Tamoxifen After Effects

Tamoxifen is a drug used in the treatment of breast cancer. Every drug carries risks and side effects, although tamoxifen is a very powerful drug and carries more potential after effects than other medications. It is important to know the tamoxifen after effects so you can report them to your doctor when they occur, since some can be quite serious, such as trouble breathing or coughing up blood.

Common Effects

• The most common tamoxifen after effects, which may occur in 25 percent of patients according to drugs.com, include nausea, vomiting and hot flashes. Other common side effects include coughing, constipation, muscle pain, bone pain, weight loss, tiredness and vaginal discharge.

Severe Effects

• Severe after effects, which require immediate medical help, include: bad allergic reactions of the lips, mouth, face or tongue; abnormal vaginal bleeding or missed periods; chest pain; coughing up blood; dark urine; decreased sex drive; pelvic pain or pressure; fever or chills; lasting sore throat; no appetite; problems with balance or coordination; skin changes; trouble breathing; excessive bleeding or bruising; problems with eyesight or speech; sudden severe head pain; eye or skin yellowing; stomach pain; and pain or swelling of your extremities.

Warning

• Tamoxifen may lead to endometrial problems, such as endometriosis, endometrial adenocarcinoma, uterine sarcoma, hyperplasia, metaplasia or endometrial polyps.

Other Effects

• Other tamoxifen after effects include radiation recall and anorexia. Radiation recall is a severe skin reaction that happens when some chemotherapy drugs are given during or soon after radiation.

Fun Fact

• As reported by drugs.com, a 68-year-old female revealed an interesting tamoxifen after effect, which involved her hair changing from gray back to color.