Choosing Radiation over Tamoxofin....anyone else

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KConner
KConner Member Posts: 1
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Hi ladies...I'm 47 years old and diagnosed with DCIS in April 2013. I had a lumpectomy in May and am half way through radiation. My BS said My DCIS was only in two ducts and less than 1mm each. She also mentioned she found nothing else in the tissue, great margins. I opted to get the radiation. However I'm terrified of the Tamoxofin, which is most likely going to be recommended once i meet with my oncologist, because im receptor positive. I was not able to tolerate the birth control pill in my younger years because of my history of depression, I am on lexapro and have been on some kind of antidepressant for almost 18 years. Having read the potential side effects I fear taking a dive emotionally and mentally. Has anyone else made the tough decision to do radiation and opt out of taking Tamoxofin ?

Thanks for any thoughts and stories....

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited June 2013

    I did both.  So far, I've not experienced any serious side effects from the tamoxifen and my skin healed beautifully from the radiation.

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  • Cuetang
    Cuetang Member Posts: 575
    edited June 2013

    I didn't have radiation and so far tamoxifen isn't as bad as I thought. Could you give tamoxifen a try if it's recommended and only stop if you do have SEs that you can't stand?

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited June 2013

    You might give it a try just to see how it works out - some people have no SEs at all, truly.



    But if you cannot tolerate it, if this makes you feel better, I personally know two women who could not take tamoxifen because of other health issues, and both are several years out and doing just fine.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited July 2013

    I did not have DCIS but I did have a very low oncotype score. Initially when I tried tamoxifen I started Celexa a day earlier.  I had some pretty severe side effects, but I know now that at least some of them were from the Celexa. I did not take T for a year. I tell you the worse side-effect for ME of NOT taking tamoxifen was knowing that I had not done all I could to prevent a recurrence. A year after dx I tried Tamoxifen again, but I did not make any change to my antidepressant, because I didn't know if I could do T. ( I was on 40 mg prozac). Amazingly I had few side effects, mainly night sweats, that have improved greatly. After I was settled in the Tamoxifen (about 10 days) my onco put me on 37.5 mg of Effexor for hot flashes and depression. It has worked out well. I agree that it can't hurt to try, and you might be surprised.

    Edited to add: Often times after active treatment ends, our emotions take a nose dive (PTSD). You might want to delay trying tamoxifen (If and when you decide to try it) until you feel really strong and any possible signs of PTS are gone or at least recognizable. Also I think Lexapro is OK to use with Tamoxifen. Check with the doc on that.

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