Tamoxifen and Its Effect on Bone Pain

I was doing fine on tamoxifen 20mg for 8 years. Then they were worried about liver damage, took me off it for 8 months and then put me back on it for 5 months and I had the worst bone & joint pain. So I took a break for 6 months and I am trying to take it again, every other day but the intense pain is back. I can't live like this. I'm not a candidate for the other post menopausal meds I don't think because I have osteopenia all over and osteoporosis in my hips. Anyone have any suggestions? I just worry that stopping the estrogen inhibitors would increase chance of reoccurrance....

Michele I understand what you’re going through. I am on Anastrozole for five years. I have been on hormone therapy for a year. I had so much bone pain and muscle pain that I could not use my right arm and could hardly take the pain. I am a senior so anastrozole was the right choice for me. My arm was xrayed and no broken bones but it felt like it. My first mammogram is 9/2 after cancer treatment. I am praying that there is no recurrence. I am afraid to stop hormone therapy. I have decided to just grin and bear it. It is tough but cancer is worse.

You’ve already been on it at least 8 years — the guidelines are between 5 and 10 years, I think, so maybe you’d be ok to stop taking it now. I was going to request tamoxifen as opposed to what I am currently on, letrozole, which is causing a lot of joint pain, and probably bone degradation (I already had osteopenia before i started taking it.) Tamoxifen is not supposed to cause these side effects. Do you think it’s caused yours?

I don't have any bone pain yet.But i've been taking it for 8 years. In 68 years old. But the radiation messed up my throat.I have gross in my throat messed up my thyroid, and I have I had a aneurysm

Bone pain can be a challenging side effect that many people experience while taking tamoxifen, and it's completely understandable to seek information about this connection. Many community members have shared similar experiences, so discussing symptoms with healthcare providers and connecting with others who understand can be really valuable during survivorship.