I had my appointment with my oncologist yesterday and learned the next stage of The Plan. I knew Tamoxifen was next in the line up, but I didn’t really know what it did. It turns out, Tamoxifen (or the generic version which my insurance will pay for) allows me to be a 30ish year old for a while. Apparently in the olden days, an estrogen positive cancer meant yanking pretty much anything that makes me female. Tamoxifen creates a sort of force field around any existing cancer cells, making it so estrogen can’t make it grow. It also allows my body to be in it’s 30s for a little bit longer. At the end of 5 years, there will be some choices. If my body has gone into menopause, I can choose to do nothing. If it hasn’t (I’ll only be 39), I will have to make a choice. I can get my ovaries removed, or again I can choose to do nothing. Truthfully, the idea of doing nothing freaks me out. My major coping mechanism through all this has been the attitude that I’m fighting something. When I feel like I’m not fighting, the panic sets in. And that’s why there’s Ativan. Heh.
8 responses to “Tamoxifen”
beeeeeeeeeee
October 22nd, 2008 at 15:13
keep on fighting girl! Do what you got to for yourself.
Wow – 30s huh. I’m almost 39 ( about a week…)
Lisa
October 22nd, 2008 at 18:55
I still owe you a phone call. Did you get your BRCA results? How are you?
Karen
October 22nd, 2008 at 19:48
1991 and counting Nicole. And tamoxifen was part of my regimen. Fight on – one day at a time and don’t worry about that five year decision point! Each week, each month, each year, is a milestone. And believe it or not, as the days and months and years pass, you will feel that it is less like a fight than like a normal life. Whatever the hell that is! Heh! 🙂
Katie
October 22nd, 2008 at 19:56
Yeah, normal life – that is a mystery! 🙂
I am supposed to get Tamoxifen, too. When I am done with the delights of chemo, that is.
How are you feeling?
donella
October 22nd, 2008 at 22:01
Thinking of you. Looking forward to seeing you in a couple weeks.
lydee
October 23rd, 2008 at 03:41
sounds like this is an improvement over yanking out all your girl parts. you’ll want to keep that estrogen cause you don’t want to end up singing bass! 🙂
katbur
October 23rd, 2008 at 18:22
Yummy, Ativan! I’m with you. I had them yanked and I’ve only gone down one voice part but my beard is thickening! Here’s hoping you tolerate the Tamoxifen.
Helen
October 24th, 2008 at 18:58
So… what exactly IS normal life?
Me… I’m in favor of keeping parts where possible.
Of course, I’m also in favor of taking action. Next week… my action means a date with the CAT scan machine and some iodine dye. The next week… a visit to the doc who will tell me whether there’s any thing to worry about.
Like I’m not gonna worry unless he tells me to? sigh. They should dispense a week’s supply of xanax when they send you through this limbo crap