If you have had breast cancer, and taking tamoxifen for 10 years, is there anything safe you can take to relieve menopause symptoms?

[Jennywren8]

Would welcome any wisdom. For example people tell me magnesium is helpful but don’t want to introduce any risk

I am the same and I think it's fine to take any vitamins, I take Wellwoman 50 though not everyday. I was advised to take calcium and vitamin C daily but think other vitamins can help too. I also take antihistamines sometimes to help with sleep.

Swimming or exercise helps me a lot and staying normal BMI. There are also certain anti depressants you can take, don't take any but explain Tamoxifen and they can check.

Thank you for responding, and sorry you had to go through this like me. Will buy some wellwoman 60 tablets (even though ‘only’ 48!). Do you take calcium in tablets or another form, and is that to avoid brittle bones? I do lots of exercise thankfully

Yes the Wellwoman makes me laugh after cancer, not exactly a "well" woman though 3 years clear now. I was 48 when I got it - I don't actually take calcium but my oncologist recommended taking calcium plus vitamin D daily. I do have a fair amount of calcium in my diet with cheese and milk but yes she said to take a supplement each day. The Wellwoman one was just a random one I got but it definitely helps take my pains away, it must be certain things in it, not sure what.

Sorry you had cancer and good you are exercising.

I was alowed to use vagifem while I was on tamoxifen as it is local but had to come off it when I had finished the ten years.

I was 40 when I got it, will young-ish children at the time, it was very hard. I had the full Monty, double mastectomy and reconstruction and chemo/radiotherapy. I didn’t need the healthy breast to go but didn’t even want to find a lump in that breast so they did it for me. I have just checked my (Aldi) vitamin tablets and seems to have 100% of vit D but only 25% of calcium recommended daily dose. And 27% of magnesium so probably should get those seperately or get Wellwoman if that covers most things off.

I was lucky enough to be referred for acupuncture to relieve chemo damage they threw in extra for night sweats ....I went from waking 11 plus times a night like I'd got out of the shower to a couple of times in two treatments and gone by number 3 ....had a booster session 12months later.

Which symptoms? For hot flushes you can take SSRIs or Venlafaxine. They are licensed as antidepressants, but taken at low doses are very effective at reducing hot flushes.

If its bone pain I mentioned it to my oncologist and she wants to do a bone scan and blood test. I'm only under hospital for 5 years but might be worth seeing if GP could refer you if you have those symptoms just to see what it is. I think mine is just menopause or tamoxifen impact but they can rule out secondary cancer in bones and also I think there are treatments if there is osteoporosis.

Even after the 5 years and have been discharged from the hospital any worries at all and the breast nurses and breast clinic are always happy to talk or see you about any worries you may have which is very reassuring.

Acupuncture helped with hot flushes and so did venlaflaxine - but especially if I drank several litres of water a day…

I am 10 post treatment, bilateral mastectomy, chemo, radiotherapy. I take Venlafaxine to help with hot flushes, and vagifem for vaginal atrophy. I also take magnesium and vitamin D, and get a DEXA bone density scan every 2 years.

I started with venlafaxine but it gave me restless legs which stopped me getting to sleep. I am now trying clonidine (a vasodilator for migraines) which can help with hot flushes/sweats. It hasn’t stopped them but they are much improved and bearable.

Thanks @Iloveeverycat that's good to know.

I've been lucky with hot flushes, only had them for 2 months or so after chemo then nothing. I do drink 2 litres every day and make sure I exercise 3 to 5 hours a week but don't know if that helps.

My oncologist said I can take sage tablets. I have regular acupuncture too. I don't really have any symptoms to speak of though.

Do you pay private for the scan?

Whilst I am here… I remember when I was diagnosed and getting the treatment for BC I asked my surgeon what my long term prognosis was. He said ‘At least 10 years’. At the time I was happy with that as it seemed ages away but I am now nearly 8 years in with still youngish children and it makes me worry. I’m not sure on what basis he could have made that statement, is there any evidence that would back it up? I was stage 2 with the first lymph node impacted. Feel too afraid to ask anyone in real life.

There's the Predict Breast tool (new) if you put your data in but only goes up to 15 years.

https://breast.v3.predict.cam/tool

Its No for DCIS / LCIS only then age you got diagnosed menopausal status is at diagnosis so pre ER status would guess is positive if on Tamoxifen and probably positive for progesterone too. HER2 mine was negative which is the most common but whatever results were. I had to put unknown for Ki-67. Tumour size is the largest tumour but if you had multiple my oncologist said you can also add them but its based on largest alone. It will be symptoms unless you were part of a screening program at time. No to mets. Then its what treatment you have had - chemo is usually the highest one and it gives survival rates.

I read 3 to 5 hours exercise a week increases survival by 30% to 50% so I do that. The stats improve all the time and remember 15 year ones are out of date now. I am similar to you and its not too bad.

Thank you for this, glad I asked. I have always done plenty of exercise thankfully. Will complete this, will dig out all my records/letters from the time and see what it spits out

Im 3 years post diagnosis. PR /HR/ HER2 + so highly hormone led breast cancer. I'm 3 years into taking Exemestane (swapped over from Anastrozole).I'm 56. Had chemo, radiotherapy and 18 Herceptin injections. I'm high risk for osteoporosis so have bone density scans every 2 years. My oncologist said my diet was ok but I still take daily calcium tablets.

Get some mild hot flushes which I can cope with but for me it's my lack of sleep. Doesn't matter what I do my sleep is terrible. If I drink alcohol don't sleep, if I don't drink alcohol I don't sleep. Exercise makes no difference. If I'm on holiday I still don't sleep. Things going fine at work, NO sleep.

I swim 2-3 times a week and walk in between. I eat well. I do have an odd drink at the weekend. I'm conscious of my weight and have lost recently lost 7lb with another 10lb to go too.

Im retiring from teaching this year as I'm just exhausted but will need to get a part time job to top up my pension. I've tried magnesium but it made zero difference.

The exemstane has a lot to answer to but I take it every day as the alternative is much worse.

I would recommend Venlafaxine as suggested above. Low dose, slow release. It's the only thing that got me through my 10 years of Tamoxifen (still on it now as still have some symptoms).

What does the Venlafaxine help with?

I took something (an anti drepressant) whilst on chemo to help with hot flushes and sleep but I put so much weight on that I had to stop taking them. I don't want to be in that situation again.

Venlafaxin helps with the hot flushes, sleep and general mood. Fortunately it didn't affect my weight.

following this thread with interest. I started pretty well on tamoxifen with disturbed sleep my biggest issue. I started taking it in November 2024 post BC surgery. No period at all since then, until April 2025 - I’ve had a continuous light period since then which is really pissing me off. My oncologist tested my hormones and told me I have some ovarian function but really couldn’t help further. He seemed unconcerned when I raised tamoxifen/ uterine side effects and thinks it’s just peri menopause. Anyone had similar issues. So hard to know what is menopause stuff and what is the effect of tamoxifen.