Tamoxifen

Hi

I'm not on Tamoxifen, but am on Anastrozole (same result of reducing oestrogen).  And yes, I firmly believe it causes weight gain.  I realised when I looked around at older ladies they always had a 'tummy' even if they were slim - so I believe that this must be a side effect of our oestrogen suddenly being stripped from us via these tablets.   I've always had a flat stomach from a very young age, but since taking Anastrozole, I now have a belly.  I've gone up a bra size, rather than my feet :I think I feel hungrier on these tablets too, so it's a bit of both.  Eating a little more and the tablets - although I am doing more exercise and eating healthier foods, so this should actually have kept me at the same weight I reckon.  

There is no scientific evidence of these drugs causing weight gain - but I bet there's literally 1000's of ladies who would suggest otherwise!

Other than this for me, I've been lucky on the Anastrozole, no other side effects really, so I feel sorry for you with your side effects.  Have you tried different brands of tamoxifen?  I was given a different brand once and within days I was in agony.  Some of the coatings are different and they can really affect you.  Worth doing a little research on brands and their coatings that are available on the NHS and asking your pharmacy to prescribe different ones (if they can't - go shopping around town with your prescription slip as different pharmacies use different brands) and test them out month by month. If you haven't done this already, of course.

Best wishes, Lesley

Yes i believe this tablets do caue weight gain.. Ive been googling the side effects of Anastrozole, and it states it can cause weight gain.. Oh the joy, i started putting weight on when i stopped smoking 15 years ago, then i lost some. Now im putting it back on.. Im also having a few hot flushes and a few aching bones especially in my fingers. 

Thank you honey, I’m going to speak with my doctor about a hysterectomy then I don’t need the drug at all x

I have osteoarthritis as it is, so it’d be best finding an alternative x

Hi 

Would that work?  considering that Anastrozole and Letrozole are given mostly for post menopausal women, then surely we are still producing oestrogen even without womb producing oestrogen ?  They all seem to have the potential to have the same side effects.  On top of that, I wonder (especially given Covid backlogs) whether it would be right at the bottom of the list as a non urgent operation, IF they agreed with it in the first place.

Try changing brands first and see if it makes a difference.  Plus if you drink coffee / eat chocolate, these have been cited as making side effects worse.  I still drink coffee (not as much as I used to), but I itch like mad if I eat chocolate and I never used to - so don't eat it now.

I'm assuming you're on bone strengthening tablets given your osteoarthritis? I was automatically put on  just Ad Cal and mine hadn't worsened from the start to my 3 year check up 

Best wishes, Lesley

Sorry to butt in, but i thought the drs only gave hysterectomys if there was something seriously wrong with you.. My sister had one due to bleeding at 49, i asked for one 2 years ago, they said no.. 

Hi I mentioned to the surgeon about oestrogen being only produced in the ovaries and she told me that every cell in your body produces oestrogen and it’s stored in your fat cells, that’s  probably why we gain weight after menopause. 

Nope, I’m just on naproxen and gabapentin

Gosh, then in that case I would ask your doctor about them!  I take Vit D and Callcium prescibed by my doctorl and was only osteopenic on my scan which I had when I first started taking the tablets (my Mum had osteoporosis at a younger age than when I was diagnosed, so that was good news to me).  These seem to be very much the norm for tablets to be prescribed when taking ER reducing tablets.

Whereas my other half has transient migratory osteoporosis in his legs and he has zoledronic acid.  An elderly lady I know had a fall and broke her wrist - she was immediately put on weekly zoledronic acid tablets to strengthen her bones.

Definitely work talking to your doctor about these if you are able to take any of these - although I wonder if it's because joints are stiffened with arthritis, perhaps strengthening the bones might affect it?  Still worth a conversation though.

Best wishes, Lesley

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