Do I or don't I?

First swim in the lake this summer.  Family Fun

My tamoxifen holiday really had to come to an end after three weeks.  My oncologist was so kind in giving me two weeks off (and I snuck in another week) and the difference was like day and night.  

I took myself back to my GP and told him the side effects I was having still continued back on the medication; leg cramps, lower back pain and fatigue being the biggies.  

My GP explained to me that perhaps my body reacts to the 20mg of tamoxifen differently to say another person taking the same.  He suggested why not try taking 10mg and see what the side effects are like; if that doesn't work go down to 5mg.  I explained I didn't want to let my family down by not taking anything.  Emotionally, he suggested, I would feel like at least I was doing something.  The drug is insurance and I won't know if it is keeping cancer at bay or I actually have no cancer.  

I belong to a support group on Facebook and there are so many varying thoughts on reducing the dose, taking a "holiday", stopping all together.  With my GP coming up with this programme, I felt like it gave me some control back.  I may be living in dreamworld and probably cancer has control and I am just wishful thinking.  But to walk out of the GP's room and go right, the GP and I have a plan I could work with.  

So I started back on 10mg cutting my 20mg tablet in half.  I took it at dinner time so that with any luck if I had the side effects like the fatigue, then I could sleep it off.  

• Day 1, yes I was fatigued.  I yawned my way through the morning.  
• Day 2 and 3 the cramps were back but only in my feet and ankles, not like before when it was the leg muscles.  The cramps woke me at least five times and I had to jump out of bed to get my feet back into shape and basically unlock them.  
• Day 4 and my lower back was aching and it was a struggle just watching the Santa Parade and getting back to the car. The legs just don't want to work for me anymore.  
• Day 5 and I found some Bio Magnesium last night and took that at the same time as the Tamoxifen and thankfully there were no cramps.  So I am rather encouraged by that.  I know that previously, over a few weeks, the side effects changed and either worsened or changed.  

Hopefully I can keep this to a level that I can manage and be able to function with.  Will update in a week.

Great outing on the Huka Jet