Cancer Survivors Network

i have been taking it for 2 months and in the begining it was just *****iness but today it is a terible depresion and i am not usually one to get depressed. i am just hoping that it does not last.

I didn't put 2 and 2 together at the time, but it was about a month into the Tamoxifen that I gor horribly depressed... The doc put me on 'Happy Pills' (zoloft) and I am still on them. Hey they work.
Hugs Jxxxxxxx

That is one of the side effects it seems with tamoxifen for some. Talk to your oncologist about it. I think there are 3 antidepressants that you may be able to take that are safe with tamoxifen. See if one of them might help you.

Do I have this right?... mood swings, depression, dry and itchy private areas, cataracts, blood clots, and uterine cancers are all the result of Tamoxifen sitting in what would usually be estrogen receptor sites?

All these body parts are affected in order to block estrogen from reaching possible cancer cells in my breasts?

Is this the best that we can expect?

The last thing I want to do is take more meds to counteract the effects of the first meds. I just want to scream THIS IS BULL***T and go about my normal business.

Wait, wait, .. hey, is this a mood swing?

Tamoxifen does come to some with a lot or a few se's. Talk to your oncologist if you find some unbearable. There are several things your doctor can do to help you with it. Good luck!

my recent experience
Hi,

I just wanted to share my experience with tamoxifen and depression....
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Was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma stage 1a E+/P+/Her2- in August. Node negative. I have been on lexapro for 8 years and it has worked great. After completion of radiation in November, has to switch from lexapro to effexor, so that I could take the tamoxifen.

Started on a low dose of effexor. Around the holidays, I was a little blue, then in February, started having bizarre thoughts about losing my job, my home, all my money and living out of my car. Even thoughts of suicide. It was very frightening to me, since my depression was managed so well for so many years.

Left 2 calls with my onc about this, and finally, stopped taking the tamoxifen. I went to see the onc, and he asked me about the symptoms. When I mentioned passing thoughts of suicide, it was all over. They had a guard take me to the ER, confiscated my clothes, and committed me via a section(title) 12 or pink slip to the psych ward. I was stunned. I thought I could talk my way out of the situation.

Was in-patient psych for 6 days. They upped my effexor. That was almost a month ago. I am still trying to recover from the depression. I need to go back to the onc, but the question I have is - was it the low dose of effexor, or was it the tamoxifen? As you can imagine, I am petrified of the tamoxifen after that experience. Any ideas on what you would do in a similar situation? Thanks

That is so astoundingly horrible, sounds positively 19th century! I"m so sorry this happened to you, and I so appreciate you telling us, the s-word is to be avoided!!!!
I sure hope things are going better now! I might have done exactly the same thing, Is there really anyone in treatment for cancer that hasn't occasionally wondered if this is really worth it?