Hi Sazzer

Dry, itchy skin is a common side effect of Tamoxifen. Hopefully if any of our members here have particular recommendations to share they will post but moisturising regularly and making sure that you're well hydrated are certainly the first steps. 

If you find that it becomes too much then have a chat with your BCN who may be able to suggest other ideas. 

I hope things settle soon. 

Best wishes, 
Jenn
Cancer Chat moderator

Thank you Jenn, great idea - I'll contact my BCN. Thanks for taking the time to reply. 

Hi Sazzer

I had dry/itchy skin while on Tamoxifen, it drove me mad. Anyway I found some relief from taking oat baths. I would cut off the bottom of old tights and place a generious portion of oats in them, tie a knot and then place in bath while running the bath. I would also use oat based cream during the day

www.aveeno.co.uk/.../skin-relief-cica-balm

I'm sure there will be others on here who have tried other things - best wishes x

Thanks so much for the recommendation, I'll give it a go! 

What is a BCN? Manny thanks,

Andeezegirl

Hi, did you find also that your hands, face and feet got very dry? My hands look like they've aged as feel dry and have the affect on the underneath like I've been sitting a long time in the bath.. I do moisturise a lot and exfoliate, Which takes away a lot of the dryness, but have to say in the fourth year of taking tamoxifen the dryness has alarmingly escalated immensely..

Also it it seems, it doesn't matter how many times I pedicure my feet my heels just will not moisten up neither will the rest my souls of my feet, although the heels are worse and always look cracked, even though I use plenty of foot creams and such.. it's so looks like I don't look after my feet and that just isn't the case.. My face I have to moisturise 3 times or more a day as feels to the touch like it is covered in talcum powder, i've always had very good skin and this is driving me mad..

Also my voice croaks like mad, it feels like I've got a dry throat all the time, and have to constantly Cleary throat as it gets very mucousy, and sometimes if I talk for about five minutes, my voice gets so croaky that the words are unrecognisable and sometimes lose my voice.. I am a singer so I'm used to vocalising for hours on end when performing at my gigs,  but I don't think I would be able to do this if I were to start gigging again it really upsets and scares me what is happening to my body.

P.S. .. I have been taking Tamoxifen for 4 years now, but it seems with each month that goes by that I take it everything gets worse in those departments especially my voice. I would hate not to be able to sing again it would destroy my soul.. Sorry I know that sounds very deep and drastic but it's the truth..As ive sang from the cradle..

many thanks..x

Hello Andeezegirl,

BCN stands for Breast Cancer Nurse. If you'd like to find out more you're welcome to give our cancer nurses a call on 0808 800 4040, Monday - Friday between 9a.m - 5p.m.

Kind regards,

Steph, Cancer Chat Moderator

Oh ok .. Thank you Steph..

Hi 

Sorry I've not been on for a while and just saw your post. All my skin itched, my feet also had cracks and I bought the Body Shop's 'Drops of Youth', which is amazing as you can see the skin being removed while rubbing in the serum. I also use Aldi's 'Clay cleansing hot masks' which leaves skin really soft and I use Aldi's Lacura plumping serum, which is really kind on the skin. I also have Aveeno cream. 

If yours is really bad after trying different stuff then I would ask your GP for some help as they could prescribe a steroid cream to use when the skin is at its worse.

I never had a problem with my voice, so that's a new one for me. I did do a google search on "tamoxifen and the singing voice" and it appears to affect quite a few singers.

Hope you can get all of this under control soon x