has anyone experienced anxiety and panic attacks on tamoxifen

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daisydoo100
daisydoo100 Member Posts: 13
edited October 2014 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I've been on tamoxifen for about a month now and lately my anxiety has been through the roof. I cry all the time I feel depressed and I've been having anxiety attacks almost every day :(  I've had anxiety issues like this before but nothing like this. Could this be the tamoxifen ? Has anyone else experienced this ? Please tell me I'm not crazy or alone

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  • edwards750
    edwards750 Member Posts: 3,761
    edited September 2014

    I take Tamoxifen 2 almost 4 years now. No you aren't crazy; definitely a side effect. Talk to your doctor about an anti-anxiety med. The problem with Tamoxifen is there are only a few anxiety meds you can take because the vast majority of them diminish the power of the drug. No walk in the park but good sure outweighs the bad. 

    Diane 

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  • Sam2U
    Sam2U Member Posts: 233
    edited September 2014


    Right there with you.  I haven't had bad side effects but anxiety is an issue--I have never had that problem so it's all new for me.

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  • Oncearunneralwaysarunner
    Oncearunneralwaysarunner Member Posts: 252
    edited September 2014

    ditto on the anxiety! I've been taking a tamoxifen break for about 7 weeks trying to sort out where my side effects were coming from. My anxiety dropped considerably after I stopped tamoxifen. I'm supposed to go back on but I'm waiting because I don't want to deal with the added anxiety during a highly stressful time in my life. I'll talk with my MO about it when I see him in a few weeks. 

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  • FeelingtheMagic
    FeelingtheMagic Member Posts: 155
    edited October 2014

    I had anxiety and depression, up and down,  for the first several months. Was also doing herceptin and docs blamed the anxiety and depression on that. Anxiety continued though after herceptin ended. Took a short break of 5 days (without doctors orders), then went back on, and  things improved after. When I told onc, he said he would have taken me off for a month, but if 5 days made a difference, good. I've heard a few times that taking a break makes a difference for others.  Worth enquiring with your oncologist. I also had an integrative cancer care doctor who prescribed supplements based on my symptoms, my blood work, and the drugs I was on.  I'm pretty sure all of that got me through the hard parts better than anything else I did. Also worth enquiring!   Good wishes... and remember, this too shall pass. ~smile~  

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