The "Joys" of Tamoxifen

 

I’m cancer free and done with chemo and reconstruction (I still hate my boobs but I’m not going back and having more work done – thinking of tattoos, but Tony doesn’t think I could handle getting them. If I do, I think an epic “chest mural” would be in order). But, my next five years involves labs every three months, oncologist/boob check visit every three months. And, daily Tamoxifen.

Oh, Tamoxifen, how I don’t like you, even though you’re supposed to help keep cancer from coming back.

What, exactly is Tamoxifen: If you want a full read, here you go:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tamoxifen

The summary read: Tamoxifen is used to keep ER+ breast cancer at bay. I have to take it for five years, daily. It’s a “selective estrogen receptor modulator.” If you read all of the symptoms, they are lengthy. The FDA approved it in 1998 – but it’s been used for 40+ years. The drug attaches to hormone receptors (specific proteins) in breast cancer cells. Once the medication is inside the cells, it stops the cancer from accessing the hormones they need to multiply and grow. But, basically, it’ll be like having menopause for five years:

·         Weight gain: I work out daily, golf on weekends, eat healthy, yet I’ve packed on 10 pounds in the 10 months I’ve been on it. Research doesn’t seem to show any way of losing weight on it – and my oncologist says that’s what an estogen-y/hormone-y thing will do. Great. And, telling my wii fit that the reason for my weight gain is Tamoxifen – not an option.

·         Night sweats: yep, drenched in sweat wake ups daily. I’ve tried: Herbal Sage, a “magic” magnetic bracelet, Magnesium citrate, and Melatonin for sleep. Nothing seems to work. I’ll be sweating up a storm and hot – and then freezing cold when the sweat cools down. Yeah.

·         Runny nose: perpetual. I have tissues everywhere (and forget to take them out of pockets, resulting in tissue on all of my clothing – add that to the Abby hair).

·         Joint pain: don’t have a lot of this, but I do feel like an old woman sometimes when trying to get up and out of bed, or doing stupid yoga moves.

·         Brittle nails and hair – I can’t get my nails to grow at all. My hair is growing, but pretty brittle. But, at least I have hair and nails.

·         Oh, and I can’t eat grapefruit since it interferes. This sucks because I love grapefruit (and Grapefruit Shandy and Fresca).

My oncologist offered the following possibilities:

·         A pill that could help the night sweats – but it’s a dehydrator and feeling dehydrated all of the time doesn’t seem to be the solution

·         A different version of Tamoxifen – but she says a lot of women have WORSE symptoms! We’ll wait another six months to decide if I want to try this

·         Stop taking Tamoxifen – but, this increases the likelihood of getting cancer back, and I don’t want that. I think I’ve read studies (or commercials) that say that Tamoxifen decreases the comeback by 5-10 years! So, this doesn’t seem good.

·         Try Yling Yang (may have this wrong) Essential Oil for the night sweats. Just don't see how dabbing this on my wrists at night will work (but, in reading Amazon reviews, it keeps cockroaches away?).

I guess I’ll just continue my love/hate relationship with Tamoxifen for now. And be happy that I’m cancer free. But, oh, would I love a magical something to help me through this potent drug.

50 more months… but who is counting?