Big Problems with Hormone Therapy may just quit!

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RagingReb
RagingReb Member Posts: 3
edited January 2015 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After
Big Problems with Hormone Therapy may just quit!
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  • RagingReb
    RagingReb Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2015

    I hope someone may have a solution to my problem. I was premenopausal when I got cancer in 2010. This is an issue because it prevents me from taking the usual hormone therapies available to postmenopausal women. After chemo and surgery my onc started me on Tamoxifen, but after about 4 months I started bleeding heavily, I had developed cysts on my ovaries. Stopped tamoxifen.

    After some research I suggested that we try a Lupron shot (little did I know they were $4,000 per shot!) which we did and it worked, although my mood was beastial, angry and mad all the time, I hated myself and just wanted to hide away from everyone so I wouldn't hurt them. My onc prescribed these medications to help with my anger issue. They were prescribed individually (not at the same time).

    • citalopram (Celexa)
    • escitalopram (Lexapro)
    • fluoxetine (Prozac)
    • fluvoxamine (Luvox)
    • paroxetine (Paxil)
    • sertraline (Zoloft)
    every single one of these gave me Bruxism so bad my teeth are worn down! I can NOT take them!
    My new onc, after consulting with an OB suggested that since I had been on hormone therapy for nearly 4 years that maybe I could try Tamoxifen again. So I am trying that again, but it is only day 2 and I am getting snippy.
    I would rather die than have my children remember mom as a bitch.
    I have considered an oophorectomy, but what if THAT makes me as much of a bitch as Lupron and Tamoxifen? It is a permanent action that I can not take back!
    Is anybody in the same boat, where the antidepressants are not feasible??

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  • erinm216
    erinm216 Member Posts: 126
    edited January 2015

    Sorry Reb.

    I was the same exact way when I was on Arimidex. I seriously thought I was nuts. It tooks a team of Dr's to get me on track.

    I had a therapist, a Psychiatrist and my oncologist all working on getting me better. I have to take a mixture of two Anti Depressants and switched the AI and am much, much better.

    Please don't give up. I know it is hard ( I wanted to just die) but just keep being your own best advocate for change. You shouldnt have to live miserably

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited January 2015

    I had big issues with Celexa but none with Effexor.

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  • RagingReb
    RagingReb Member Posts: 3
    edited January 2015

    What were the issues you had with Celexa? Do you know what the difference between the two are? I can take about 3 doses and my jaw starts to tighten.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2015

    RagingReb, we are so sorry to hear about what you are going through. Sounds like you may want to set up a meeting with a psychiatrist who knows the ins and outs of the medications. However, Effexor is a different class of medication than Celexa.

    We found this on the Mayo site though, and thought this could be helpful: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depr...

    Types of antidepressants

    Certain brain chemicals called neurotransmitters are associated with depression — particularly serotonin (ser-o-TOE-nin), norepinephrine (nor-ep-ih-NEF-rin) and dopamine (DOE-puh-meen). Most antidepressants relieve depression by affecting these neurotransmitters. Each type (class) of antidepressant affects these neurotransmitters in slightly different ways.

    Many types of antidepressant medications are available to treat depression, including those below. Discuss possible major side effects with your doctor or pharmacist.

    • Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Doctors often start by prescribing an SSRI. These medications are safer and generally cause fewer bothersome side effects than other types of antidepressants. SSRIs include fluoxetine (Prozac, Selfemra), paroxetine (Paxil, Pexeva), sertraline (Zoloft), citalopram (Celexa) and escitalopram (Lexapro).
    • Serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs).Examples of SNRI medications include duloxetine (Cymbalta), venlafaxine (Effexor XR), desvenlafaxine (Pristiq, Khedezla) and levomilnacipran (Fetzima).
    • Norepinephrine and dopamine reuptake inhibitors (NDRIs). Bupropion (Wellbutrin, Aplenzin, Forfivo XL) falls into this category. It's one of the few antidepressants not frequently associated with sexual side effects.
    • Atypical antidepressants. These medications don't fit neatly into any of the other antidepressant categories. They include trazodone (Oleptro), mirtazapine (Remeron) and vortioxetine (Brintellix). Both are sedating and usually taken in the evening. A newer medication called vilazodone (Viibryd) is thought to have a low risk of sexual side effects.
    • Tricyclic antidepressants. Tricyclic antidepressants — such as imipramine (Tofranil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), amitriptyline, doxepin, trimipramine (Surmontil), desipramine (Norpramin) and protriptyline (Vivactil) — tend to cause more side effects than newer antidepressants. So tricyclic antidepressants generally aren't prescribed unless you've tried an SSRI first without improvement.
    • Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs). MAOIs — such as tranylcypromine (Parnate), phenelzine (Nardil) and isocarboxazid (Marplan) — may be prescribed, often when other medications haven't worked, because they can have serious side effects. Using an MAOI requires a strict diet because of dangerous (or even deadly) interactions with foods ― such as certain cheeses, pickles and wines ― and some medications, including birth control pills, decongestants and certain herbal supplements. Selegiline (Emsam), a newer MAOI that you stick on your skin as a patch, may cause fewer side effects than other MAOIs. These medications can't be combined with SSRIs.
    • Other medications. Other medications may be added to an antidepressant to enhance antidepressant effects. Your doctor may recommend combining two antidepressants or medications such as mood stabilizers or antipsychotics. Anti-anxiety and stimulant medications might also be added for short-term use.
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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited January 2015

    I think Celexa made me feel like everything was buzzing. I started it and Tamoxifen at the same time and I had massive headaches and HF. I now think I was suffering from PTSD and globulus hystericus cause I felt like my throat was closing. We had a discussion about that on another thread. Search throat closing. I'll try to attach the link.

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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited January 2015

    found it!

    https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/78/topic/...


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