Anti-depressant Advice

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laurakay
laurakay Member Posts: 109
edited June 2014 in DCIS (Ductal Carcinoma In Situ)

Along with bc, depression runs in the family, and when I was 30 I discovered prozac, which I've taken in low doses off and on ever since.  I'm 48.  Now, after all this, I finally got around to googling "Prozac, Breast Cancer" and find that there's an association, albeit in rodents.  I immediately tossed the prozac, but I also really don't want to get depressed, especially after a double-mastectomy!  Have others read about this?  Do you have any advice?  It's bad enough thinking I could have brought this on myself in the first place, but if I had a recurrence, I really wouldn't want to think it wasn't because I continued to take Prozac when really I don't have any severe forms of depression, and never really have.  Still, I'm already missing it...

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  • AnneW
    AnneW Member Posts: 4,050
    edited April 2010

    Lauarakay, respectfully, if you tossed everything out of your life that had a possible association to breast cancer, life would be pretty bleak. Did you over-react? I don't know. What I  do know is that with any choices we make, we need to weigh the risks against the benefits. If Prozac gives you a better quality of life, and you never recur, then bingo--! If it gives you a better quality of life and you DO recur, will you forever beat yourself up, or will you say, "I may have recurred, but I lived the past years depression free, and who really knows why I recurred."??

    My motto is to live for what's going on today, and I'll deal with what happens tomorrow. It works for me that way. You'll have to figure out what works for you.

    Good luck,

    Anne

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  • mom3band1g
    mom3band1g Member Posts: 817
    edited April 2010

    Rock and a hard place for sure.  What about talking to a med oncologist?  I myself have hormone issues and have been taking progesterone.  My cancer is er/pr+.....you see my dilemma?  I do have an apt with a med onc and will def be asking about my hormones.

    You just can't play the 'what if' game...you'll drive yourself mad. 

    Thinking of you,

    kathy

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  • iHEARTu
    iHEARTu Member Posts: 213
    edited April 2010
    Hello Laura-

    I've heard that Prozac interferes with tamoxifen? If Prozac was related to BC, my guess we'd hear about it more since so many people are on Prozac. I was asked by all Drs what medications I was taking and one of them was Prozac (I also have anxiety/depression). Thinking about the possibility risks to BC, all the Drs would have said to check with my provider to see what medication would be just as effective if there was a connection to BC. Just my two thoughts?

    Also, like Anne was saying about weighing out the risks is a decision you need to make. If I didn't have my medication, my anxiety would return. Your state of mind so to speak is crucial to your recovery. If you have any questions or concerns, just call your Drs office and talking to them might make you feel better?

    Good luck and and hope you feel better soon about your decision:)

    -catherine

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  • dsj
    dsj Member Posts: 277
    edited April 2010

    Well, I have just gotten back from an appointment with my oncologist where we talked about this very issue, except my anti-depressant is zoloft.  Zoloft (and I think prozac) interfere with tamoxifen so if you take that, you will need to shift.  He said he recommended effexor, but I need to talk that over with my physician who manages my depression and anxiety drugs.  But I would only have to get off zoloft if I were to take tamoxifen; there was no talk of it being in any way dangerous--just that it lessens the effects of tamoxifen.

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  • IronJawedBCAngel
    IronJawedBCAngel Member Posts: 470
    edited April 2010

    You do need to be careful with anti-depressants that block the effectiveness of tamoxifen.  In some studies the use of the moderate to potent CYP2D6 inhibitors such as paxil, prozac and zoloft  doubled your risk of recurrance because they block your ability to metabolize the tamoxifen, rendering it useless.  The anti depressant Effexor is rated as the safest, along with Celexa, Lexapro and Luvox. There are many doctors who are completely unaware of the dangerous potential of interaction of these drugs.  If you absolutely want to stay with an anti-depressant that is known to be a problem, you could consider either chemically or surgically shutting down your ovaries and taking an aromatase inhibitor.  Definitely talk to your oncologist about this.

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