Paxil or Nortriptyline

KPolasek

Anyone on one or both of these drugs prior to being diagnosed with bc?

 Thanks!

 Blessings,

Kay

FloridaLady

Not me.

Flalady

OneBadBoob

These two anti-depressant drugs are in two different classes and work in totally different ways.

Paxil is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor. It works by restoring the balance of serotonin which helps to improve certain mood problems.  In the same family as Prozac. It is also thought to be metabolized in the liver by isoenzymes of the cytochrome P450 system, including CYP2D6.  So it can interfere with the effectiveness of Tamoxifin.

Nortriptyline is a tricyclic anti-depressant and inhibits the reuptake of norepinephrine (noradrenaline), and, to a lesser extent, serotonin. Nortriptyline is metabolised in the liver by hepatic enzyme CYP2D6. Approximately 7 to 10 percent of caucasians are poor metabolisers and might experience more adverse effects, so a lower dosage is often necessary in these individuals.  Also, if you are taking tamoxifin, this drug would not be a good idea since it could interfere with its effectiveness.

OOPS!  Just noticed you are triple negative, so the Tamoxifin statements do not apply to you. 

(Sorry, I tend to read under "Active Conversations" and did not notice at first this was in the triple negative thread.)

I had an major depression occurrene some years back, and I was started first on an MAO inhibitor, which was horrible with side effects.  I then started with a tricyclic anti-depressant, and that too had incredible side effects that I could not live with.  I was then put on Prozac and I had few side effects which quickly passed, and within a few weeks I slipped out of the depths of depression.  I stopped taking it with no withdrawal problems at all a few years ago.

I have again started the Prozac to deal with all this BC depression stuff, and it has indeed worked wonders for me.

Kay, may I ask who is prescribing or recommending these drugs?  Our bodies are all so different in the way we process these things, you may have to try several to find the one that gives you the  most benefit with the least side effects.

Best of luck in sorting this through.

anahita

Yes, I started taking Paxil a couple of months before the diagnosis. I had been on Zoloft before that but switched due to constipation issues. Paxil worked fine for me until about a year ago. I had already upped my dose once but it just stopped being effective, and that's not unusual with SSRIs. I'm now on Celexa. It's not quite as good as Paxil was at its best, but it works OK, a lot better than nothing. I can't get a higher dose of Celexa unless I go to a psychiatrist since my GP is unwilling to risk it. And I don't have time to find one and can't afford the co-pays ($40 a session!) so I guess I'll stick with Celexa for the time being.

Shirlann

Yes, I was on Paxil before my diagnosis.  But I am still on it after being 10 years post treatment.  I had heard of the possible connection between Paxil and breast cancer.  But it was too late for me to do much.

I may talk to a psychologist, and switch to another pill.  If I can afford one of the newer ones.

Gentle hugs, Shirlann