Tamoxifen side effects after stopping effexor

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spookisgirl
spookisgirl Member Posts: 96
edited November 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

Hi Ladies,

I am hoping someone might be able to help. I have been on tamoxifen about 6 months now and it has been my second try to take it. The first time I took it I lasted only 2 weeks and had to stop due to side effects to the point I could barely get out of bed. As I had been having intense hot flashes since chemo a year before, my oncologist decided to put me on effexor to control the hot flashes and menopause symptoms before trying tamoxifen again. After two months of 4 months of effexor I started the tamoxifen again, first at 1/2 dose then full dose 2 weeks later. I started to experience bad side effects from the effexor, so in consult with my oncologist I started to wean off it very gradually. As I had been taking tamoxifen for more than 3 months at that point and most of the side effects seemed to have passed, I didn't give much thought to tamoxifen side effects. I stopped taking the effexor almost 2 weeks ago and experienced intense withdrawal symptoms. They seemed to pass for a couple days, then I started experiencing intense nausea, headaches,muscle and joint pain, bloating, heartburn, and emotional episodes.

I am wondering if anyone else stopped effexor while on tamoxifen without moving to another anti-depressant, and if they started experiencing side effects from tamoxifen when they stopped? If you did, did they ever go away? Did you ever 'adjust'?

It's been a week and I feel like I did the first time I started on tamoxifen. I don't want to go back on the effexor (it seems to only cause more side effects), and I don't want to go on another drug that might cause more side effects. I am willing to try to put up with the side effects if it is a matter of waiting the 3 months for my body to adjust, but since I have been on tamoxifen for 6 months already, I am not sure if that is likely.

After chemo, radiation, surgery, I finally got back to work full time and now it looks like I am going to have to go on sick leave again. I would really like to avoid that, but at this point I can't tell if this is side effects from the effexor withdrawal or the tamoxifen, and would appreciate anything anyone can offer.

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

    I weaned off Effexor while on Tamoxifen by taking out an extra five little balls out each week. It took a long time but it was not that difficult. I stayed off it for a couple month but I just like being on it, I am less edgy and happier. I'm back to 75 mg. I started and stopped T a couple times. It seems to affect my Achilles' tendon, and after seven months that has improved this time around. I take all sorts of things to combat the joint stuff - clairitin, magnesium, glucosamine Chrondroitin. Exercise helps with my moods, too. I hope you find some peace soon.

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  • spookisgirl
    spookisgirl Member Posts: 96
    edited November 2016

    Thanks, I am very active and a competitive dancer, and exercise is on thing I find that helps. I am also on Glucosamine, vit D, Calcium, omega 3-6-9 and a multi-vitamin. I am thinking of asking my oncologist for a tamoxifen break as at this point I don't know what is being caused by the tamoxifen, what is ongoing chemo side effects, and what might just something else altogether. I just know I can't live and function like this. I feel like I have no control over anything in my life, despite trying to regain it for more than 18 months now. It's just one thing after another.

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