It’s all very well to be provided with the names of the side effects that can be caused by taking a drug medication such as tamoxifen. But most of the time it’s just that without any effort at explaining them so that you can fully grasp and understand the side effects themselves, how they come about and how you can safeguard or avoid them when they do make an appearance. Read on to find out more.

Tamoxifen categories of side effects

The main side effects of tamoxifen can be categorized into three components, the drug medication’s common side effects, periodical side effects and rare side effects.

Common side effects of tamoxifen

The following tamoxifen side effects have been found to occur in over 10 in 100 people or 10%. You yourself may experience one or more of them and they include:

Build-up of body fluid

You may experience swelling in your hands and legs due to a build-up of fluid that occurs in them as a result of taking tamoxifen.

This fluid build-up is called oedema and is essentially the build-up of excess serous fluid between the tissue cells of your body.

Changes in your menstrual cycle

The occurrence of your monthly periods may begin to become irregular or even stop while you are taking tamoxifen.

Even so, despite these menstrual cyclical changes it may still be possible for you to become pregnant. You should talk to your doctor about these changes.

Feeling sick or vomiting

When you experience a sensation of feeling sick or when you actually vomit, your condition can usually be successfully treated with anti-sickness medications.

When you experience these side effects from taking tamoxifen, you should try to avoid fatty or fried foods.

You should eat snacks and small helpings during meals and drink plenty of water and engage in relaxation techniques. All these will help relax and put you at ease,

If you regularly suffer from these conditions from taking tamoxifen, you should take your anti-sickness medications exactly as prescribed for you even if you don’t have a feeling of being sick.

As the saying goes: “Prevention is better that curing” so it is for this type of side effect especially when the sickness feeling hasn’t started.

The onset of fatigue

Fatigue ortiredness and weakness usually take place during or after treatment.

When this happens, you should engage in doing simple and gentle exercises every day so can maintain energy levels in your body.

When doing your exercises you shouldn’t force yourself to go that extra mile or two. When you start feeling tired, take a rest or if you are lifting something, ask your friends or family members to help you.

Vaginal changes

Taking tamoxifen may also affect the way your vagina functions or behaves.

These irregularities may include bleeding or discharges from your vagina that can occur at unexpected times.

You should discuss the problem with your doctor or healthcare provider.

Hot flushes

There are medicinal tips available at your nearby clinic or hospital which can help you cope with hot flushes.

These medicinal methods can treat hot flushes that occur in both men and women, but you should consult with your doctor if your hot flushes prove difficult to treat.

Your doctor may be able to prescribe some medication for treating your condition.

Skin rash

Usually, skin problems can include the appearance of a skin rash which is accompanied by dry skin and itching.

However, it’s also usual for the skin rash and other conditions that occur with it to dissipate when your treatment comes to an end.

Your nurse may be able to suggest certain medical products that you can use to help you out in solving your skin condition.

Periodical side effects

These side effects have been known to occur in between 1 and 10 out of every 100 people or 1 to 10% and you may experience several of them yourself. They include:

  • headaches
  • cramps in the leg
  • hair loss
  • blurred vision from retina damage
  • an allergic reaction
  • breathlessness and paleness (anemia)
  • lightheadedness
  • depression
  • blood clot in deep veins (deep vein thrombosis, DVT) that can travel to your lungs and could be life threatening if not treated promptly.
  • pain
  • diarrhea
  • changes in womb wall lining and non-cancerous growths – you should inform you doctor if you experience unexpected or irregular vaginal bleeding
  • constipation
  • itchiness in the vulva zone – you should inform your doctor about it as it may be an infection that needs medical attention.

Blood clotting symptoms

These symptoms may include:

  • coughing up blood
  • pain, swelling and redness around the area where the clot is placed and can be warm when touched
  • chest pain, or pain in the upper back – you should call the country emergency number if you experience chest pain
  • breathlessness

If you have any blood clot symptoms you should immediately inform your doctor or go to an A&E room in the area.

Rare side effects

The incidence of these side effects occurs in fewer than 1 in 100 people (1%) and you may be affected by or more of these side effects. They include:

  • inflammation of the lungs which can cause breathing difficulties and a dry cough.
  • cancer of the womb – you should tell your doctor if you are experiencing regular or unexpected bleeding form the vagina
  • liver disorders such as liver failure

Other information on tamoxifen

As a cancer drug medication, tamoxifen may interact with some other medications and herbal remedies.

You should inform your doctor about any medications you are taking in addition to taking tamoxifen.

The medications you are now taking should include vitamins, herbal remedy supplements and over-the-counter (OTC) remedies

Contraception and pregnancy

Tamoxifen has the propensity to do harm to a developing fetus in the womb.

It’s therefore important that you are not pregnant or father a child while you are being treated with tamoxifen and for at least 2 months after the end of your treatment course.

Discuss about effective contraception methods with your doctor or nurse before you begin your treatment.

Breastfeeding

It’s still unknown whether or not this drug medication can pass through into the mother’s breast milk but as  a precautionary safeguard, doctors normally advise that mothers don’t breastfeed while taking tamoxifen.

Alcohol

A very small amount of alcohol is contained in the liquid form of tamoxifen, but this isn’t harmful to most people taking the drug, but it can become an issue if you are an alcoholic

Takeaway

Knowing about the efficacy of any drug medication such as tamoxifen is a step in the right direction when you are looking for a drug that will definitely cure your breast cancer. It’s also great to know the nature and properties of a drug medication and for how long a treatment course may last. These are essential to know just as knowing the different types of side effects that tamoxifen can cause.