Tamoxifen and antidepressants

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I am having a terrible time attempting to get on the drug tamoxifen. I have tried it twice in different ways and both times went directly into depression. I have never had depression and now have immense compassion for people who suffer from that disease. Off tamoxifen I am totally fine- happy even. I have a beautiful life and family with lots of support. I’m trying to get on an anti depressant to help me tolerate the tamoxifen. So far I have tried effexor without success. I am on remeron and feel like a zombie. I am super sensitive to these drugs. I’m really close to just moving on with my life without anti hormonal therapy. I had stage 1, grade 1 onc score 12. Any advice appreciated. Tha

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  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 868
    edited September 2018

    try Trintellix

  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited September 2018

    Have you asked your oncologist about alternatives to tamoxifen?

  • Margaret22
    Margaret22 Member Posts: 12
    edited September 2018

    I have inquired and the next step is quite aggressive for me. She offered to put me in menopause with a shot of lucerne(I believe) once a month then over time starting the AI's. Perhaps later removing my ovaries. It's just a lot for me to consider. I'm trying to do this first- I guess.

  • Margaret22
    Margaret22 Member Posts: 12
    edited September 2018

    could you elaborate on the trintillex recommendation? Did this help you

  • mharte88
    mharte88 Member Posts: 4
    edited November 2018

    Hello,

    Just a small background information, 14 years ago I gave up my full time job (which I loved) and as they asked me to, moved in with my 21 year old daughter and her husband, who was 15 years older, to help initially with her having her first baby. I knew from the moment I went ahead with it, that the decision was flawed. My second marriage after 10 years was fracturing and this move, which my husband couldn't wait to happen, finished it off. I love my son in law, still do, very much, but see now, it was his "insurance" against this marriage to my daughter failing. He had walked away from his first marriage. I got ill, to the point I could not put one foot in front of the other, which turned out to be clinical depression. My daughter reacted very badly to it, got angry, I just caved into a person who sat for hours doing jigsaws. My only relief was when I was with my wonderful new born grandson.

    I am only saying this so you know, I know what depression is. I am now 73, three years ago the Effexor "wore off" and the dose was immediately doubled, so you see I cannot be without it and I am very wary of going down that road again. I live alone now am very happy. In May I found the lump, which I had been in fear of finding all my adult life. I was lucky it was estrogen fed and after the operation my margins were clear and I had no spread into the lymph nodes. Both my girls, who previously had been emotionally unavailable to me, were amazing and still are, now very close phoning every day.

    It then came to radiation therapy, which I was determined not to have as it was the left side therefore respitory gating was employed and the thought that later it could damage the heart and maybe other organs. But I also could see the benefit of having peace of mind, for the foreseeable future and my family begged me as did my surgeon, to have it.

    Then we come to Anastrozole. I took for one day - and wham I was back to depression, feeling sick, and the thought of being on it for the rest of my life, I am sorry - I took my own decision, and have never taken it since. I have to have quality of life. I am sober 30 years, but that takes a mental balance, I cannot afford to lose. So I told no one. I looked up this forum, only this forum, and am sharing this with you as it is safe. Nothing from the moment I found that lump was my decision. I was still on HRT at 73, to help with migraines, I had to come off suddenly - it was like coming off crack. So I felt I did the one thing that was causing the cancer. If it returns, I am looking at bi-lateral surgery.. I am aware of that and no reconstruction. But that too is my decision. This was not gene related, so my daughters and their daughter are safe. It simply comes down to common sense. I do not recommend this, but one of the group said she reacted totally to any medication, so do I. I have not found many women who have said no, so perhaps they feel it is private to them. But I have, my quality of life is of paramount importance to me. It is to me, easy for medical people to pop you on these pills, but would it be a different story it they were the person taking them. I am so grateful to have a voice, here, sorry for a long explanation, but it is not a straightforward subject. Good luck to everyone in this position.

  • Margaret22
    Margaret22 Member Posts: 12
    edited November 2018

    thank you for sharing your story mharte88. I appreciate it immensely.i am glad to hear you are happy and have found out what works for you. I’m on antidepressant number 3 at a low,low dose. This is my final attempt to see if I can get to a point that tamoxifen can be attempted again. Not feeling very optimistic as I feel awful on these drugs and not sure all of these se are worth it. I am 43 yo and want to protect myself from a recurrence but I want to live my life too! So tricky. I am happy you found s forum to share your experiences. Please keep sharing. Take care

  • Tresjoli2
    Tresjoli2 Member Posts: 868
    edited November 2018

    Margaret trintellix works really well...talk to a psychopharmacologist..they can help...

  • Ashweb901
    Ashweb901 Member Posts: 67
    edited November 2018

    hi, all - I’m staring down the nose of anchoice between tamoxifen or an AI. MO #2 picked tamo for me bc I’m thin and family history of osteoporosis, personal history of osteopenia.

    I also have a history of major depression that peaked two years ago 6-7 months after hysterectomy. I kept my ovaries but their main blood supply via uterus was gone so They tanked. I was taking Prozac for 18 years and Wellbutrin for at least 10.

    I take Effexor now and nobody ever took me off Wellbutrin, so if I take tamo I have to taper off Wellbutrin. My psychiatrist moved to California so I’m kind of high and dry.

    Happy to hear about trintillex. No doctor has offered any alternatives. Thank goodness for fellow patients

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