What are tamoxifen withdrawal symptoms?

Blood clots in your veins or lungs. These can occur for up to 2–3 months after you stop taking tamoxifen. Symptoms can include: sudden chest pain. shortness of breath.

Is it normal to bleed while on tamoxifen?

The reason is, because tamoxifen acts like oestrogen on the lining of the womb, it is very common for it to cause a build-up of the normal lining of the womb, which occasionally is shed, a bit like a normal period. In more than 90 per cent of cases, vaginal bleeding in women taking tamoxifen is completely benign.

How much does tamoxifen reduce the risk of recurrence?

Doctors have long known that five years of tamoxifen reduces recurrence by about half during treatment and by nearly a third over the next five years. Aromatase inhibitors, which work only in postmenopausal women, are even more effective than tamoxifen at reducing recurrence and death from breast cancer.

How much weight do you gain on tamoxifen?

According to an article published in the World Journal of Clinical Oncology , women tend to gain anywhere from 2.2 to 11 pounds after breast cancer treatment.

Can you just stop tamoxifen?

Although tamoxifen is effective, many women stop taking it before they finish the full treatment course. Some may stop because of common side effects, such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings. Others may worry about tamoxifen’s rare side effects, including blood clots and increased risk of uterine cancer.

Does stopping tamoxifen cause weight gain?

About 10 percent of women taking these drugs report unexpected weight gain. Most women report that it is easier to lose weight after stopping tamoxifen, but it is still a challenge.

Will my period come back after stopping tamoxifen?

Generally, your periods will start again once you stop taking tamoxifen, as long as you have not gone through the menopause naturally while taking the drug. It may take four to five months for your periods to become regular again.

How long does tamoxifen stay in your system?

How long does tamoxifen stay in your system? Tamoxifen stays active in the body for about 1 to 2 weeks after your last dose but can take about 3 months to completely leave your system.

Does everyone gain weight on tamoxifen?

Studies have shown that weight gain is not increased in women taking tamoxifen or anastrozole, but it is harder to study the effects of these drugs on a woman’s ability to lose weight. Regardless of the reasons for weight gain, weight loss requires calorie reduction.

Can tamoxifen cause belly fat?

Tamoxifen users had more visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and more liver fat than controls. This is the first study to demonstrate that fatty liver and intra-abdominal fat accumulation are common in breast cancer patients receiving tamoxifen.

Does tamoxifen make you tired?

When you start to take tamoxifen, you may feel tired, drowsy, or feel like you have no energy. Try to pace yourself until this improves. It is important to strike the correct balance between getting enough rest and staying physically active. Taking short walks regularly will help you feel less tired.

Why you should not take tamoxifen?

You should not use tamoxifen if you are allergic to it. You should not use tamoxifen to reduce your risk of breast cancer if you are also taking a blood thinner such as warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven). Do not take tamoxifen if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby.

What happens when you stop taking tamoxifen?

Despite its protective effects against cancer, some women stop taking tamoxifen because of side effects like hot flashes, mood swings, nausea, vomiting, or weight gain or loss. The drug can cause menstrual irregularities, and changes in sex drive or sleep patterns as well.

Does tamoxifen really work?

One theory about why tamoxifen does not work in some patients is that – for some reason – in those patients, the drug only produces low levels of endoxifen. Patients with low levels of endoxifen may have worse outcomes on tamoxifen.

What is about not taking tamoxifen?

Although tamoxifen is effective, many women stop taking it before they finish the full treatment course. Some may stop because of common side effects, such as hot flashes, vaginal dryness and mood swings. Others may worry about tamoxifen’s rare side effects, including blood clots and increased risk of uterine cancer.