Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Hi Raquel,

Both tx will have the menopausal effects. Side effects vary with different people and there's no way of predicting how it will be for you. I did the shots & Arimidex and was mostly fine. I was 44 at diagnosis, and premenopausal. It was doable for me. After 5 years on ovarian suppressor my periods came back at age 50. By that time I thought the advantages of doing ovarian suppression outweighed the hassle of once again having periods.

Jacqueline

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Dear Jacqueline,

Do you attribute the back pain to the AI? Is it better now you've stopped? What is PMA - pilates?

Thanks a lot!
Jane

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Hi Jane,

No, the back pain is something that I had on and off most of my adult life. It got worse after rads, because I had to lie still in a very uncomfortable position. I did get some stiffness with the AI, but that subsided gradually.

PMA is a coaching technique. For more info: http://general.pmainstitute.com/pages/what-is-pma.php

I understand why you would want to know as much as possible about the side effects of these meds. Unfortunately, experience has taught me that there is no way of predicting whether you will or will not have these side effects. It is mostly a matter of trial and error. I hope you are as lucky as I was and will have very few side effects.

Love

Jacqueline

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Hi everyone -- im very confused about the tamoxifen vs ooph issue. I had bmx, 4 AC, and am on 8 of 12 taxol. Onc recommends tamox. Im 41. But I have been reading so many posts the last few days of women my age who get an ooph and then go on an AI. My onc also didnt say anything about tamox being less effective on her2+ patients, which I have also seen mentioned on boards. Does it vary from doctor to doctor, or is there a general standard for er+pr+her2+? Is there really proof that tamox will not work well if you are her2+? Thanks.

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Forgot to say, im also getting herceptin with taxol & will continue herceptin for a year.

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Hi Alli,

My impression is that her2+ is more likely to be resistant to Tamox than her2-. I've also seen the opinion that inducing menopause yields better outcomes. However, AIs have not been approved for premenopausal women in the U.S. I guess this means that if you want an alternative to Tamox, you either have an oophorectomy straight out, which seems pretty brutal, or use an LHRH agonist, then have an oophorectomy, then go to an AI. I think an LHRH agonist can also be combined with Tamox. I'm still grilling my onc about all this.

Cheers,
Jane

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

Hi Jane - I too will be asking many more questions of my onc on this topic when I see her again in a few weeks. I'm getting closer to finishing taxol/herceptin and really need to feel comfortable with the next steps, other than the continuance of herceptin every 3 weeks. I will post any additional info I get, and would love to hear what your onc says to you about the HER2+/tamoxifen issue. Seems some HER2+ pre-men women do just tamox, without the ooph or suppression shots (side effects of Lupron & Zoladex sound awful). Wish there was a clear answer as to what is best for avoiding recurrence, which is what we all want. Thanks, Alli

Re: Tamoxifen anxiety
 

I had heard that if you do an ooph, you will still have some of the side effects of tamoxifen, only this time they are permanent. At least, with tamox, you can stop.

Not that I recommend it. I took tamoxifen and had every side effect you all are afraid of. I ended up on oxycontin for the joint pain. But, if it had worked I'd have gladly taken it for the five years. Only a few months after I ended up with mets.

I'd rather have the SEs than mets, that's for sure! :)