Estradiol Patch and Tamoxifen

[Chazem]

For patch users, any word or experience with using Tamoxifen to counter the gynecomastia?

When to start it?

If you already have nipple swelling or soreness would one stop the patch until that mostly (or completely resolves) resolves first?

What dosage or range of dose would be?

My doctor has no experience with the patch or Tamoxifen.

[Tall_Allen]

20 mg tamoxifen to reverse gyno, 10 mg to prevent. It is also now available as a patch from compounding pharmacies.

[Chazem in reply to Tall_Allen]

Thank you TA.

Is there a correlation with the patch dose and the effective tamoxifen dose i.e. a lower dose of tamoxifen for a lower dose of patch ?

I started with the 0.05 patch 2x/week which worked great, then decreased to 0.0375 with similar hot flash control. Over several months however my nipple buds got swollen and tender to touch so I dropped to 0.025 patch, which worked almost as well and seemed to stop further gland swelling. I still had breast budding and nipple soreness so have been off the patch for 6 weeks with near resolution of the swelling and no tenderness.

My thought is to start tamoxifen at maybe 5 mg, let whatever nipple bud swelling resolve then start back at the 0. 025 dose patch and see how things go.

I could cut the 0.25 patch in half to see if the give me relief from hot flashes.

[Tall_Allen in reply to Chazem]

No correlation. Bad idea to take half dose of tamoxifen - try to get a patch.

[jfoesq in reply to Tall_Allen]

Tall-Allen- Are you saying that tamoxifen can still be effective if use is started years after the condition arises. I have had my "gyno" for 10 years now.

[Tall_Allen in reply to jfoesq]

No, not sayi ng that. Once connective tissue develops, it becomes permanent.

[rsgdmd]

If not too late, radiating the glandular tissue will prevent breast swelling.

[Chazem in reply to rsgdmd]

Thanks for the tip.

I had read that radiation to breasts was common in the past. I did in fact pursue radiation while I was off Lupton for 14 months and had resolved the 2 years of mild general breast swelling that was expected as a side effect of Lupron.

Swelling of just the nipples (breast buds) is what manifested when I moved onto the patch.

My experience. Anyone else have insight?

[Grandpa4 in reply to Chazem]

I did radiation. I believe it is a different very superficial form of radiation with very little toxicity. There was some concern about coronary artery disease but it does not look like that is real.

[MateoBeach in reply to Chazem]

I had breast radiation many years ago when I started bicalutamide monotherapy. Worked fine. Much more recently I did PATCH protocol for ADT (4 patches at a time 0.10). And later just 1 patch for ADT SEs. Used tamoxifen 10mg to prevent gynecomastia. Worked fine. Just had tiny amount of breast bud swelling and slight tenderness which did not progress. Stopped the tamoxifen and found it was not any worse. Did not progress to noticeable breasts. So dropped the tamoxifen. You might not have any worsening since you also have had the radiation to breast tissue.

[tango65]

Before taking tamoxifen check with your doctors since interact with many medicines.

breastcancer.org/treatment/...

[Chazem in reply to tango65]

Thanks tango65. I am not on any of those yay. However, I wonder if using a tamoxifen patch confers the same benefits of avoiding the first pass through the liver thus avoiding/minimizing the cardiovascular side effects of tamoxifen i.e. blood clot risks.

Anyone have insight on this?

[jfoesq]

Thought that was the case. Thx!

[AlmostnoHope]

I used it along with Casodex and it literally stopped the breast tenderness and reversed my Gyno along with doing Benchpress daily of course.

[Chazem]

Thanks smutaw.

Just to clarify your response and my patch question ...

I was asking about minimizing first pass effects by using a tamoxifen patch. It has been established that the best way to use estrogen is via the patch. That way it bypasses the liver metabolism and gives estrogen effects without the clotting and cardiovascular side effects.

Does this concept also holds for a tamoxifen patch?

Anyone know ?

[Chazem]

Thanks for the clarification. That is great.

How often does the tamoxifen patch get changed

[CountryJoe]

Forgive this late question, but I live in El Salvador, but travel to the US. Is it easy to find the estrogen patch or gel and tamoxifen in the US?

[CountryJoe]

Thanks so much for getting back to me on this, Smurtah.