Tamoxifen and Alchohol

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Hi There, I hope you are all ok.  I've started on Tamoxifen the last couple of weeks. I have done the old 'google up' and thought I would ask the forum.

Am I allowed to drink Alcohol with Tamoxifen. It would be now and again. I used to drink wine but having been diagnosed (Age 50) I am terrified to drink.

I used to enjoy a good bottle of wine at the weekend.

Any advise would be helpful and not taken literally :) Thank you Fizzler

  • Hiya 

    Well immediately I had to come my HRT abruptly and start tamoxifen so not sure what is doing what at the minute in respect to side effects. I do feel extra achy though arms feel achy and sore and Nauseated faceachy and some feeling sick Nauseated face also. I'm stying it out though. How are you feeling generally and starting on the Meds? x

  • I’m feeling rubbish.  I took letrozole for two years. Could not stand side effects any longer so now trying tamoxifen   I think I’m going to end up back on n letrozole c 

  • I also specifically asked my oncologist about alcohol, though I'm on zoladex and an aromatase inhibiter rather than tamoxifen. He said the risk is greater prior to diagnosis, when I already had loads of oestrogen being produced by my body and was pre-menopausal. He said alcohol was fine to drink, as long as you stuck within the weekly limits and didn't binge drink. He was also talking about me, knowing my case.

    It is an individual choice of course. I would never use oestrogen cream for menopausal issues, but others are happy to take that risk. Others don't drink alcohol due to the risk.

    I had read that one of the most important things to do to help prevent recurrence was regular exercise, so that is what I concentrate on.

  • I'm on Tamoxifen, I did take Letrozole for 3 mths. It bothered me that I have osteoporisis and my knee became very painful. My hobby is dancing and at 66 yrs it hard hard enough to keep going without the knee seizing up. 

    From what I read Tamoxifen has an effect on the liver and stressing by alcohol as well is another rusk factory. I have alwaysStar2 had a glass of wine with dinner. I have switched to zero alcohol beer with out any problem. I enjoy it now, it's become my new habit. Just one is enough. I have agreed to take statins as well, I am at treatment level which I had been avoiding. Sleeping

    We are such creatures of habit. They say it takes 21 days to create another habit. 

  • Some people get non alcoholic fatty liver disease.  Alcohol can prevent the Tamoxifen from blocking the tumours ability to use oestrogen. Just looked at the link Hopeful Barb put up. 

    I have taken these risks seriously, I never thought I'd give up wine but I have. It didn't really even need will power, going through surgery and radiotherapy helped. Why go through all that and not do this. 

    I didn't even know about Kefir until Barb mentioned it. Fruit,  veg and avoiding things that affect the uptake of Tamoxifen is important. Turmeric and beef on the hit list as well. Not sure about Lamb, just had it 2 days running won't have it for a month now. 

  • Hi Sabrina22 

    I’ve started taking kefir too ! Are you saying it’s ok/good to take it? I buy the supermarket stuff

  • Yes it's looking after your biome or gut health apparently. 

  • Thankyou !!

  • My GP recently did a presentation to cancer patients during which he advocated what is essentially a ketogenic diet: no carbs and loads of rabbit food, fat and protein.  No carbs is quite difficult. But the main thing is that I'm totally confused, having always heard that things like wholegrain rice, pulses. porridge, muesli, brown bread, live yoghurt, fruit and so on were where it's at. Now to be told that all that stuff - all containing carbohydrates - is bad for you leaves me bewildered. And depressed - all my favourite stuff out of the window, never mind cheesecake and chocolate. I also can't help feeling that the human animal evolved to eat nuts and grains, roots and leaves as well as the occasional rabbit or buffalo.

    Has anyone else been told anything similar?

  • Hi CER

    You should eat a balanced diet. A ketogenic diet is not usually recommended for cancer patients.  If you want to make changes to your diet have a look at this page from the Macmillan Website which I will send you the link to: Making changes to your diet when you have cancer | Macmillan Cancer Support.

    Hope this helps.

    Best wishes

    Daisy53

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