stupid Tamoxifen
 

About a month ago I had a very bad pain in my right ovary area, which I thought was strange because I haven't had a cycle since my first chemo treatment almost 2 years ago. Then i started spotting... it was time for my annual girlie exam so I mentioned it to my primary care doc who immediately ordered an ultra sound... a week later I received a call informing me that my lining was excessively thick and I had a 6cm complex cyst on my right ovary. I was referred to a Gyno oncologist and my entire world started spinning before me. At work we had just lost a client to ovarian cancer the Sunday before the call I received that Monday.

I called my oncologist right away and she got me in with one of the top Gyno oncologist. I decided on a complete abdominal hyterectomy, I wasn't taking any chances considering the side effects of Tamoxifen.

I had my surgery on Sept 7th and thank goodness everything came back benign!!! I am healing well, 30 staples removed and finally able to sleep on my side :)

I have been off of Tamoxifen for about a month now and ive noticed that I do not have any
more muscle or joint pain, I'm less moody and ive lost 8 pounds :)

I know I'm gonna have to go back on something when I go see my oncologist this week. So sad that the things that help us fight this dreaded disease take so much from us.

Re: stupid Tamoxifen
 

Hi Kellennea,

Sorry to hear you had to suffer with another s/e of cancer treatment. Please take it easy and do not lift anything heavy (in fact, try not to lift at all) for awhile.

Your onc. may want to start you on an A/I if you had your ovaries out. I won't even get started on the s/es of those...

Keep your chin up!

all the best
caya

Re: stupid Tamoxifen
 

Sorry you have had to deal with this but thank goodness it was benign. You would think after cancer that enough is enough but that doesn't seem to be the case!
Take care of yourself.
Ellie

Re: stupid Tamoxifen
 

Jpn J Clin Oncol. 2005 Oct;35(10):607-11.
Ovarian cyst formation in patients using tamoxifen for breast cancer.

Metindir J, Aslan S, Bilir G.
Source

Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ankara Oncology Hospital, Ankara, Turkey. jmetindir@ttnet.net.tr

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patient-related parameters that determine ovarian cyst formation in women using tamoxifen for breast cancer.
METHODS:

A retrospective review of tamoxifen-treated women with breast cancer who were followed up in the outpatient clinic at Ankara Oncology Hospital between January 2002 and December 2004 was performed. Tamoxifen doses and duration, post-treatment menstrual function, adjuvant therapy, ultrasonographic and hormonal [follicle-stimulating hormone and serum estradiol (E(2))] data, details of gynecologic surgical procedure and histopathology were recorded.
RESULTS:

Twenty-nine of 150 tamoxifen-treated patients (19.3%) had ovarian cysts. Cysts were detected in 28 of 57 pre-menopausal women (49.1%) and 1 of 93 post-menopausal women (1.1%). Patients with ovarian cysts had higher serum E(2) levels compared with patients without cysts (24 versus 345 pg/ml; P < 0.001). Patients with ovarian cysts had <1 year amenorrhoea duration (P < 0.001) compared with the patients without cysts. Adjuvant standard chemotherapy did not have relationship between the development of ovarian cysts. Multivariant analysis showed that cyst development is related to high E(2) levels (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS:

Patients still having a menstrual cycle during tamoxifen had high risk (58.33%) of developing ovarian cysts. We have described an association between pre-menopausal patients using tamoxifen with high E(2) level and ovarian cyst enlargement.

Re: stupid Tamoxifen
 

God bless you! I'm so sorry you had to go through this and so glad it was benign! Hope your recovery is quick.

Re: stupid Tamoxifen
 

Oh man!
If it's not one thing...it's another!
I'm so glad that you are home and on the mend.
Take it easy...very, very easy for a while.
Denise