Topic: Nolvadex D
Nolvadex D
posted Tue, 08 Mar 2005 08:40PM
PaulaBeevor
Hi,
This is the first time I have posted a topic but felt I had to let you know about nolvadex D . I have been on Tamoxifen since Oct 2003 and have had a nightmare with it , hot flushes , swollen hands and feet,tiredness , moody it drove me crazy. I have always tried to be really positive about my breast cancer but felt wicked and was ready to take the risk of not taking it ! My oc did not help and i even went to a chinese med man (I think he worked in Wok mania at night !! )Then I read an article on www.Amoena.co.uk about Nolvadex. You have to ask your doctor to prescribe it by name on your prescription as it is 10 times more expensive than the generic tamoxifen !!!!! It is the original brand of Tamoxifen . I am also on Zoladex injections and blamed all the nasty side effects on that however after taking Nolvadex for a month the difference is amazing , I am back to normal and feel disgusted that they give you the cheaper brand which is obviously not as good. |Has anybody else had this problem or if anybody tries it please let me know how you get
on . It really is worth kicking up a fuss to get the drug , it really is just a case of how much money they can save without you knowing .
Hope this info helps
Take care
Paula X
Tamoxifen
posted Wed, 09 Mar 2005 10:15AM
David
Paula, This is well known on this site. Several people have said that their bad side effects from taking Tamoxifen disappeared after changing to Nolvadex D from a generic brand. It is cheaper for the doctor to give the generic brand.
Unfortunately, it does not appear to work with everyone though.
David (on Tamoxifen 1999-2004)
Novaldex
posted Wed, 09 Mar 2005 11:22AM
deirdre
My doctor was happy to prescribe Novaldex for me when I asked him to. But when I cashed my prescription in at the chemists I didn't check what they had given me until I got home. I discovered they had given me the cheapo generic one instead. I asked my cousin, who is a pharmacist, whether they were right to do this and she said that it was standard practice for chemists to substitute generics, even when a specific make had been put on the prescription. So if you DO get a Novaldex prescription, my advice is to check out the packet in the chemists to make sure you get what you asked for!
Deirdre.
(No Subject)
posted Wed, 09 Mar 2005 11:57AM
Sharen
When my onc discussed tamoxifen, he said it's the one drug he insists not be generic, so Novaldex D it was for me. His reasons were that they are the original manufacturers of the drug and supply him with all the written information and are always at hand if he has any questions.
I have hot flushes and some night sweats, which began not long after I started chemo, but of course tamoxifen makes them worse. My moods are terrible as well, but that could be partly due to my interrupted sleep.
I tried evening primrose oil, but all that did was give me the runs (very nasty). Of course I wasn't told it could do that until afterwards.
If my symptoms get worse (interrupt my sleep too much), I may ask to get put on a low dose antidepressant (Effexor, I think) that has had very good results for treating hot flushes.
no difference
posted Wed, 09 Mar 2005 01:17PM
Molennium
I tried Novaldex after being given the generic, I could detect no difference in the side effects so I am back on the generics. I went into adjuvant(dot)com and discovered that for me tamoxifen makes a 1% difference to my risk of dying in the next 10 years, so I may well be saying goodbye to it shortly. Particularly as I resent £6.40 every two months to get something which gives me a lot of unpleasant side efects.
To get on the adjuvant dot com site you have to say you are a health professional. I think I am one now after all the research I have done, I certainly know a lot more than my surgeon does about oncology.
Toodle pip
Mole
Big Difference!!
posted Fri, 11 Mar 2005 02:10AM
Debz
Hi All
Just to say I was originally on Tamoxifen generic brand, raging hot flushes and aches, my doctor switched me to Nolvadex-D and once it had kicked into my system properly (took about 2-3 weeks) the change was amazing! Hot flushes have stopped, no night sweats, no periods, brill is all I can say, got no prob being on this one for 5 years!!
By the way, think you should check with your doc about the pharmacy giving you generic one, I think they were trying to pull a fast one!! I'm sure if it says 'Tamoxifen' on your prescription they can give you which ever of the generic brands they have, but if it specifically states 'Nolvadex-D' this is the only one they MUST give you - sounds like pharmacy trying to make money!!! My prescriptions always say Nolvadex-D and no pharmacy has ever tried to give me anything other than that!
Good Luck
Cyberhugs
Debz1