LCIS: should I take Tamoxifen?

Hi @mayo101, I moved your question about taking tamoxifen after preventative double mastectomy for LCIS to this existing discussion:

– LCIS: should I take Tamoxifen? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lcis-should-i-take-tamoxifen/

I did this to connect you with other members who also faced this decision like @nycoceans @cindylb @sparklegram @betsyk @batm @lisman1408 and others.

This is a great companion discussion to the earlier, related discussion you started here to help you decide on mastectomy:
- LCIS what treatments did you choose? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/lcis-and-double-mastectomy/

Keep in mind that everyone reacts differently and not everyone has side effects. Are you concerned about potential side effects? If I recall, you are in your early 50s. Does your oncologist feel that because of your age, tamoxifen reduces your risk of recurrence?

I take Vitamin D (i was found to be extremely deficient when diagnosed with LCIS and that 'can' be a risk for breast cancer), I also take iron because for some reason I'm slightly anemic as well. I only take it 2-3 times a week as it can be 'too much of a good thing' they said. I also take Omega Chews and have been for years for heart health and dry eye, a multivitamin chew that includes minerals as well as the standard vitamin regimine, biotine (my hair and nails took a real hit in menopause) and grapeseed extract (oddly for tinitus...and it works!!). I take no other prescription drugs or supplements although I do use tumeric in my cooking to fight inflammation and I try to watch both sugar and salt closely. I really modified my diet after the LCIS diagnosis but should do better. I did lose 27 pounds over the course of my breast cancer 'adventure', which was a good thing. I vary about 5 pounds when I don't really watch my diet. You want to reduce fat because hormones are produced to some extent after menopause in your fat. I don't eat or use soy but I avoid it as much as possible (again some estrogen production). Oddly, my cancer was strongly estrogen positive. I never had much progesterone, hence lots of problems I'm just now sorting out. I now have virtually no estrogen, no progesterone and little testosterone (I have the levels checked). I'm pretty much drying up from the inside out, ha ha!! The low hormone levels have caused many symptoms similar to taking the AI drugs (I can't, bad reactions to all). Not as bad as the meds but dry skin, hair, nails, some joint pain is starting to appear, dry eyes, vaginal atrophy, etc. I just patch, patch, patch...but it's better than cancer!

Hi! Are you finding good patches? These are my concerns as I will probably take tamoxifen in the future since my cancer was highly hormone related. I have a few months to 50 and was not yet menopausal, but just started chemo, and then will likely start hormone blockers after that. Not excited about all the possible issues due to eliminating estrogen. But, like you said, preferred over cancer. Thank you for sharing.

I take Vitamin D (i was found to be extremely deficient when diagnosed with LCIS and that 'can' be a risk for breast cancer), I also take iron because for some reason I'm slightly anemic as well. I only take it 2-3 times a week as it can be 'too much of a good thing' they said. I also take Omega Chews and have been for years for heart health and dry eye, a multivitamin chew that includes minerals as well as the standard vitamin regimine, biotine (my hair and nails took a real hit in menopause) and grapeseed extract (oddly for tinitus...and it works!!). I take no other prescription drugs or supplements although I do use tumeric in my cooking to fight inflammation and I try to watch both sugar and salt closely. I really modified my diet after the LCIS diagnosis but should do better. I did lose 27 pounds over the course of my breast cancer 'adventure', which was a good thing. I vary about 5 pounds when I don't really watch my diet. You want to reduce fat because hormones are produced to some extent after menopause in your fat. I don't eat or use soy but I avoid it as much as possible (again some estrogen production). Oddly, my cancer was strongly estrogen positive. I never had much progesterone, hence lots of problems I'm just now sorting out. I now have virtually no estrogen, no progesterone and little testosterone (I have the levels checked). I'm pretty much drying up from the inside out, ha ha!! The low hormone levels have caused many symptoms similar to taking the AI drugs (I can't, bad reactions to all). Not as bad as the meds but dry skin, hair, nails, some joint pain is starting to appear, dry eyes, vaginal atrophy, etc. I just patch, patch, patch...but it's better than cancer!