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DiscussionLobular Breast Cancer: Let's share and support each other
Breast Cancer | Last Active: Nov 12 5:54am | Replies (395)Comment receiving replies
Replies to "I am new LBC patient. I have not started hormone therapy. I would like ask if..."
Hi Vickee,
I was 70 at my diagnosis in 2022 of stage 1 ILC in one breast and IDC in the other. I had a DMX. I also have osteoporosis and had 2 spinal compression fractures at the same time. So even tho I was way past menopause they put me on Tamoxifen because it can help your bones (if taken after menopause). The usual Aromatase Inhibitors that are given to bc patients after menopause can cause more bone loss. So those are not for me.
I had some mild hot flashes every night after starting tamoxifen, for maybe a year. I used a fan (either a little battery powered one, or an old fashioned fan) and that helped. I don't have the hot flashes anymore. I would say my mind wanders a little more than it did before tamoxifen but I can handle that. Again I would say that's mild. I had my surgery and aftercare at Mayo Rochester and they told me it was important to make sure and get up and move your legs, so walk around every 2 hours if you have been sitting or riding in the car or flying in a plane. That's important because there is a very slight risk of blood clots while on tamoxifen. So I make sure that I do that. Some women have no side effects at all. I hope that is the case for you! I take the 20mg pill right before bed as I read on different bc sites that women who take it at night before bed seem to have less side effects. So I figured ok why not take it at bedtime. As I take the pill I say to myself, "this tamoxifen is helping me, it's not harming me". Then when I say my prayers I ask for "help not harm" from tamoxifen. I am a believer in a positive attitude and a lot of prayer. Sending love and healing wishes to you and to all on this site❤️