**Tamoxifen** the 30th thread !

[MaryAnnSingleton]

Am wheeling the trolley over....

Have grabbed the best bit on the sofa, pass me some cake.

Budge up smee and you can have some of my Dorset apple cake. I'll make some too!

Dorset Apple cake - one of my faves

Mmmmm cake - scrummy :) would be nice too! Thanks.

Just finishing work and it's the weekend [hgrin]

Have never had Dorset Apple cake. Am sure I'll want seconds.

Have a large pot of coffee on the brew, hold out your everyone.

I like it on this sofa, its very snuggly

I can add some . Dorset Apple Cake sounds yum, is there any cream with that?

Have a fab trip gigs and smee and anyone else heading away. No trips for me this week, DH was wittering on about going away for a weekend next week but ended up booking a family ticket for the .... wait for it ..... rugby [hhmm]. I had visions of a lovely spa experience instead of shivering on the terraces.

mas hope the hands improve with the B6 and lower dose.

I was having a nice bath earlier before going out and came up with a very important question; How long after having nodes removed under my arm can I shave them? I don't want to stay 'continental. forever.

Actually, I should be out by now but hubby is stuck on the M25. Me not happy. I haven't been out much recently, and a nice evening chatting to friends, is just what I fancied at the start of half term. Usually by now I've had a friday evening glass of wine, but I've foregone that knowing I would be driving.

Sorry for moaning.

Welcome to thread 30!

mmmm dd cooked spag bol for tea with lots of garlic. now watching mastermind then its hignfy later :)

hi invicta guess when you have healed up? I've lost about half a 'pit with rads, it won't grow back...

Ok so you guys are clearly all old friends but can i invade and ask a query about Tamoxifen? Ttc here for 20 months. Have a 3 year old DD. Been having investigations and yesterday saw consultant who suggested this drug. Do i do it? Likely to help? Any side effects? Thanks hopefully!

Er I think you want to use it for a different reason than me. I use it to stop recurrence of breast cancer, and take it continuously. I think it is taken slightly differently for fertility! Give it a go, good luck ttc :)

Dizzy I don't think you would get the side effects with the dosage recommended for you, it took a little while for the se's to kick in for me... hot flushes, etc due to a lack of oestrogen, but just taking the tablets for a few days early in your cycle probably ok.

Hi Dizzy - you are very welcome - I know we natter about nonsense, but new comers always welcome

I honestly haven't heard about tamoxifen being used as a fertility drug, although it certainly has hormonal side effects - in my case hot flushes, sweating, general menopausal type symptoms.

Has your consultant said anything about the dosage you would be on? - it may not be the same as we are given for breast cancer and that might be a factor which alters its effects - I'm on 20mg daily.

Essentially tamoxifen is an anti oestrogen drug, - used to fight oestrogen fed breast tumours.
It also used years ago to be used as a contraceptive (though I believe not very successfully)-it's anti cancer properties were discovered when it was being used as a contraceptive.

Another side effect that I know some people on here have had (although not me as I'd had a hysterectomy) is that it stops periods.

That's all the info. I know about it - don't know whether it's helpful or not, might be worth discussing with your GP, as far as I know the way in which tamox. works is quite complicated, so it's perfectly possible that it is used for other things aside from breast cancer.

Anway - I wish you luck with ttc and hope all goes well with you

Hi kk
watching too much tv tonight - anyone like Miranda ?

Thanks guys. I'll do more research. Dont have the pills yet but will read info avidly when i do.

Moan away Invicta. Must be annoying waiting... I was told never ever to shave again , though of course I do. Must admit it's hard to feel what I'm doing as my underarm's permanently numb. Just be careful.

Dizzy, I haven't a clue as I take it for BC too. V.nice to meet you though. Am guessing you'd only take Tamoxifen for a short time to help you ovulate? If so, sounds worth a try. Hope it works for you.

Wish I could join you on the sofa to watch Miranda, jane. I have a huge deadline to meet, so have to work all weekend. G'ah.. DH said he'll cook and I know it sounds churlish, but he's got us a pizza. 0 for effort then!

Hi Invicta, I was given a strict lecture about never using a razor in armpits again, and only to use an electric razor. This is because after my op I lost all feeling in the armpit (in addition to under my upper arm) so wouldn't know if I was cutting myself - am not sure if this is common?!

Anyway TBH I have found the hair has never really grown back much - which I consider a positive side effect! So I really don't do much about that armpit any more.

I suppose if you are feeling over-continental and don't have these oddities, you could shave after about 5 weeks ie when no more rads-cooking going on.

Come to think of it I didn't have rads on 'pit - only on boob. But I'd allow several weeks as the rads do continue working for at least 3 weeks after you finish having the treatment.

Invicta - missed your post - sorry I was never given any instructions about armpit shaving, but my hair never grew back under that arm, so it's not relevant anyway. But I think it makes sense to avoid anything that might cut you - because any cuts are more likely to get infected on that side, as you've got no lymph nodes.

waving to jchoc and SR. Pizza sounds nice Smee (although yes, zero effort on his part! ) I haven't had anything yet, didn't fancy much, because my throat feels all swollen and sore still, have got glands up in my neck, earache, and a bit of a temp. -so presumably some bug is doing the rounds.

Kurri and SR are far more sensible than me, Invicta. don't listen to me, I'm a reprobate

SR, at 'over continental'.

Kurri hope the cold or bug or whatever's just a fleeting thing. Surely a nice glass of red would help your throat?

I will be gracious about the pizza if DH has got nice wine to go with it. Next door are celebrating Eid and all manner of heavenly smells seeping through.

Hi, waving to Smee and KK as well. Sorry you've got to work Smee.

I am avoiding (well not toally) the bag of Halloween chocs I bought 'in case children come to the door'. Trouble is I already ate one bag last w/e

Must be the cold or something.

Hope you feel better soon, KK.

My washing has got stuck in machine - can't open the door...

Oh no..! Turn it off at the plug, then back on again? I think that works sometimes..

We have no Halloween chocs yet, but I always get those mini milky ways so I can scoff them

its ok, I got the door open - think it was just taking its time to unlock...