Tamoxifin side effect

[sandymann52]

Hello, Surviving Sisters!  I am new to this board although I am unsure why I haven't seen it since my August 20, 2007 mammogram results.  In any case, I had a 3mm breast cancer tumor removed followed by mammosite radiation treatment 2xdaily for 5 days.  
I have been on Tamoxifin one week today and am suffering from lower abdominal pain similar to pain associated with periods.  This has taken me by surprise, I was anticipating joint/bone pain later on, but haven't read anything about this until I read a single post on this website that had been closed.
Anyone else suffered from this?  Any suggestions are welcomed!
KY Survivin' Sandy

[sandymann52]

Thank you for your caring responses!  Like all else this breast cancer beast has dealt us, mine is a little different (who would have thought) in that I'm postmenopausal.  I'll take any help I can get, sisters!

thanks again,
Sandy

[lhughes]

I'm premenopausal on tamoxifen.  I call this side effect "like menopause and puberty all put together".  My periods were fearsome almost the first year, like they were taking revenge on me again.  I think it has to do with the anti-estrogen effect.  It did subside, though.  I hope that makes you feel better.  I WISH I had gone into full menopause, but no such luck.  I got hot flashes, major mood swings, and painful periods.  Effexor fixes the hot flashes and the mood swings.  The period issue can still get a bit painful, but it has subsided from when I first started taking Tamoxifin.  

One thing you can do is make sure you eat enough fiber and drink lots of water to keep your bowels moving, especially right before your period would be due.  Constipation can make matters worse (at least for me).

Ps...my docs think I'm funny to describe this little effect.  But they are men, and don't have a clue about that stuff.

Hope yours gets better too!
Lisa

[goblinspice]

hi I have been on tamoxifem for 5 years and I think that you will find that because the tamoxifen is forcing your body into menapause you are going to have a very up and down time of periods and no periods,  some will be like a smear and others will be thick and very dark old blood.  I don't know how long this will go on for because they ended up removing my overies and I still have the ache associated with period pain but I am just about to finish on the tamoxifen.  I hope this has been helpful

[goblinspice]

hi I have been on tamoxifem for 5 years and I think that you will find that because the tamoxifen is forcing your body into menapause you are going to have a very up and down time of periods and no periods,  some will be like a smear and others will be thick and very dark old blood.  I don't know how long this will go on for because they ended up removing my overies and I still have the ache associated with period pain but I am just about to finish on the tamoxifen.  I hope this has been helpful