Tamoxifen: Effects of tamoxifen - My Breast Cancer ...

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Tamoxifen

cori101 profile image
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Effects of tamoxifen

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cori101 profile image
cori101
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9 Replies

Everyone is different but for me having been on it for 10 months I've had a few side effects, the worst being hot flashes, particularly at night during summer and then in turn lack of sleep.

Lack of energy at times, achy, lack of concentration and I'm sure my vision has deteriorated due to it.

Judymagpies profile image
Judymagpies

I took it for 7 years with no problems at all

louise007 profile image
louise007

My side affects match with the reply from Cazlav. I have been on it nearly two years ago eight to go ..fingers crossed well everything crossed really ..I have put on weight in part I know to it my eyes have got worse wearing glasses most of time at work as I can't see or read reports.don't be anxious or scared to use it because in my opinion it's a life saver ....everyone is different and you can have acupuncture for hot flushes on the NHS.

Debs1962 profile image
Debs1962

I am on letrozole, but my husbands cousin was in tamoxifen for 7 years, she had to have both her eyes done for cateracts, I looked up side affects after that and it does state that which was a shock. I am post menopause so on letrozole, that thins the bones! Sadly all drugs do have some side effects, but making sure you know them is the key, so can deal with them. I am on alendronic acid as diagnosed osteoporosis when they checked me before I started the letrozole, glad I knew before hand! Xx

Gracie66 profile image
Gracie66

i've been on Tamoxifen since Feb. i have noticed that i have put on weight, but i dont know if i fully blame tamoxifen for that ha ha. i might have been leaning on food when stressed a bit.. rectifying that now and the weight is coming off again, but i have also had the hot flashes, and the sleepless nights, buzzed at 3am unable to relax.. wake up with achy joints, mainly ankles, and hands, but it wears off once i'm up.

also an interesting thing, i had to come off it for a minor follow up operation, so they asked me to come off for 10 days prior, and then the op was postponed for 2 weeks, so i was off it altogther for 4 weeks. and since i have gone back on it the hot flashes are vastly reduced. i only really get them if i allow myself to get stressed, or if i eat spicy or suggary or caffeinated food. ....

Patrenee profile image
Patrenee

I have only been on tamoxifen 3 months. I too have gained weight but I think that is because I don't have the stamina to be as active as I used to be. I was getting anxious and kinda nauseated about 6 hours after taking it so I switched to taking it with supper. Now I wake up in the night! That still sits better than the afternoon when I was trying to figure out what to make for supper. I have also noticed a change with my eye sight. Is this just age or is it from the med. I want to blame everything on the cancer and the Meds

ARLENEGALVIN profile image
ARLENEGALVIN

I'm on it since April. I haven't had any major side effects. Trouble sleeping but that could be stress. My periods seem to have stopped. Also had that dryness they warn you about!! But it seems to be OK again now. All in all, I think I'm tolerating it pretty well.

Patrenee profile image
Patrenee

Hey. Being on tamoxiphen did your oncologist suggest taking calcium and vitamin D. Also what did your docs say in regards to the flu shot. My oncologist said - go live a cancer free life until your body tells u differently

Ailuj21 profile image
Ailuj21

I started taking tamoxifen last December, on the day I commenced 30 sessions of RTx. I had a break from it for a few weeks during RTx because I was sleeping so badly that I was struggling to drive to the hospital every morning for treatment. I started taking it again after my oncology review post RTx but had such horrible flushes, night sweats, brain fog, aching hands, ankles etc (I have fibromyalgia but the tamoxifen made it worse) that the oncologist told me to stop taking it in August. I have just had my first Zoladex injection, having been off all hormone therapy since mid-August, & I really hope the side effects will be less troublesome than the tamoxifen experience. Great to find this forum by the way.☺

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