Tamoxifen - Blocking the Actions of Estrogen

Note: 

This is solely MY opinion on Tamoxifen and the research I had found on it to make my decision. 

I was given the prescription to Tamoxifen by my Oncologist in July of 2014.  She had told me that when I felt that I was in good physical health after ending chemo and going through my 1st mastectomy, that I needed to start taking 1 pill daily.  I fought this tooth and nail.  I had even gone on the drug for 1 month then off of it for 2 months because I did not want to have anything to do with popping this pill for the next 5 years of my life.  Here is why...

Before I started on Tamoxifen I, of coarse, googled it as well as read through the pamphlet that was sent home with me.  All I could think about is that this pill-popping distributer was making a killing off women who have survived Breast Cancer - Irony.  Every single woman is recommended (because the "statistics say") that this decreases our chances of recurrence.

My diagnosis has a lot to do with WHY I have to take this pill.  I was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Carcinoma - HER2 Neu Positive.  Women carry a HER2 gene and if your cancer is HER2 positive, this means that your HER2 gene has overexpressed itself, thus feeding your cancer. 

"Breast cancers with HER2 gene amplification or HER2 protein overexpression are called HER2-positive in the pathology report. HER2-positive breast cancers tend to grow faster and are more likely to spread and come back compared to HER2-negative breast cancers. But there are medicines specifically for HER2-positive breast cancers." breastcancer.org

With that said, Tamoxifen has over 100 common/less common side effects.  Guess what one of them is?   Increased chance of cancer in the uterus.  I just went through breast cancer and now I'm on a pill that has an increased risk for UTERINE CANCER?  Seriously. The struggle is real, people. Here is a good informational read on the drug, from The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists - Tamoxifen & Uterine Cancer

Throughout this process and even beyond, women are faced with several life-changing choices.  If you don't go mentally insane from trying to wrap your head around each and every one, I applaud you.  But be your own advocate.  Research.  Talk to other women who have gone through or are going through the same thing.  Finding the opinions of others on brestcancer.org or talking to women locally or on the phone in other states, did not waver my choices - It opened my eyes to options.   At the end of the day, every woman I have been in contact with that was HER2 Neu positive, through their own research, opted to be ON Tamoxifen.

- Tightness, almost like a fatigued ache, in the back of my calves.  
My doctor said that this is due to blood clotting which is one of the major side effects.  I now take a  low dose aspirin (per my Oncologists orders) and this has taken care of the issue.

-  Cloudiness in my Right Eye.  
Tamoxifen can cause cataracts.  This is the most common cause of blindness.  This side effect started within 2 weeks of being on Tamoxifen.  My oncologist thought that I had symptoms of dry eye, but after 1 year it has increasingly gotten worse and probably my most uncomfortable side effect yet.  I am going to see a 2nd Opthamologist next month, as the first doc couldn't find anything wrong. If this issue increases and if going off Tamoxifen will halt the progression, I will be making a choice at that time to stop taking this pill.  I do not want to lose my vision in either eye and deal with that for the rest of my life.  

- Eyebrows and Eyelashes are thin and fragile. 
I can not use an eyelash curler or it will (no joke) pull out a dozen eyelashes with it.  My eyebrows I dare not pluck, as nothing will grow in its place.  Im not sure if this is a residual effect from Chemo (I've been off Taxotere for over a year now) but noticed that within a month of starting Tamoxifen, my eyelashes fall out even when I simply wash my face.

- What I have heard from other women who are on this drug. 
Weight Gain / I have not experienced this at all.  Hot Flashes / Maybe 1 a month but nothing compared to chemo hot flashes. Vaginal Dryness / Nope! Mood Swings & Depression / Not even the slightest.  Low Libido / Nope! Nausea / None at all. 

So why am I taking this drug?  
The answer I keep coming back to is the fact that I want to do EVERYTHING I can to decrease recurrence.  I dont ever want to go through chemotherapy again.  The statistics show that taking Tamoxifen for 5 Years decreases recurrence by 25% and being on it for 10 Years, decreases by 50%.  Now if the percentages were significantly less, then I would look into other alternatives in order to suppress my estrogen.  

Do. Your. Research. 

Another Side Note: 

This is not an expensive drug.  Its free on my Insurance, but without Insurance (here in Idaho) I would only pay $25 each prescription - which is 30 pills.