tamoxifen

Hey girls I am a new traveler here in the no hormone desert. My surgery was Tuesday. TAH/BSO plus lymph nodes. I had (have?) a rare cancer called low grade endometrial stromal sarcoma. It was confined to my uterous at stage I which was very good news. As "insurance" I will be doing radiation treatments and then hopefully not deal with cancer again.
In the meantime, the tumor was both estrogen and progesterine receptive. This means no hormone replacement.
Can anyone tell me how long it was before your hot flashes started? How were you with mood swings? My Dr says take 800 units of vitamin E each day and that will help with the flashes and if it isn't enough there are a few other things we can try. He says if the mood swings are bad, I can get a anti-depressant. That is a major concern of mine that I won't be able to control my emotions.
Also he has prescribed tamoxifen. Apparently it keeps estrogen feeding cells from growing, yet supplies estrogen to other organs to protect the heart and bones. Does anyone out there have any experience with tamoxifen?
I am concerned about the weight gain. I think it's the oddest thing that I didn't eat anything since Sunday until Friday morning yet I weigh as much today as I did Sunday morning. How can that happen? I figured I would lose a bit a weight with the surgery. But I'm here watching my weight again, as I had been trying to diet off those perimenopausal pounds.
So--any input from anyone on any of these issues would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Susan (who is hurting from a huge vert incision--but healing)

Hi Susan!

I think we've all experienced different times frames on when and what kind of meno symptoms began appearing.

My own experience was and is fairly mild (thank goodness). I didn't begin getting any hot flashes or night sweats until I was about two months post op, IIRC. I did have some sleep disruptions at first but I think most of that was related to the napping throughout the day. Its kind of hard for me to tell when the "real" insomnia hit as I started chemotherapy about a month after surgery and one of the medications I was given to help the nausea knocked me out. Once I was past the majority of the after effects from that is when I believe I started having troubles sleeping but again, I've had some other issues going on which are also contributing to that so . Clear as mud eh? I also take the 800 i.u. of Vitamin E and I have noticed an increase in the hot flashes when I've missed it for any length of time.


As far as the remainder of any meno symptoms, I think I'm one of the lucky ones. I haven't noticed any real problems with mood swings and such. I do get grumpier when I'm hungry :evil: but I think that a lingering effect of the chemo also.

With the weight issue, its probably too early to tell this soon post op. I don't know how this affected the other gals here but I gained then I lost after surgery. I've since gained back what I lost but am not far above where I started.

I hope your recovery will be swift and uneventfull and please do try to be patient and let your body heal.

{{hugs}}

Vicki