severe depression exhuberated with aromatase inhibitor.

pabbie

I can already feel myself going down. I didn't want to start the AI during the holidays. I could only handle it for a week and it made me more down. I'm diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety without any AI.

My psych ordered double on my anti-anxiety. And I have talk therapy on Monday.

I need to start working on a plan to get me through the holidays.

dtad

pabbie...so sorry you are suffering with depression and anxiety. I can say from personal experience that its horrible. I actually experienced it as a SE from a prescription drug. Although it was not an aromatase inhibitor. It was from Topomax that I was taking for pain. It took months for them to figure out it was from the drug. Finally when I stopped the black hole started to go away. I guess I'm just saying that I can relate to how drugs can affect our mental status. Good luck and keep us posted.

pabbie

Dtad: thank you. I am diagnosed with severe depression and anxiety without any AI.

Wildplaces

Pabbie - are you taking Aromasin as an AI?

It is a steroidal AI - it can precipitate anxiety, panic attacks, feeling of doom.

Please talk to your MO, hopefully they will change you to another AI...

There is another lady who started a thread about this, I just can not remember the thread title.

😊

pabbie

Wildplaces: I just finished 4 months on the generic Aromasin for those reasons you spoke of. I wanted to wait to start the anastrozole after the holidays because I know my severe depression gets worse this time of year. But my onc caught me and talked me into starting it last week. I stopped the drug without telling my onc and I have no reason to correspond with her until after the first of the year.

I'de like to connect with the other thread if possible.

Thanks Wildplaces.

Wildplaces

Found it - titled "crazy behaviour on AI" - in forum " hormonal treatments - before, during after "

Same reaction to Aromasin.

And I have a friend on it - again similar side effects - currently having a six week break, then starting Arimidex.

😊

pabbie

Wildplaces: I wrote that thread too. Lol

I've heard people getting breaks before they start another AI. I wonder why my onc never gives me breaks?

Wildplaces

😊

pupmom

Paddie, it's because you had a 2 cm. tumor with 2 positive nodes. Oncologists are trying to save lives. It is certainly your choice to refuse treatment, and you may have to because of pre-existing conditions, but the docs are here to keep as many of us as possible alive.

pabbie

Pupmom: thank you.

pupmom

You are welcome sweetie!

Wildplaces

The initial diagnosis node positive was 2008.

And to me it did not come across as you are refusing treatment but struggling with side effects.

A little compassion and an open mind keeps those lines of communication open.

I think anxiety and depression gets underestimated.

I understand you wanting to have some peace over the holidays. I also know that you are wise enough given three brushes with this beast in10 years to return to some form of hormone suppression.😊🌷

dtad

pabbie...I was aware you had mental health struggles before you started treatment. However I thought you were concerned about your symptoms getting worse once you started an aromatase inhibitor. I hope that does not happen! Good luck and keep us posted.

pabbie

in my opinion, because i'm so self-aware of my moods, i feel the ai's and tamoxifen make my mental health problems worse., anxiety and depression.

the onc's, at least the ones i've dealt with, don't fully understand depression or anxiety, they only want to kill the cancer cells.

This is my 4th cancer dx., colo-rectal in 1999., so I'm getting tired of all the cancer crapola i have to deal with.

i hope i'm explaining myself fully. take care to all.