Femara and antidepressants

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Ontariomare
Ontariomare Member Posts: 1
edited June 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Have scanned a lot of the comments, and as predicted , lot of the SE are joint related. I took Tamoxifen 2.5 yrs , started on Letrozole/Femara abt8 weeks ago. Understand new protocol bec femara , & other aromatase inhibitors work better than tamoxifen...in higher risk cases especially.

SE not too bad GENERALLY, mild joint pain, hair loss, waking during night, mild hot flashes.BUT have REALLY suffered w depression mood swings. Just feel AWFUL  ..they are up & down. Really have trouble coping. Have tried exercise( but we can always do more, LOL)Some self Cog behaviour therapy, & some supplements. VIT B, D, just started Magesium and OMEGA 3.

My concernis that taking an anti depressant will interfere w effectiveness of Letrozole.. There is a definite interaction w Tamoxifen...so...

1) has anyone usedOMEGA 3 or supplements that  have actually  helped w Depression??

2) what anti depressants are being taken w Letrozole, & does anyone know of interactions that dr told them abt..suspect they may not know!!! . Have taken EFFEXOR in past. It does work, but hard drug to get on , & off of.

THANKS for any input, ideas, or suggestions...

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  • KiwiCatMom
    KiwiCatMom Member Posts: 2,553
    edited May 2014

    For what it's worth, I'm on Femara and Prozac (20 mg/day).  The Prozac helps a lot.  I was premenopausal when I was diagnosed with Stage IV (still getting periods), so I was chemically put into menopause and started on Femara the same day.  At any rate, when I asked my oncologist, he said that Femera puts you into (more or less) a zero estrogen state, which causes all the wonderful menopausal symptoms, such as mood swings.  I've been stable (no progression) on Femera for almost 18 months.  And have taken Prozac the entire time.

    The Prozac takes a while to work, but has been really effective for me. I know others on this site who take Femara and Zoloft, Buspar, and other anti-depressants or anti-anxiety meds with no problems.

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  • Valerie5746
    Valerie5746 Member Posts: 111
    edited May 2014

    I am just starting Femara this week but after aromatase inhibitors I suffered from very numbing depression. I am already

    on Celexa from other stuff so I might add something else......maybe a mood stabilizer. I think i am gonna try a clinical trial 

    so I'm gonna try and stick it out. Also, incredible joint pain. Gotta talk to MO about all side effect options tho if this is what 

    keeps us going! I think we need tiny cheerleaders to follow us around!

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