Tamoxifen blocks the effects of estrogen in many areas of your body. Natural menopause is due to the loss of estrogen production in your body, leading to similar signs and symptoms. Therefore, tamoxifen can produce menopausal side effects that include vaginal dryness, mood changes, and hot flashes. These sudden flushes can make you miserable and undermine your quality of life, but they do not endanger your life.
Most women find hot flashes the worst side effect from tamoxifen.
About half the women on tamoxifen are affected by them. You may find that regular exercise helps moderate the problem. Some women adjust to the hot flashes from tamoxifen. Others grow to tolerate the problem, expecting it to decrease over time. Over a number of months it usually eases somewhat.