Tamoxifen question
 

I have been on Tamoxifen for 1 year. Started it after chemo and rads and Herceptin. I really hate it. Not to be a pain in the butt, BUT, the side effects are driving me nuts. Has anyone stopped it? I have asked my onco. many times why he does not switch me to AI since I am through menopause now due to the chemo. I am 44 now and the last 2 hormone test show I am post menopause. He wants me to stay on another year then switch.

Maybe I am just sick of this all. I have not taken my tamoxifen for 3 days now. I was planning on taking a break for about 6 weeks. (with out my onocologist's knowledge) Have I completely lost my mind? With all of the "new" info coming out that tamoxifen may feed her2 I am scared to death. Any advice??? Help.......

Kim

Kim:
I would consukt with another oncologist - you are right about tamoxifen may be feeding some HERS BC cses. however your onc may not be convinced that you are completely menapusual - one way to address that issue is lupron shots. That is what I am doing so i can take Arimidex. Funny however I has a great reactuo whe I was on tamoxifen - felt great lots of energy and no muscke aches.
I will caution you that on arimidex you have the same side effecs - hot flashes, can be severe muscle - AND bone loss are just some of the biggies. I would n't stop taking the tamoxife until they put you on something else. Relapses are no fun. Try to stick it out until you have this issue solved. if you go the lupron route you can start taking arimidex or one of the other AIS immediately.

good luck hope this helps,
Susanne

Hi Kimber,
What dosage of Tamoxifen are you on--10 or 20 mg? I have done a little research regarding Indole-3 Carbinol and studies linking it with improved Tamoxifen effectiveness. I have a friend (she's a biochemist) who has BC and is on Tamoxifen. She didn't like the side effects and has opted to combine 200 mg of I-3C and 10 mg of Tamoxifen (instead of 20 mg), which she believes is working quite well for herself. She's been on it for 4 1/2 years. Check out the following site for more information: www.cbcrp.org/research . If you search by Title (on the left-hand side), you can find the article "How Indole-3 Carbinol Inhibits Breast Cancer Cell Growth" (or just Google the title). There is good information there.
Some other research has been done on how gamma linolenic acid (GLA) helps Herceptin to be more effective.
I have added both I-3C and Omega 3-6-9 to my supplements, though I haven't cut my 20 mg of Tamoxifen in half yet (I've only been on it since Nov).
Hope this helps.
Blessings,
Karen
P.S. I am a transplanted Minnesotan (St. Paul), here in Ontario

Kim,

Maybe your doc is seeing something in your bloodwork that makes him feel you aren't completely menopausal. Lupron or oophrectomy can remedy that but doesn't sound like tons o fun. AI's plain won't work if your estradiol levels are still up.

The older studies show doing 2 years on tamox then switching to an AI as being effective, especially if you are triple positive. The PR negs have a problem with the crosstalk.

Ask about reloxifine. It's more like tamoxifen in the way it acts. I'm too much of a chicken shxt to forgo my meds. Good luck to you. BB