Tamoxifen and anxiety

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Runner81
Runner81 Member Posts: 33
edited December 2016 in Hormonal Therapy - Before, During, and After

I am wondering if anyone else has experienced severe anxiety with taking tamoxifen. I have been on tamoxifen for about 1-1/2 years, and I think I have been experiencing severe anxiety as a result. This has been increasing as time goes on. Before the tamoxifen I was really never anxious. I am getting to the point where I am going to have to seek another drug to counteract this or I am going to have to quit with the tamoxifen. Any others out there who have experienced this?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited December 2016

    Hi Runner,

    We're so sorry you're dealing with this common side effect of many hormonal therapies, including tamoxifen. While you wait for some helpful answers from others who are also experiencing this, you may want to check out the main Breastcancer.org site's page on Anxiety, which lists some suggestions to talk to your doctor about, as well as some complementary and traditional ways to help manage this side effect.

    We hope this helps!

    --The Mods

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  • Michelle_in_cornland
    Michelle_in_cornland Member Posts: 1,689
    edited December 2016

    It might be the Tamoxifen, or it could be the combination of chemo and tamoxifen. You might need a professional diagnosis, but I think an anti anxiety med would help. Your hormones are probably going up and down, causing highs and lows.

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  • tangandchris
    tangandchris Member Posts: 1,855
    edited December 2016

    I had a terrible time with anxiety and depression while taking Tamoxifen. I personally knew I wouldn't be able to keep taking the medication as it was affecting me in severe way. I don't know how common this SE is, but I know that other sisters here have reported similar trouble. I suggest talking to your doctor about it and see what might be done to help you out. You don't have to suffer with that ((hugs))

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  • labelle
    labelle Member Posts: 721
    edited December 2016

    I've struggled with anxiety for years so it is hard to blame it all on Tamoxifen, but I do believe the Tamoxifen I take is making my anxiety worse and panic attacks more frequent, although this side effect seems to come and go as do many of Tamoxifen's side effects. I now have weeks where I am relying upon Xanax daily and then I'll be fine for awhile. Because my anxiety has always come and gone, I've resisted taking medications for it that require daily dosing and Xanax has always worked pretty well for me, but it does limit some of my activities (driving and Xanax do not mix, at least for me). Years ago I used Paxil for awhile, but it didn't really do much for me and is not recommended if you are using Tamoxifen.

    Anyway, hoping the increased anxiety I'm associating with Tamoxifen use will pass, as did the recurrent yeast infections and acne I experienced when I first started using it and the hormonal kind of blues I was experiencing awhile back (crying/weepiness reminiscent of how I felt when pregnant). Seems like when one SE ends another begins.

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  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited December 2016

    I also had these symptoms - exactly as labelle described with the crying and depression. It motivated me to try another treatment option as I was age 50 and premenopause.

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  • Runner81
    Runner81 Member Posts: 33
    edited December 2016

    Can you tell me what your other "treatment option" was?


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  • cp418
    cp418 Member Posts: 7,079
    edited December 2016

    I requested an ooph to switch to AI - Femara. I did not want monthly injections of Lupron or other drug for ovarian suppression. My MO did not/would not do hormone level testing at that time. So after 4 months of taking Tamoxifen and approx 3 months post ooph procedure I switched to Femara. I was on hormone therapy for 10 years and just ended 2 weeks ago.

    Also, I had a strong family hx of strokes and uterine fibroids which was another major reason why I did not want to stay on Tamoxifen.

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