Tamoxifen and running.

Hi, I've found my way here from the C25K community. I've recently graduated (again) as I had to start over after BC treatment ended in January. Does anyone else find running and exercise really tough while on Tamoxifen? Any tips to help with the back, leg and calf pains?

[dulcigirl]

Hello, I've been on tamoxifen for 2 1/2 years. It makes you tire easily. I've found that a broad spectrum magnesium taken at bedtime helps with sleep & leg cramps. Maybe it will help you. Good luck & best wishes.

[Hidden in reply to dulcigirl]

Thanks for the tip, will give that a go. Cheers x

[Knapweed in reply to Hidden]

I alternate between taking Pharma Nord tablets or using a Magnesium muscle spray Which is recommended for leg cramps im particular but also sleep

[Hidden in reply to Knapweed]

Thanks Knapweed, I'm taking high strength cod liver oil and glucosamine and vit C. I'll give the magnesium spray ago.

[Mmnyc in reply to dulcigirl]

Hi,

Is there a specific brand you would recommend? Also, the ideal dosage?

I’m thinking of switching to tamoxifen. Im on anastrozole and my bones are definitely taking a beating. I’m taking calcium but don’t notice a difference .

[dulcigirl in reply to Mmnyc]

I started out taking letrozole & couldn't tolerate the side effects. I've done fairly well since I've been on the Tamoxifen. I've recently been seeing an acupuncturist because I developed terrible nerve pain in the area where I had my lumpectomy & radiation. Nerve blocks did nothing to relieve the pain. I have learned so much going to her and she can address numerous issues at once. I have been taking calcium & magnesium for years to try & keep my bones healthy, but I had no idea that there were so many different kinds of magnesium. When I told my acupuncturist that I have trouble sleeping & that often my legs ache at night & that sometimes I wake up with leg cramps, she suggested that I try using a magnesium lotion on my legs before going to bed at night. Well, I'd never heard of magnesium lotion before, but I headed to the health food store & bought some immediately. Wow, it was great! She also suggested the broad spectrum magnesium & the one I ordered is called "Terranics Magnesium Complex". It contains 500 mg of 5 different types of magnesium (100 mg of each) and you can get it on Amazon for about $20 for 120 easy to swallow capsules (1 per day). When I showed it to her, she said that it was a really good brand. The different magnesium targets different parts of the body, from bones, to sleep, to muscles, to bowels, and so on. It's pretty amazing that something so simple can make such a big difference. Give it a try, it might surprise you, too. Just remember to take it at bedtime. Good luck!!

[Mmnyc in reply to dulcigirl]

Omg, thank you so much ❤️❤️ You have no idea how much you’ve helped me.

Your acupuncturist sounds awesome. I wanted to go to one for my hot flashes but unfortunately it was not covered under my insurance so I’ve just had to deal with my hot flashes on my own🤯 well my oncology nurse recommended a pill but it has not worked. Honestly, because I’ve been quarantined it hasn’t been an issue but it’s something I’m dreading facing in the fall once I go back to work in real life.

Thanks again 🥳💕

[dulcigirl in reply to Mmnyc]

My insurance doesn't cover the acupuncture treatments either, but I was desperate for relief. The nerve pain I was having felt like someone was stabbing me with an ice pick in the boob. I couldn't live with that. I don't know how the acupuncture works, but I'm very happy with the results. The hot flashes when on Tamoxifen are pretty intense. It's like cooking from the inside out. When my oncologist put me on tamoxifen, she also put me on Effexor, which is an anti-depressant, but it also helps with hot flashes. She also put me on gabapentin which is what they give people with neuropathy/nerve pain. They have found quite by accident that gabapentin also helps with hot flashes. She has had to increase the dosage several times to help me get relief. And when my nerve pain started last summer, she increased it again. I really do not want to take any more of it than necessary. I'm hoping that when my 5 years are up, I can come off most of this medicine. I hope you can find something that works for you.

[Knapweed in reply to Mmnyc]

Hi - just a question- I am on anastrazole and take Ibandronic acid to combat osteoporosis - but they don't offer dex scans here (UK NHS) routinely. Do you Know from a scan or you have pains? My shoulders ache the most....

[Mmnyc in reply to Knapweed]

Hi,

I was supposed to get a bone scan to see how my bones are holding up since starting anastrazole back in March but I did not go because I didn’t want to expose myself to the germs. Ny oncologist said we would reschedule later.

I’ve been on anastrazole since December so I didn’t think the bone scan would pick up anything but I definitely think it will pick up something if I get it done now. My bones ache every morning when I wake up and if I don’t move for long periods of time. Getting up from the sofa is something else.

I’m 41 and look young on the outside but on the inside I feel over 90🤯

Also, has anyone noticed frequent urination? I don’t sleep through the night and in the beginning it was the hot flashes for sure but when I sat down and thought about it more, it’s not just the hot flashes it’s the constant urination (3x a night). Not sure if it’s the anastrazole or the effects of chemo 🤷🏻‍♀️

I wasn’t like this before. And I try not to drink Water past 7. Another symptom I have to report to my oncologist🤦🏻‍♀️

[dulcigirl in reply to Mmnyc]

One of the side effects of these anti-estrogen meds is body aches & pain. It's because it is depleting your body of estrogen. When I was taking letrozole/Femarra,

I hurt all over. I was weak & almost had to crawl up my stairs. I felt the same way you describe as being over 90. I also cried all the time. I knew that I couldn't make it 5 years like that. That's when I called my oncologist & told her what was going on & she had me stop the med for awhile & then put me on tamoxifen. I have been able to tolerate it much better. I had osteopenia before all this started, which is why I take calcium & magnesium (plus the other benefits of magnesium). I also get a bone density scan every 2 years. When I came off the letrozole, she also sent me for a full body DEXA scan with contrast to make sure that my cancer had not spread to my bones. I was so glad that it had not & was just the effect of the medicine. Talk with your doctor about all side effects that you are having & the severity of them. He/She may let you try another medicine that might have fewer bad side effects.