Tamoxifen and Depression

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Vegala
Vegala Member Posts: 1
edited November 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

First time posting but first of all THANK YOU all of you for making me feel just that bit better from expressing your thoughts and feelings, so much appreciated.

I was diagnosed earlier this year at 48, 1a, mostly DCIS with some invasion, 2 areas at 2mm and 7mm. Clear margins after 3 lumpectomies ... wonderful surgeon, too! Completed radiation 3 weeks ago. Oncotype score of 11.

Now its Tamoxifen time and the pharmacy just let me know to come pick it up. I am cautious but willing to give it a go, and will be assessed in 9 weeks. Was told my recurrence chance would go from 10% to 8% over 10 years with the drug.

I read a lot about hot flashes, so am ready to see what happens there. My real fear though is depression, which has been a problem even before diagnosis. Some pre-cancer episodes have been severe. It doesnt help that I work in a city without a support system (friends flew in for surgeries), involving long hours in a tech job where I am only 1 of 2 women in the group. At least the insurance is plush, so there's that.

So with my odds and background, how much space/time/side effect should I give Tamoxifen to be effective? Would love to hear about how any of you with pre-existing or newly arising mental health issues dealt with the hormonal therapy.

So many thanks!




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Comments

  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited November 2016

    I take Effexor along with the Tamoxifen. It helps with hot flashes and evens me out. I've always been prone to depression. I took St John's Wort only pre mx, then crashed after dx with PTSD like symptoms. I do think Tamoxifen exacerbates my tendency toward depression, but I'm slogging it out to five years. Seventeen months to go.

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  • Johnnygirl
    Johnnygirl Member Posts: 25
    edited November 2016

    Vegala - sorry I can't be of help since I haven't started tamoxifen yet but I struggle with depression too so I share your worries.

    Farmer Lucy - that scares me that tamoxifen can exacerbate depression because I am already struggling and on medication for depression. Plus some combination of my dx, bilateral mastectomy, winter coming, and just my natural tendency, has been causing my depression to get worse over the past few weeks. I'm not sure I can handle another factor encouraging the depression. :(

    Currently still deciding if radiation is necessary... But then, ready or not, on tamoxifen I go!

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  • Icantri
    Icantri Member Posts: 93
    edited November 2016

    Ladies, I am with you! I have been on SSRIs for 15 years. Tried so hard several times to do without but they are as much a part of my life as cancer treatment now is.

    I was snooping around here this morning to see if maybe I could even do without Tamoxifen. Not sure a mere 2% reduction rate of recurrence is worth it. Especially since it increases the risk of a different kind of cancer (endometrial). Seems like trading one risk for another

    Also, I have read that ER+/PR+ tends to recur later than other types, more like 5-10 years later, rather than in the first 5. Is that because they typically just use Tamoxifen for 5 years? I would rather know sooner than later if my cancer is going to bloom again so we can stay ahead of it.


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  • farmerlucy
    farmerlucy Member Posts: 3,985
    edited November 2016

    BB - that really is scary.

    My onc was quick to say my initial crash was not from T but offered no help. Since that time oncs are now tasked with addressing the mental side of this dx instead of passing it off to the PCP.

    My onc wants me on HT for ten years but I doubt I'll do it.

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  • Dizzybee
    Dizzybee Member Posts: 142
    edited November 2016

    Vegala, I've been taking Tamoxifen for just over three weeks and have had some difficult patches of depression. It's hard to separate out whether this is down to the drug, or dealing with being diagnosed. The trouble is, I guess as soon as we start a new drug, it becomes very easy to assign any difficulties to the pill. Maybe I would be feeling like this anyway.

    I had a period of depression about twelve years ago, but have been fine for the last ten and haven't taken any antidepressants since then. But if things don't settle down, I will need to look at getting some help with this. I didn't expect any side effects from Tamoxifen because I'm well past the menopause and I had assumed my body was well adjusted to low hormone levels. I haven't noticed any physical side effects.

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  • Dizzybee
    Dizzybee Member Posts: 142
    edited November 2016

    Vegala, I've been taking Tamoxifen for just over three weeks and have had some difficult patches of depression. It's hard to separate out whether this is down to the drug, or dealing with being diagnosed. The trouble is, I guess as soon as we start a new drug, it becomes very easy to assign any difficulties to the pill. Maybe I would be feeling like this anyway.

    I had a period of depression about twelve years ago, but have been fine for the last ten and haven't taken any antidepressants since then. But if things don't settle down, I will need to look at getting some help with this. I didn't expect any side effects from Tamoxifen because I'm well past the menopause and I had assumed my body was well adjusted to low hormone levels. I haven't noticed any physical side effects.

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