I was put on tamoxifen after having unacceptable side effects with letrozole and exemestane. My oncologist said I would have to stay on tamoxifen for 5-10 years. I’ve decided I will stop at five. The side effects of hair loss, brain fog, fatigue, high cholesterol, and now severe urge incontinence helped me make that decision. I’m 76. Had my mastectomy, radiation and chemo in 2019-stage 3 with 22 lymph nodes removed on left side. Quality of life is more important at my age than is more years.
Hi,I too was diagnosed as stage 3b in March of 2020,after having a supposedly normal mammogram 3 months prior.I was prescribed Tamoxifen,after taking Arimidex for several years.I am 70 yrs.of age.Two years ago I was given exestemene to take each day.The side affects are bone loss,a stiff walk,hair loss etc.my Dr.says I should take it for 10 yrs.I didn't have any lymph nodes removed in 2020 because 18 were removed in Nov.93,and a small amount was in it.I was stage 2 at that time.How many positive nodes did you have?
I have been on tamoxifen for a month and am tolerating it quite well. I hope it stays this way. There is so much info on the internet about the negative side effects that I was terrified to start it. It’s important that people know that there are some people who tolerate it well
We are so appreciative of your taking the time to share this. Most of the people who report how they feel on tamoxifen are those who have side effects. We appreciate your contribution.
I've been on tamoxifen a year now after hormone positive breast cancer chemo tx at 42; hot flashes have been the main side effect I've had but are manageable most of the time (summer was harder) and I also have entered premature menopause so hard to know what is the med and what is early menopause
I just started tamoxifen. This is my second day. It is really helpful for your video to explain what to watch for in the side effects. I pray to my Lord Jesus everything will go well. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Antonia Dearing
Antonia, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Starting a new medication can bring about a mix of emotions, and it's completely normal to have concerns. It's wonderful that you're taking the time to educate yourself about potential side effects and staying vigilant about your health. You're not alone on this journey, and we're sending positive thoughts your way for a smooth and successful experience with tamoxifen.
Hello, my fellow sister may God be with you all the days of your life!! I just got prescribed tamoxifen and I was wondering how your journey has been this past couple months? Much love oxox
I could have died from two blood clots years ago. I made sure this information was in my health history. After my bilateral mastectomy surgery, the Dr. prescribed Tamoxifen. She didn't bother to read my history and I got two more blood clots unnecessarily and had to go through that all over besides dealing with the cancer. Blood clots are definitely a side effect of Tamoxifen.
My Dr.put me on Tamoxifen when i was 56.I was postmenopausal,and didn't have osteoporosis,but had loss some bone strength.I don't understand why.Anyway,I thank for these 30 yes.since my first diagnosis.
It's not uncommon for doctors to prescribe tamoxifen to postmenopausal women especially 30 years ago since the aromatase inhibitors were not available. It is likely that you had age-related osteoporosis and that tamoxifen decreased the extent of bone mineral density loss.Wishing you continued strength and well-being on your journey.
Good question. The original studies of tamoxifen used a dose of 40 mg a day (20 mg twice a day). A randomized trial showed that 20 mg a day were just as effective as 40 mg a day. In people who cannot tolerate 20 mg a day, 5 mg a day can be offered.
Here is an article about the study that concluded "Tamoxifen 5 mg once daily for 3 years significantly prevents recurrence from noninvasive breast cancer after 7 years....reduced by 52% the recurrence of invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)..." pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36917758/
I was origionally on 20 mg and the side effects were horrendous. I went down to 15 mg and they got a bit better. I started going to a new oncologist and he had me go down to 5 mg becasue it had been proven to be just as effective as the higher doses. This is something to go research yourself and talk to your doctor about 🙂
Man I really wish I could watch this and I will watch this somehow but you have to figure out your Acoustics you have a beautiful set up but the echo feedback really really hurts my head
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear about the audio issues. We use a microphone to enhance sound quality, but we'll certainly look into improving the acoustics to provide a better viewing experience.
3 months on tamoxifen, had pelvic pain in my 3rd month that lasted a week with breast pain, i work in an urgent care setting so constantly walking around, so i have more joint pain in my feet and push myself to work, when i am home i sit around all day with no motivation or energy for anything..dealing with continued weight gain. i am so frustrated.
Tamoxifen side effects like joint pain, fatigue, and weight gain can be incredibly draining, especially with a demanding job. Consider speaking with your doctor about adjusting the dosage, managing side effects, or exploring alternative medications. Gentle exercise, such as yoga or walking, might also help boost energy and mood when you’re at home. We encourage you to watch our video dedicated to these specific side effects: ruclips.net/video/0a0D7J9mePs/видео.html
We can do that. In brief, blood clots show up as acute or subacute pain and swelling in the legs. If the clot goes to the lung(s), it can show up as shortness of breath, chest pain, or wheezing. That's usually pretty sudden as well.
Please don't wait for blood clots to form !!! It could be very dangerous. You can ,NO you should have routine blood test done that tells you how sticky your blood is and to look for other inflammatory markers. Talk to your oncologist. If she or him can't seem to be helping look for naturopath doc specializing in cancer or integrative oncologists FABNO.
Thank you for talking about this. My oncologist mentioned blood clot side effect more than any other side effects. But she did not mention the blood tests. I will ask her. Thank you for sharing.
I am newly diagnosed with ILC triple positive preliminary stage 2b, 79 years old, had a hysterectomy years ago and am in good health. Nuclear scan shows no sign of the cancer elsewhere in my body. I was just put on an aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, and will be doing 6 cycles of TCHP. I also had my 1st Reclast infusion 5 months before being diagnosed. Many years ago my mom was diagnosed at age 69 with breast cancer, had a lumpectomy and several lymph nodes removed, radiation, took Tamoxifen for 10 years and was a 23 year survivor. I believe here side-effects were that she was just way too warm all the time. I am wondering if I might do better on Tamoxifen considering its lowering of cholesterol and not being harmful to bones like AI? And AI can cause increased blood pressure and all the aches and pains.
Tamoxifen would likely be an option for you and has a different side effect profile. Most oncologists will start with an aromatase inhibitor because it is slightly better than tamoxifen. The thought is that bone health and cholesterol can be managed. In someone who has a difficult time with aromatase inhibitors, however, switching to tamoxifen would be 100% reasonable. Your comfort with your decision is so important, however, that talking through your thoughts with your oncologist would be a great next step. Thank you for writing.
@ also i had a question, how does the tamoxifen beat your own estrogen to the cancer cell first - if that question makes any sense lol - also if i already have hot flashes will it make them stop (wishful thinking!) or get worse?
I‘m premenopausal (age 36) and due to start Tamoxifen in couple of months (after radiotherapy). Ive always suffered very badly with PMS and actually found that in general I was happier during chemo due to my periods stopping. Myself and partner do not want a family so I would be happy to go through menopause now even being so young. I‘m worried of tamoxifen will make my period irregular and the PMS even harder to handle, can you advice at all on this please? Thank you for the wonderful videos :)
Thanks for watching. Tamoxifen may stop your periods, which may help with PMS. It is still possible to get pregnant with tamoxifen, so methods to avoid pregnancy are still needed. You may not know until you try. Wishing you the best.
@@chalk4156 I was on them for 6 months but have now stopped due to the effect on mood. I scored low for hormone positive cancer so my oncologist is in support of me not taking them. Hope you are getting on ok?
Hi, I recently had a bilateral mammogram diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma Stage IA cT1b, cN0, cM0, G2, ER+, PR+, HER2- My question is why do I need to be on Anastrozole and Zoladex Infusion. I was told having a mastectomy would decrease my chances. And I asked what the percentages are hormone blocker vs nothing. I was told 5% I am also PTEN positive. 90vs 95% with hormone blocker. Any advice? Is this something you would also recommend or should I get a second opinion? Thank you! ❤❤
Such good questions. In a tumor that is less than a centimeter, hormone receptor-positive and node negative, endocrine therapy alone is an option rather than chemotherapy. While an aromatase inhibitor and goserelin (brand name: Zoladex), tamoxifen may also be offered. This would not require someone being on an LHRH analog such as goserelin. Decisions are often based on a patient's preference.
Because tamoxifen "looks like" estrogen to the uterus, it can cause thickening of the uterine lining. Very rarely, this is a more serious problem. Wishing you the best. Recall that tamoxifen is an "anti-estrogen" to breast cancer cells.
Hello, doctor, I am so happy to find your vedios and subscribe your channel right away. I just had a mastectomy three weeks ago. Now my doctor recommends me to take 10mg Tomaxifen which I am still debating. I had DCIS, non invasive, low positive (1-10%) of ER expression by IHC. In this case do I need to take hormones treatment? How do you weigh the benefits and risks? I am 68 yrs, no family history of cancer.
Thanks for writing. After mastectomy for DCIS, there is no remaining breast tissue (or minimal). The main benefit of tamoxifen is in decreasing the risk of another breast event (invasive cancer or non-invasive cancer) in the affected breast. Since there is minimal residual breast tissue after mastectomy, there is not much tissue to protect. We hope this is helpful.
I had taken anastrozole for 14 months and had an auto immune reaction. After time off with symptoms cleared up, Oncologist has recommended Tamoxifen. I had a hysterectomy (uterus and cervix) 8 years ago due to non malignant tumor(s). Still have ovaries. Is there an increased risk of ovarian cancer with Tamoxifen. You did not mention and other resources also do not mention. Thank you for all information you provide. It has been helpful on my journey through diagnosis, surgery & radiation.
Thank you for sharing your experience and for your thoughtful question. Tamoxifen does not cause ovarian cancer and in fact is used to treat ovarian cancer in some people.
Thank you doctor for all your great videos they have been of great help during my journey .I have been taking tamoxifen for 10 months now I have severe allergic reaction in my hands and feet all inflammed with painful peeling skin and all corticosteroids medications didn't help at all..is this normal?? I really appreciate having an answer to this soon and pls if you can include talking about seroma after breast surgery in your videos that would really be very helpful too. Thank you very much.
Although it is rare, an allergy to tamoxifen is possible. In general, we recommend that people with a reaction like this stop the tamoxifen to see if these reactions go away. If they do, another treatment can be considered. Check out our videos on breast cancer surgery. We do have quite a few. Wishing you the best.
I'm postmenopausal but my doctor put me on tamoxifen because I already had osteoporosis, and I refused to take bone drugs because of my kidneys. (They only recommend Prolia which you can't take forever). I have since developed extremely dry skin, chronic bladder infections, and joint pain. My urologist blames the tamoxifen for thinning the epithelial cells in my urethra and I will be prone to these infections. I have no uterus. My symptoms have gotten worse instead of better. How protective really is it? I hear it's only 7%.
Thank you for writing. Your urologist is likely correct about your symptoms and the effects being from tamoxifen. The benefit of tamoxifen depends on the risk of recurrence, so that is worth asking about. The bone benefits of tamoxifen are sizable, but quality of life matters too.
I'm postmenopausal and am a breast cancer survivor. I have found that walking 3 to 4 miles per day on 5 days a week really take away fatigue and mood changes. Tamoxifen will not harm your heart like aromatase inhibitors . It lowers your cholesterol. You have less joint pain than with aromatase inhibitors. In postmenopausal women tamoxifen strengthens your bones as opposed to aromatase incisors which cause osteoporosis. Exercise 5 days per week can lower your risk of breast cancer recurrence by 59% . That's a researched fact! Tamoxifen lowers risk of recurrence by 30 %. . Tamoxifen is alright if you exercise. Walking to music is so therapeutic and fun!
Dr. Griggs, I know I'm an outlier be a male breast cancer survivor going on two years. My PMC put me on Simvastatin when she saw my Oncologist put me on Tamoxifen and told me the that Tamoxifen would raise my cholesterol. How would you recommend I approach her on this issue?
It may be helpful to let your doctor know that you have learned that tamoxifen lowers cholesterol. You can also see what happens to your cholesterol to see if a statin agent is necessary. One of the benefits of tamoxifen is lowering cholesterol, so ideally you would not have to be on another medication. Thank you for writing. We have a lot of people write who have had male breast cancer, so you're part of a community!
Thanks dr Griggs for the thorough explanation.. Does we need to incrementally adjust the pill dose at the beginning? What about the standard dosage for hr+ 40% for a premenopausal woman and was hr+her2+ IDC?
Tamoxifen is given at a dose of 20 mg a day. Some people find that taking 10 mg twice a day helps with side effects, but there's no reason to start at a lower dose.
While palpitations have been reported by patients on tamoxifen, there is not a clear connection. Symptoms like hot flashes may be associated with palpitations, however.
Hi Doc. I watched most of your videos and learned a lot from it. My mother is already done with mastectomy. She is categorized as stage 2b breast cancer. 2.5cm tumor. Grade 2 cancer biology. ER-PR positive Her2 negative Lymph nodes were not involved after mastectomy. Doctor said that she will need to undergo chemo therapy. But I think she will benifit more in hormonal right since she is er pr positive? Her2 negative means that cancer cells are not responsive to chemo drugs? I just learn this thru research. Just want to clarify because I thought my mother will not undergo chemo due to good biopsy results after mastectomy. Thank you for your response. Learned a lot from your videos 😊
HER2-negative and HER2-positive tumors both respond to chemotherapy. Your mother may be able to have a genomic assay (such as the 21-gene assay, brand name Oncotype) to see if chemotherapy is likely to benefit her.
Hi doc. Thank you for the informative video..I am 33 years old and currently on treatment. Now, my doctor I need to take tamoxifen but I am afraid on the side effects. Is there any test before taking another treatment?
We wish there were a test that could tell us exactly who will benefit from endocrine therapy. In general, people do tolerate tamoxifen quite well. One way to approach taking the medication is to try it for 3 or 4 months to see how you feel before making a decision. If you have side effects, there are a lot of things that can be done to help manage those that don't require additional medications. Come back and let us know how you feel once you start it.
I was terrified of the side effects. I’ve been on tamoxifen for a month and have not noticed anything different. I have heard some women tolerate it just fine. I hope it stays this way
Good morning doctor ! I have a question which is concerning to me , how will I suppose to know that when taking tamoxaphen , for 5 years this medication has not developed me a Uterus cancer as you have mentioed in this video , can you please explain a bit more .Do I need to go for uterus test to see whether the cancer has spread on uterus .???? Thankyou
I hope the doctor responds to this . I'm very scared of this side effect I have a transvaginal ultrasound every three months to see if there is any abnormality in the uterus and to measure thickness of its wall and I'm not sure if this is quite enough
@@yatiemajid7907 yes I m still waiting for Doctor to response about the side affect of possibly having another uterus cancer while on tamaoxaphone or after the 5 years of endocrine therapy is completed .
Thank you for explaining the positive dide as well as the negatives. I'm about to start tamoxifen and am concerned about the side effects. Is it right it can cause liver issues? I had cholestasis in pregnancy and though this was a ling time ago im obviously concerned especially with it being s hormonal medication.
Great question. It is rare for tamoxifen to cause liver problems, but most oncologists have seen this in a handful of patients. It appears to be reversible with no long term consequences. It is not entirely clear that you history will increase the risk of liver problems from tamoxifen, but it would be worth talking about this with your team.
I was told to take tamoxifen for 5 years after my mastectomy in 2018 ….. I had to stop 1 year later because they found a tumour in my uterus…..had a total hysterectomy …. What are the chances of the breast cancer spreading to my the other breast since I stopped taking tamoxifen for so long
The risk of a new cancer in the other breast is quite low. Between 1 and 2 people in 100 will have a new cancer in the opposite breast. In terms of cancer returning in other parts of the body (recurrence), the risk depends on the original cancer's features, including whether it was invasive or not (as opposed to non-invasive breast cancer, also called ductal carcinoma in situ) and the tumor size, lymph node status, and tumor markers. You're responding to the Stage I breast cancer video, so your cancer may have been invasive and Stage I. While the risk of recurrence elsewhere in the body is not zero, it is probably quite low.
How long after a masectomy should you start treatment? its going to be a month next week since ive had my surgery im getting concerned. My Oncologist is waiting for the test results from the cancerous tumor. What is the danger zone as far as a time frame to start treatment?
It’s normal to feel concerned, especially with a month passing since your mastectomy. The timing of treatment usually depends on the results of the tumor testing, but generally, starting treatment within 90 days is the hope. We encourage you to follow up with your oncologist to ensure everything is on track.
I’m post menopausal and had a tubal ligation. Does that mean I can’t use tamoxifen that has been recommended for my DCIS stage1 invasive cancer? I’m 68 years old.
Hello! I would like to ask, why i have to take Tamoxifen 20 mg, if my ovaries was remowed profilactic...? I've been diagnosed for triple negative breast cancer, Brca1 mutation. I am 46 year old.
Our bodies make estrogen in other tissues besides the ovaries. In triple negative breast cancer, however, endocrine therapy is generally not offered. Thank you for watching.
Hi, Im hoping you can answer this. I just started taking tamoxifen. Im really trying to be more of plant based diet and have a Vitamin with K2 in it. Since there is a risk of blood clots is it safe to take a vitamin with K2?
Vegetables with vitamin K are safe and healthful. People on the blood thinner warfarin (brand name: Coumadin) will often be told to limit their intake of vitamin K-containing foods because it can make it hard to get the warfarin to the right level.
Good evening Doc,think you so much for this piece of information,iam 33 years old and was recently diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2 and currently taking tamoxifen am in my second month from the time i started taking the drug,my question is am married and need to start a family i have no child am scared of going to early menopause because of the drug,is it adversible to stop the try and start trying for pregnancy?and how long can i wait for me to start trying for a baby?
Thanks for watching and for writing. Your decisions about starting a family are super important. It is the case that tamoxifen can lead to an early menopause, but it is highly unlikely that it will cause menopause at your age. Because it becomes more difficult to conceive with increasing age, it would be worth having a conversation with your medical team about the advisability of stopping tamoxifen for a while so that you can have a child. In some people, the risks of doing so are so high that it's not advisable. For other people, it's considered perfectly safe.
Soy in dietary form is safe in people with a history of breast cancer. We do not recommend soy powders or shakes. You may find it helpful to watch our video on soy and breast cancer: ruclips.net/video/01dhxS9KBTE/видео.html.
Are people who are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer also prescribed tamoxifen? I am curious since estrogen is not the source feeding the cancer if it is necessary to have this estrogen blocking medication :?
I'm on my 3rd year taking daily Arimidex (stage 1 breast CA, mastectomy right breast in 2020. Forced menopause: total hysterectomy done in 2019 due to myomas. My doc says I can take 5 yrs Arimidex, then next 5 yrs Tamoxifen . .if I'm worried about developing osteoporosis due to Arimidex. I now have ostoepenia. Is that ok? First 5 yrs on Arimidex and the next 5 yrs on Tamoxifen (even if I'm already menopause)? Thank you. God bless you.
Please don’t dismiss vaginal dryness. Unless you have experienced this you can never know the agony. I had chronic vaginal atrophy before starting tamoxifen. Now 2 months later I am red raw with itching, burning and splitting skin around the vulva and vagina. I don’t want to stop taking the tamoxifen as I have had no other side effects but I don’t know how much longer I can take this. Some days I can barely sit down! Is there any help out there? Anyone else experienced this?
We apologize if it appeared we minimized vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness is often associated with a great deal of distress for many reasons. Keep coming back to see if we meet your information needs with our other videos.
Hello Doc. My doctor told me to start to take tamoxifen for 5 yrs after my breast lumpectomy. Erpr + and her2 -. I forgot to ask my doctor if its okay for me to continue to take my med for my cholesterol maintenance which is astorvastatine or do i need to stop it as soon as i start to take tamoxifen? Thanks in advance for answering my concern.
Great question! You should definitely check with your oncologist about continuing your cholesterol medication, but in most cases, medications like atorvastatin are safe to take alongside tamoxifen. It’s always a good idea to confirm with your doctor to ensure there are no interactions between your treatments. Here's something interesting...tamoxifen can actually lower cholesterol, and many people no longer need to take the lipid-lowering agent while on tamoxifen.
In general, tamoxifen is extremely effective in the treatment of invasive lobular cancer as long as the cancer is positive for the hormone receptors. Lobular cancer is nearly always hormone receptor-positive.
I have significant degenerative disc disease and pain in both knees. Given that Tamoxifen can cause joint pain, I decided not to take it. Quality of life (for me) was more important.
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the audio quality, and we are aware of the issue. Our team is actively working on strategies and improvements to address the echo problem. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to enhance the viewing experience.
1)Does tamoxifen can cause cervix cancer? for dcis tamoxifen is needed or not? If its needed for dcis , tamoxifen 5 mg is enough or not? Its really helpful videos.waiting for next video
Great questions. In people with DCIS, tamoxifen reduces the risk of another breast "event," including invasive and recurrent DCIS in the same breast. Although the standard dose has been 20 mg based on findings from thousands and thousands of patients in clinical trials, it may be the case that 5 mg is just as good. It is likely that people who do not tolerate 20 mg will be offered the dose of 5 mg.
If it's good for your cholesterol, heart, bones, and vaginal dryness, why do they bother with aromatase inhibitors for postmenopausal women? Isn't that the age that most women need this protection?
Great question. The benefits of the aromatase inhibitors in terms of recurrence and survival are so strong that the medical profession and many/most women are willing to tolerate the side effects. All that being said, we do take seriously these adverse side effects. A great deal of research has been done to identify ways to mitigate both the long-term side effects (which are reversible) and the extremely troublesome day-to-day effects. Not trying to minimize the side effects, but we do want you to know that there is a lot of work being done to make these highly effective therapies more tolerable.
As long as you have a healthy diet and no special medical problems, you most likely do not need to take vitamins. Talk with your medical team to see if vitamin D might be appropriate for you.
I assume its not while taking the Tamoxaphane ...But Its after prolong consumption of medcine that might lead to develop another type of cancer ..only after the treatment is done ...I AM NOT SURE THOUGH..
Such a good question. Tamoxifen works so well, but, like most things in medicine (and life), it's not perfect. Just like when we wear a seatbelt, it doesn't ensure that we won't get hurt in an accident. Tamoxifen is a powerful but imperfect cancer treatment.
Because tamoxifen IS SYNTHETIC ESTROGEN used in the past as anti conception pill and putting anybody on synthetic hormone therapy invites a possibly of developing cancer. Look up some articles on PUB MED National Library of Medicine.
My mom took tamoxifen for breast cancer and it was like she didnt have cancer at all...then the idiot doctors told her she could only take it for 5 years and switched her to Megace..She started having sweats and feeling so weak and her uterus filled with blood which came out at one time and made her extremely weak..she ended up going to the hospital and they drugged her up so much we couldnt talk to her..if she had stayed on the tamoxifin that would never of happened..she died shortly after...i believe the doctors killed her.When she was doing so well on the Tamoxifin why didn't they leave her alone?
We are so sorry for your loss. Tamoxifen for longer than 5 years can start to cause more problems than added benefit. It sounds as if things really went the wrong way after changing to megestrol acetate (Megace). It's hard to know if her outcome was related to the Megace, but regardless of the cause, we are sending sincere sympathy to you and your family.
Thank you for this information. I do not understand how Tamoxifen help with bones and how it causes osteoporosis? Are there blood tests that we should do regularly to monitor the side effect of Tamoxifen? Thanks
Great questions. Tamoxifen increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, there is some research showing loss of bone mineral density, so you can see that it depends on the patient and on the study. When tamoxifen was first introduced, blood work was done regularly. There is now ample data that blood work does not help people. If someone has symptoms, that's a different story, and an evaluation with blood work and other tests should be done to rule out recurrence of the cancer or other problems.
Your commitment to educating people about tamoxifen and its significance in cancer care is so impactful-thank you for all you do to bring these essential topics forward! I’m also passionate about sharing knowledge on medications and drug discovery. I recently created a video on tamoxifen, diving into its history, mechanism, and benefits to help spread awareness to a wider audience. I’d be glad to share it here for anyone interested: ruclips.net/video/eHHn4Z6S54s/видео.html I hope it adds to the valuable information you’re already providing!"
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I was put on tamoxifen after having unacceptable side effects with letrozole and exemestane. My oncologist said I would have to stay on tamoxifen for 5-10 years. I’ve decided I will stop at five. The side effects of hair loss, brain fog, fatigue, high cholesterol, and now severe urge incontinence helped me make that decision. I’m 76. Had my mastectomy, radiation and chemo in 2019-stage 3 with 22 lymph nodes removed on left side. Quality of life is more important at my age than is more years.
Thank you so much for sharing your story. It is so important to define what is most important to you. We are all different.
I was on it for a year. I was miserable. Went off 6 months ago.
Hi,I too was diagnosed as stage 3b in March of 2020,after having a supposedly normal mammogram 3 months prior.I was prescribed Tamoxifen,after taking Arimidex for several years.I am 70 yrs.of age.Two years ago I was given exestemene to take each day.The side affects are bone loss,a stiff walk,hair loss etc.my Dr.says I should take it for 10 yrs.I didn't have any lymph nodes removed in 2020 because 18 were removed in Nov.93,and a small amount was in it.I was stage 2 at that time.How many positive nodes did you have?
I have been on tamoxifen for a month and am tolerating it quite well. I hope it stays this way. There is so much info on the internet about the negative side effects that I was terrified to start it. It’s important that people know that there are some people who tolerate it well
We are so appreciative of your taking the time to share this. Most of the people who report how they feel on tamoxifen are those who have side effects. We appreciate your contribution.
Thank you for sharing. I'm to start tomorrow but so terrified of the side effects. I so happy to know you are doing well on it.
Thank you for saying this because they want me to take it and im so scared
I've been on tamoxifen a year now after hormone positive breast cancer chemo tx at 42; hot flashes have been the main side effect I've had but are manageable most of the time (summer was harder) and I also have entered premature menopause so hard to know what is the med and what is early menopause
@@bedwards8575Hey there, I started Tamoxifen a few days ago, I wanted to see how you are doing on it?
I just started tamoxifen. This is my second day. It is really helpful for your video to explain what to watch for in the side effects. I pray to my Lord Jesus everything will go well. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Antonia Dearing
Antonia, thank you for sharing your experience with us. Starting a new medication can bring about a mix of emotions, and it's completely normal to have concerns. It's wonderful that you're taking the time to educate yourself about potential side effects and staying vigilant about your health. You're not alone on this journey, and we're sending positive thoughts your way for a smooth and successful experience with tamoxifen.
Hello, my fellow sister may God be with you all the days of your life!! I just got prescribed tamoxifen and I was wondering how your journey has been this past couple months? Much love oxox
I'll be starting next week and I'm so scared.....
I could have died from two blood clots years ago. I made sure this information was in my health history. After my bilateral mastectomy surgery, the Dr. prescribed Tamoxifen. She didn't bother to read my history and I got two more blood clots unnecessarily and had to go through that all over besides dealing with the cancer. Blood clots are definitely a side effect of Tamoxifen.
Yes blood clots are a known side effect of tamoxifen. Thank you for sharing your experience.
My Dr.put me on Tamoxifen when i was 56.I was postmenopausal,and didn't have osteoporosis,but had loss some bone strength.I don't understand why.Anyway,I thank for these 30 yes.since my first diagnosis.
It's not uncommon for doctors to prescribe tamoxifen to postmenopausal women especially 30 years ago since the aromatase inhibitors were not available. It is likely that you had age-related osteoporosis and that tamoxifen decreased the extent of bone mineral density loss.Wishing you continued strength and well-being on your journey.
Thank you, Dr Griggs, for your helpful and educational material.
Thank you for watching and your comment. We appreciate the continuous support!
Hello Doctor, please comment on the effectiveness of cancer prevention of lower dose (5 mg) of tamoxifen vs higher dose (20 mg). Thank you
Good question. The original studies of tamoxifen used a dose of 40 mg a day (20 mg twice a day). A randomized trial showed that 20 mg a day were just as effective as 40 mg a day. In people who cannot tolerate 20 mg a day, 5 mg a day can be offered.
Here is an article about the study that concluded "Tamoxifen 5 mg once daily for 3 years significantly prevents recurrence from noninvasive breast cancer after 7 years....reduced by 52% the recurrence of invasive breast cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS)..." pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36917758/
I was origionally on 20 mg and the side effects were horrendous. I went down to 15 mg and they got a bit better. I started going to a new oncologist and he had me go down to 5 mg becasue it had been proven to be just as effective as the higher doses. This is something to go research yourself and talk to your doctor about 🙂
Man I really wish I could watch this and I will watch this somehow but you have to figure out your Acoustics you have a beautiful set up but the echo feedback really really hurts my head
Thank you for your feedback. We're sorry to hear about the audio issues. We use a microphone to enhance sound quality, but we'll certainly look into improving the acoustics to provide a better viewing experience.
I don't think the sound issue is with the website. It's fine on m computer and ipad.
I had no idea there were positive aspects of Tamoxifen I've only heard of the negative side effects. Thank you
3 months on tamoxifen, had pelvic pain in my 3rd month that lasted a week with breast pain, i work in an urgent care setting so constantly walking around, so i have more joint pain in my feet and push myself to work, when i am home i sit around all day with no motivation or energy for anything..dealing with continued weight gain. i am so frustrated.
Tamoxifen side effects like joint pain, fatigue, and weight gain can be incredibly draining, especially with a demanding job. Consider speaking with your doctor about adjusting the dosage, managing side effects, or exploring alternative medications. Gentle exercise, such as yoga or walking, might also help boost energy and mood when you’re at home. We encourage you to watch our video dedicated to these specific side effects: ruclips.net/video/0a0D7J9mePs/видео.html
Thank you so much doctor :) I’m about to start mine soon ❤🙏
Thank you for watching and being part of the Yerbba community! Sending best wishes.
Thanks for useful information, it would be nice if u could make a detailed video on how to identify the clots formed due to side effects of tamoxifen
We can do that. In brief, blood clots show up as acute or subacute pain and swelling in the legs. If the clot goes to the lung(s), it can show up as shortness of breath, chest pain, or wheezing. That's usually pretty sudden as well.
Please don't wait for blood clots to form !!! It could be very dangerous. You can ,NO you should have routine blood test done that tells you how sticky your blood is and to look for other inflammatory markers. Talk to your oncologist. If she or him can't seem to be helping look for naturopath doc specializing in cancer or integrative oncologists FABNO.
Thank you for talking about this. My oncologist mentioned blood clot side effect more than any other side effects. But she did not mention the blood tests. I will ask her. Thank you for sharing.
I am newly diagnosed with ILC triple positive preliminary stage 2b, 79 years old, had a hysterectomy years ago and am in good health. Nuclear scan shows no sign of the cancer elsewhere in my body. I was just put on an aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, and will be doing 6 cycles of TCHP. I also had my 1st Reclast infusion 5 months before being diagnosed.
Many years ago my mom was diagnosed at age 69 with breast cancer, had a lumpectomy and several lymph nodes removed, radiation, took Tamoxifen for 10 years and was a 23 year survivor. I believe here side-effects were that she was just way too warm all the time.
I am wondering if I might do better on Tamoxifen considering its lowering of cholesterol and not being harmful to bones like AI? And AI can cause increased blood pressure and all the aches and pains.
Tamoxifen would likely be an option for you and has a different side effect profile. Most oncologists will start with an aromatase inhibitor because it is slightly better than tamoxifen. The thought is that bone health and cholesterol can be managed. In someone who has a difficult time with aromatase inhibitors, however, switching to tamoxifen would be 100% reasonable. Your comfort with your decision is so important, however, that talking through your thoughts with your oncologist would be a great next step. Thank you for writing.
This was very helpful. Thank you!
You're very welcome! We're glad to hear that you found the video helpful. Thanks for watching.
Thank you this was so helpful
So glad you found this helpful! 😊
@ also i had a question, how does the tamoxifen beat your own estrogen to the cancer cell first - if that question makes any sense lol - also if i already have hot flashes will it make them stop (wishful thinking!) or get worse?
I‘m premenopausal (age 36) and due to start Tamoxifen in couple of months (after radiotherapy). Ive always suffered very badly with PMS and actually found that in general I was happier during chemo due to my periods stopping. Myself and partner do not want a family so I would be happy to go through menopause now even being so young. I‘m worried of tamoxifen will make my period irregular and the PMS even harder to handle, can you advice at all on this please? Thank you for the wonderful videos :)
Thanks for watching. Tamoxifen may stop your periods, which may help with PMS. It is still possible to get pregnant with tamoxifen, so methods to avoid pregnancy are still needed. You may not know until you try. Wishing you the best.
How are you doing on tamoxifen, I started a few days ago .
@@chalk4156 I was on them for 6 months but have now stopped due to the effect on mood. I scored low for hormone positive cancer so my oncologist is in support of me not taking them. Hope you are getting on ok?
Hi, I recently had a bilateral mammogram diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma
Stage IA cT1b, cN0, cM0, G2, ER+, PR+, HER2-
My question is why do I need to be on Anastrozole and Zoladex Infusion. I was told having a mastectomy would decrease my chances. And I asked what the percentages are hormone blocker vs nothing. I was told 5% I am also PTEN positive. 90vs 95% with hormone blocker. Any advice? Is this something you would also recommend or should I get a second opinion? Thank you! ❤❤
Such good questions. In a tumor that is less than a centimeter, hormone receptor-positive and node negative, endocrine therapy alone is an option rather than chemotherapy. While an aromatase inhibitor and goserelin (brand name: Zoladex), tamoxifen may also be offered. This would not require someone being on an LHRH analog such as goserelin. Decisions are often based on a patient's preference.
I was on tamoxifen for 5 years and now I found out that it caused hyperplasia and I’m on my way again to my gyno/oncologist for uterine problems
Because tamoxifen "looks like" estrogen to the uterus, it can cause thickening of the uterine lining. Very rarely, this is a more serious problem. Wishing you the best. Recall that tamoxifen is an "anti-estrogen" to breast cancer cells.
Hello, doctor, I am so happy to find your vedios and subscribe your channel right away. I just had a mastectomy three weeks ago. Now my doctor recommends me to take 10mg Tomaxifen which I am still debating. I had DCIS, non invasive, low positive (1-10%) of ER expression by IHC. In this case do I need to take hormones treatment? How do you weigh the benefits and risks? I am 68 yrs, no family history of cancer.
Thanks for writing. After mastectomy for DCIS, there is no remaining breast tissue (or minimal). The main benefit of tamoxifen is in decreasing the risk of another breast event (invasive cancer or non-invasive cancer) in the affected breast. Since there is minimal residual breast tissue after mastectomy, there is not much tissue to protect. We hope this is helpful.
Maybe u can make a detailed video like this on letrozole too
Thank you for watching and your comment! Stay tuned for our upcoming video that will explain everything you need to know about aromatase inhibitors.
I had taken anastrozole for 14 months and had an auto immune reaction. After time off with symptoms cleared up, Oncologist has recommended Tamoxifen. I had a hysterectomy (uterus and cervix) 8 years ago due to non malignant tumor(s). Still have ovaries. Is there an increased risk of ovarian cancer with Tamoxifen. You did not mention and other resources also do not mention. Thank you for all information you provide. It has been helpful on my journey through diagnosis, surgery & radiation.
Thank you for sharing your experience and for your thoughtful question. Tamoxifen does not cause ovarian cancer and in fact is used to treat ovarian cancer in some people.
Thank you doctor for all your great videos they have been of great help during my journey .I have been taking tamoxifen for 10 months now I have severe allergic reaction in my hands and feet all inflammed with painful peeling skin and all corticosteroids medications didn't help at all..is this normal?? I really appreciate having an answer to this soon
and pls if you can include talking about seroma after breast surgery in your videos that would really be very helpful too.
Thank you very much.
Although it is rare, an allergy to tamoxifen is possible. In general, we recommend that people with a reaction like this stop the tamoxifen to see if these reactions go away. If they do, another treatment can be considered. Check out our videos on breast cancer surgery. We do have quite a few. Wishing you the best.
I'm postmenopausal but my doctor put me on tamoxifen because I already had osteoporosis, and I refused to take bone drugs because of my kidneys. (They only recommend Prolia which you can't take forever). I have since developed extremely dry skin, chronic bladder infections, and joint pain. My urologist blames the tamoxifen for thinning the epithelial cells in my urethra and I will be prone to these infections. I have no uterus. My symptoms have gotten worse instead of better. How protective really is it? I hear it's only 7%.
Thank you for writing. Your urologist is likely correct about your symptoms and the effects being from tamoxifen. The benefit of tamoxifen depends on the risk of recurrence, so that is worth asking about. The bone benefits of tamoxifen are sizable, but quality of life matters too.
Thank you for your response@@yerbba
I had pre cancer and my oncologist is pushing tamoxifen. I am reluctant to take it.
I'm postmenopausal and am a breast cancer survivor. I have found that walking 3 to 4 miles per day on 5 days a week really take away fatigue and mood changes. Tamoxifen will not harm your heart like aromatase inhibitors . It lowers your cholesterol. You have less joint pain than with aromatase inhibitors. In postmenopausal women tamoxifen strengthens your bones as opposed to aromatase incisors which cause osteoporosis. Exercise 5 days per week can lower your risk of breast cancer recurrence by 59% . That's a researched fact! Tamoxifen lowers risk of recurrence by 30 %. . Tamoxifen is alright if you exercise. Walking to music is so therapeutic and fun!
@@MarianneKunitz7777 thanks for sharing! i have high cholesterol and osteo so i’m hoping the tamoxifen will take care of everything lol
Dr. Griggs, I know I'm an outlier be a male breast cancer survivor going on two years. My PMC put me on Simvastatin when she saw my Oncologist put me on Tamoxifen and told me the that Tamoxifen would raise my cholesterol. How would you recommend I approach her on this issue?
It may be helpful to let your doctor know that you have learned that tamoxifen lowers cholesterol. You can also see what happens to your cholesterol to see if a statin agent is necessary. One of the benefits of tamoxifen is lowering cholesterol, so ideally you would not have to be on another medication. Thank you for writing. We have a lot of people write who have had male breast cancer, so you're part of a community!
Thanks dr Griggs for the thorough explanation.. Does we need to incrementally adjust the pill dose at the beginning?
What about the standard dosage for hr+ 40% for a premenopausal woman and was hr+her2+ IDC?
Tamoxifen is given at a dose of 20 mg a day. Some people find that taking 10 mg twice a day helps with side effects, but there's no reason to start at a lower dose.
Thank you for your explanation 👍🏽😊
Thank you for watching! We appreciate your support.
Thank you 🙏
Thank you for watching and your comment! We appreciate you!
Hello. Does Tamoxifen treatment cause palpitations? Thank you
While palpitations have been reported by patients on tamoxifen, there is not a clear connection. Symptoms like hot flashes may be associated with palpitations, however.
Hi Doc. I watched most of your videos and learned a lot from it. My mother is already done with mastectomy.
She is categorized as stage 2b breast cancer.
2.5cm tumor.
Grade 2 cancer biology.
ER-PR positive
Her2 negative
Lymph nodes were not involved after mastectomy.
Doctor said that she will need to undergo chemo therapy.
But I think she will benifit more in hormonal right since she is er pr positive?
Her2 negative means that cancer cells are not responsive to chemo drugs?
I just learn this thru research. Just want to clarify because I thought my mother will not undergo chemo due to good biopsy results after mastectomy.
Thank you for your response. Learned a lot from your videos 😊
HER2-negative and HER2-positive tumors both respond to chemotherapy. Your mother may be able to have a genomic assay (such as the 21-gene assay, brand name Oncotype) to see if chemotherapy is likely to benefit her.
Hi doc. Thank you for the informative video..I am 33 years old and currently on treatment. Now, my doctor I need to take tamoxifen but I am afraid on the side effects. Is there any test before taking another treatment?
We wish there were a test that could tell us exactly who will benefit from endocrine therapy. In general, people do tolerate tamoxifen quite well. One way to approach taking the medication is to try it for 3 or 4 months to see how you feel before making a decision. If you have side effects, there are a lot of things that can be done to help manage those that don't require additional medications. Come back and let us know how you feel once you start it.
I was terrified of the side effects. I’ve been on tamoxifen for a month and have not noticed anything different. I have heard some women tolerate it just fine. I hope it stays this way
Good morning doctor !
I have a question which is concerning to me ,
how will I suppose to know that when taking tamoxaphen , for 5 years this medication has not developed me a Uterus cancer as you have mentioed in this video , can you please explain a bit more .Do I need to go for uterus test to see whether the cancer has spread on uterus .????
Thankyou
Yes same exact question here please can we have an answer and thank you 😊
@@sherouet waiting for Doctor to response !! 🤔
I hope the doctor responds to this . I'm very scared of this side effect
I have a transvaginal ultrasound every three months to see if there is any abnormality in the uterus and to measure thickness of its wall and I'm not sure if this is quite enough
Yes, I also have the same question about this. Hope Dr Grigg would answer.😊
@@yatiemajid7907 yes I m still waiting for Doctor to response about the side affect of possibly having another uterus cancer while on tamaoxaphone or after the 5 years of endocrine therapy is completed .
Can I also ask if aged 45 I can get pregnant during Tamoxifen treatment? I am afraid of unwanted pregnany during treatment.
If you have functioning ovaries, there is a risk of pregnancy. There are blood tests that can be done to assess the functioning of your ovaries.
Thank you for explaining the positive dide as well as the negatives. I'm about to start tamoxifen and am concerned about the side effects. Is it right it can cause liver issues? I had cholestasis in pregnancy and though this was a ling time ago im obviously concerned especially with it being s hormonal medication.
Great question. It is rare for tamoxifen to cause liver problems, but most oncologists have seen this in a handful of patients. It appears to be reversible with no long term consequences. It is not entirely clear that you history will increase the risk of liver problems from tamoxifen, but it would be worth talking about this with your team.
I was told to take tamoxifen for 5 years after my mastectomy in 2018 ….. I had to stop 1 year later because they found a tumour in my uterus…..had a total hysterectomy …. What are the chances of the breast cancer spreading to my the other breast since I stopped taking tamoxifen for so long
The risk of a new cancer in the other breast is quite low. Between 1 and 2 people in 100 will have a new cancer in the opposite breast. In terms of cancer returning in other parts of the body (recurrence), the risk depends on the original cancer's features, including whether it was invasive or not (as opposed to non-invasive breast cancer, also called ductal carcinoma in situ) and the tumor size, lymph node status, and tumor markers. You're responding to the Stage I breast cancer video, so your cancer may have been invasive and Stage I. While the risk of recurrence elsewhere in the body is not zero, it is probably quite low.
How long after a masectomy should you start treatment? its going to be a month next week since ive had my surgery im getting concerned. My Oncologist is waiting for the test results from the cancerous tumor. What is the danger zone as far as a time frame to start treatment?
It’s normal to feel concerned, especially with a month passing since your mastectomy. The timing of treatment usually depends on the results of the tumor testing, but generally, starting treatment within 90 days is the hope. We encourage you to follow up with your oncologist to ensure everything is on track.
For double mastectomy due to dcis tamoxifen is needed or not?
Very informative video
Waiting for next video
In people with DCIS who have had bilateral mastectomy (removal of both breasts), the benefit of tamoxifen will be extremely low.
@@yerbba how about people with IDC who had double mastectomy? Is benefit of taking tamoxifen still low?
I’m post menopausal and had a tubal ligation. Does that mean I can’t use tamoxifen that has been recommended for my DCIS stage1 invasive cancer? I’m 68 years old.
You can most definitely take tamoxifen.
Hello! I would like to ask, why i have to take Tamoxifen 20 mg, if my ovaries was remowed profilactic...? I've been diagnosed for triple negative breast cancer, Brca1 mutation. I am 46 year old.
Our bodies make estrogen in other tissues besides the ovaries. In triple negative breast cancer, however, endocrine therapy is generally not offered. Thank you for watching.
Er negative pr positive (11 20)parcent her2 negative.....2a stage...t2nomo.. 20 mg tamoxifen...daily.....😭
Hi, Im hoping you can answer this.
I just started taking tamoxifen. Im really trying to be more of plant based diet and have a Vitamin with K2 in it. Since there is a risk of blood clots is it safe to take a vitamin with K2?
Vegetables with vitamin K are safe and healthful. People on the blood thinner warfarin (brand name: Coumadin) will often be told to limit their intake of vitamin K-containing foods because it can make it hard to get the warfarin to the right level.
Good evening Doc,think you so much for this piece of information,iam 33 years old and was recently diagnosed with breast cancer stage 2 and currently taking tamoxifen am in my second month from the time i started taking the drug,my question is am married and need to start a family i have no child am scared of going to early menopause because of the drug,is it adversible to stop the try and start trying for pregnancy?and how long can i wait for me to start trying for a baby?
Thanks for watching and for writing. Your decisions about starting a family are super important. It is the case that tamoxifen can lead to an early menopause, but it is highly unlikely that it will cause menopause at your age. Because it becomes more difficult to conceive with increasing age, it would be worth having a conversation with your medical team about the advisability of stopping tamoxifen for a while so that you can have a child. In some people, the risks of doing so are so high that it's not advisable. For other people, it's considered perfectly safe.
Thanks Dr. should I have soy whilst on Tamoxifen? What about AI? Thank you!
Soy in dietary form is safe in people with a history of breast cancer. We do not recommend soy powders or shakes. You may find it helpful to watch our video on soy and breast cancer: ruclips.net/video/01dhxS9KBTE/видео.html.
Are people who are diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer also prescribed tamoxifen? I am curious since estrogen is not the source feeding the cancer if it is necessary to have this estrogen blocking medication :?
People with triple-negative breast cancer do not benefit from tamoxifen.
I'm on my 3rd year taking daily Arimidex (stage 1 breast CA, mastectomy right breast in 2020. Forced menopause: total hysterectomy done in 2019 due to myomas. My doc says I can take 5 yrs Arimidex, then next 5 yrs Tamoxifen . .if I'm worried about developing osteoporosis due to Arimidex. I now have ostoepenia. Is that ok? First 5 yrs on Arimidex and the next 5 yrs on Tamoxifen (even if I'm already menopause)? Thank you. God bless you.
This approach--the AI first followed by tamoxifen will help put bone density back in the "bank" of your bone health and is a reasonable approach.
Please don’t dismiss vaginal dryness. Unless you have experienced this you can never know the agony. I had chronic vaginal atrophy before starting tamoxifen. Now 2 months later I am red raw with itching, burning and splitting skin around the vulva and vagina. I don’t want to stop taking the tamoxifen as I have had no other side effects but I don’t know how much longer I can take this. Some days I can barely sit down! Is there any help out there? Anyone else experienced this?
We apologize if it appeared we minimized vaginal dryness. Vaginal dryness is often associated with a great deal of distress for many reasons. Keep coming back to see if we meet your information needs with our other videos.
Hello Doc. My doctor told me to start to take tamoxifen for 5 yrs after my breast lumpectomy. Erpr + and her2 -. I forgot to ask my doctor if its okay for me to continue to take my med for my cholesterol maintenance which is astorvastatine or do i need to stop it as soon as i start to take tamoxifen? Thanks in advance for answering my concern.
Great question! You should definitely check with your oncologist about continuing your cholesterol medication, but in most cases, medications like atorvastatin are safe to take alongside tamoxifen. It’s always a good idea to confirm with your doctor to ensure there are no interactions between your treatments. Here's something interesting...tamoxifen can actually lower cholesterol, and many people no longer need to take the lipid-lowering agent while on tamoxifen.
How effective is Tamoxifen for Invasive Lobular Cancer after a DMX ?
In general, tamoxifen is extremely effective in the treatment of invasive lobular cancer as long as the cancer is positive for the hormone receptors. Lobular cancer is nearly always hormone receptor-positive.
I have significant degenerative disc disease and pain in both knees. Given that Tamoxifen can cause joint pain, I decided not to take it. Quality of life (for me) was more important.
Excuse me dear, but its hard to hear you, there is too much eco
Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by the audio quality, and we are aware of the issue. Our team is actively working on strategies and improvements to address the echo problem. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we strive to enhance the viewing experience.
1)Does tamoxifen can cause cervix cancer?
for dcis tamoxifen is needed or not? If its needed for dcis , tamoxifen 5 mg is enough or not?
Its really helpful videos.waiting for next video
Great questions. In people with DCIS, tamoxifen reduces the risk of another breast "event," including invasive and recurrent DCIS in the same breast. Although the standard dose has been 20 mg based on findings from thousands and thousands of patients in clinical trials, it may be the case that 5 mg is just as good. It is likely that people who do not tolerate 20 mg will be offered the dose of 5 mg.
If it's good for your cholesterol, heart, bones, and vaginal dryness, why do they bother with aromatase inhibitors for postmenopausal women? Isn't that the age that most women need this protection?
Great question. The benefits of the aromatase inhibitors in terms of recurrence and survival are so strong that the medical profession and many/most women are willing to tolerate the side effects. All that being said, we do take seriously these adverse side effects. A great deal of research has been done to identify ways to mitigate both the long-term side effects (which are reversible) and the extremely troublesome day-to-day effects. Not trying to minimize the side effects, but we do want you to know that there is a lot of work being done to make these highly effective therapies more tolerable.
@@yerbba What does the data show in a comparison between AI vs Tamoxifan?
Should I take any vitamins or probiotics while on Tamoxifen?
As long as you have a healthy diet and no special medical problems, you most likely do not need to take vitamins. Talk with your medical team to see if vitamin D might be appropriate for you.
Why do people have breast cancer recurrence whilist taking tamofixen
I assume its not while taking the Tamoxaphane ...But Its after prolong consumption of medcine that might lead to develop another type of cancer ..only after the treatment is done ...I AM NOT SURE THOUGH..
Such a good question. Tamoxifen works so well, but, like most things in medicine (and life), it's not perfect. Just like when we wear a seatbelt, it doesn't ensure that we won't get hurt in an accident. Tamoxifen is a powerful but imperfect cancer treatment.
Because tamoxifen IS SYNTHETIC ESTROGEN used in the past as anti conception pill and putting anybody on synthetic hormone therapy invites a possibly of developing cancer. Look up some articles on PUB MED National Library of Medicine.
My mom took tamoxifen for breast cancer and it was like she didnt have cancer at all...then the idiot doctors told her she could only take it for 5 years and switched her to Megace..She started having sweats and feeling so weak and her uterus filled with blood which came out at one time and made her extremely weak..she ended up going to the hospital and they drugged her up so much we couldnt talk to her..if she had stayed on the tamoxifin that would never of happened..she died shortly after...i believe the doctors killed her.When she was doing so well on the Tamoxifin why didn't they leave her alone?
We are so sorry for your loss. Tamoxifen for longer than 5 years can start to cause more problems than added benefit. It sounds as if things really went the wrong way after changing to megestrol acetate (Megace). It's hard to know if her outcome was related to the Megace, but regardless of the cause, we are sending sincere sympathy to you and your family.
Thank you for this information. I do not understand how Tamoxifen help with bones and how it causes osteoporosis? Are there blood tests that we should do regularly to monitor the side effect of Tamoxifen? Thanks
Great questions. Tamoxifen increases bone mineral density in postmenopausal women. In premenopausal women, there is some research showing loss of bone mineral density, so you can see that it depends on the patient and on the study.
When tamoxifen was first introduced, blood work was done regularly. There is now ample data that blood work does not help people. If someone has symptoms, that's a different story, and an evaluation with blood work and other tests should be done to rule out recurrence of the cancer or other problems.
Your commitment to educating people about tamoxifen and its significance in cancer care is so impactful-thank you for all you do to bring these essential topics forward! I’m also passionate about sharing knowledge on medications and drug discovery. I recently created a video on tamoxifen, diving into its history, mechanism, and benefits to help spread awareness to a wider audience. I’d be glad to share it here for anyone interested:
ruclips.net/video/eHHn4Z6S54s/видео.html
I hope it adds to the valuable information you’re already providing!"
Thank you for sharing.