estrogen can help. my doc says it is safe and has such a small amount of estrogen it doesnt uptake into the body, but there are some risks.

Peglove

5/ 2/11 3:08am

i dont have an answer, but rather, a question. you have tamoxifen in 10 mgs? I didn't know I could take a lower dose than 20. Where did you get the info about tamox. still being effective at a lower dose? can you send me some info?

Thanks Peg.

browneyes

9/13/12 10:25am

I have been on Tamoxifen for two years. I did not have chemo but had a bilateral mx. My sex drive was fine before taking the T. I have noticed now it is has become increasing difficult to have an orgasm. It's to the point where it is becoming very frustrating. I have no other side effects from the drug and am otherwise very healthy. I eat right and work out at least 6 days a week. I am 46 and have always had a healthy sex drive. I am becoming a bit distraught over this and not sure what will help as I don't want to stop a medication that can potentially cut my cancer risk in half.

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/13/12 12:15pm

Very tough decision; there are risks to stopping the tamoxifen and, as you've discovered, some unexpected and unfortunate side effects. You might consider seriously weighing tamoxifen's benefits against your compromised sex life. Find out from your oncologist exactly what your risk of recurrence is with, and without tamoxifen. Ask for absolute risk - e.g., "your risk of recurrence while on tamoxifen is 8%, and 12% if you don't take it" - rather than relative risk - e.g., "your risk of recurrence is 50% higher if you don't take tamoxifen." Then, make your choice. You can't have it both ways; so, it's a difficult decision that only you can make. Take care - PJH

browneyes

9/13/12 12:52pm

Thanks for the reply. My Dr did do a specific test to find out the benefit of Tamoxifen for me and it cuts my risk of recurrence in half. I understand we can't always have it both ways. Just wondering if there is something I can take, even a natural supplement that would help counteract the side affect I don't like.

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/13/12 1:39pm

Yes, and the question is - what's your absolute risk? Is it 6% with tamoxifen, 3% without? Doctors will often tell you relative vs. absolute risk, because they want you to do everything possible to keep the cancer at bay. But what if the difference in risk is only, say, 3%? Which means 3 additional of every 100 women with your diagnosis would have a recurrence if they didn't take tamoxifen. That's the difference between looking at absolute and relative risk. You need to know the absolute risk to make an informed decision. Unfortunately, so far as I know, there's nothing to counteract tamoxifen's side effects... again, tough decision. You can always look forward to 3 years from now, when you'll be done with it! Also, remember - tamoxifen makes you more fertile than normal, so take that into account if you take precautions. Take care - PJH

browneyes

9/14/12 8:12am

Thanks PJ. I will bring up that question at my next onco visit. I have to admit that I do feel safer overall taking Tamoxifen because I know I at least am cutting my risk back by some amount. I think if I didn't take it I would feel like I could missing out some additional protection from recurrence. I will look forward to three years, but also try to be positive, exercise,eat right and keep a good attitude. I find that helps a lot!

PJ Hamel, Health Guide

9/14/12 9:15am

You're on the right track - kudos to you for recognizing what you have to do, and doing it! I hope things improve for you; it's a discouraging issue, for sure, and I wish there was some magical cure, but until/unless they come up with one - onward and upward! Take care - PJH

Q: Will a lower dose of Tamoxifen allow me to have orgasms? Like 5mg?

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