Hi MHJ-
I am happy to hear you have come this far in your treatment.
I hope that you find the tamoxifen much easier to manage than chemo.
For me the tough part was the hot flashes and other menopause like symptoms. Otherwise, no big deal.
I found it helpful to have all cotton bedding and night clothes, polyseter and other manmade materials aren't breathable. Keep a fan and ice water by the bed.
Wishing you the best!
My Goodwill
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Mhjohnson0306 asked a questionBreast Cancer
I am about to finish chemo nd start tamoxifen for 5 years. I am 30 years old. Can you share your experience with it?
6 answers-
bcwarrioragain
over 9 years ago -
copland16
over 9 years agoHi,
I am 40 and just started taking Tamoxifen in October. I wanted to do everything in my power to reduce the recurrence of my breast cancer. I had stage 2 DCIS, single mastectomy, A/C chemo, Taxol chemo followed by radiation...now Tamoxifen. I haven't had any complications. I was nervous about some of the side effects but I changed my diet and lifestyle to offset them.
I started to eat better (high protein-to help with energy levels) an exercise daily. I have an 8 month old and work full time and I'm no more tired than I was pre-cancer and pre-motherhood. And actually I think most days I have more energy then my younger self.
I'm still a work in progress but so far so good.
Good luck! -
jamrck
over 9 years agoI was on Tamoxifen for 2.5 years. Held water some, took water pills (with doctor's permission) when needed but that didn't happen very often. Hot flashes were the worst side effect, fan by the bed is very good advice. I even have a small one on my desk at work. After Tamoxifen, my dr switched me to Aromasin - same side effects plus some joint pain, but nothing some ibuprofen didn't help. Will find out this Friday if I stay on it or I'm done. Will be a 5 yr survivor in March.
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Mhjohnson0306 shared an experience
Drug or Chemo Therapy (Chemotherapy): Doing 6 rounds of chemo, started oxt 3rd. once every 3 weeks. Pet scan done before chemo started. It was clear. Chemo more for "just in case" measures. Currently I have one more treatment jan 18th.
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Mhjohnson0306 shared an experience
Decision Point: Decided that since I was so young, to do double mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction. Tested negative for braca test.
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Mhjohnson0306 shared an experience
Procedure or Surgery (Breast Reconstruction (Flap)): Tram flap was one at same time as mastectomy.... Because was initially diagnosed as stage zero.
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Mhjohnson0306 shared an experience
Procedure or Surgery (Double Mastectomy): August 23rd I had a double mastectomy with tram flap reconstruction. Surgery went well, but that is when my diagnosis went from stage 0 to stage 2b. Right side had spread to 1 sentinel lymph node. Since 1 node tested positive, that would mean 6 rounds of chemo and 5 years of tamoxifen.
The mastectomy would prob have quick recovery, but because I had tram flap, it was much longer b