Depression and Tamoxifen

monkeyboymommy

I'm new to this web site, but I sure am glad that its here. I've just been having a terrible time this last week. And today, I know for sure, because I know the feeling, I know that I am depressed. I could cry at the drop of a hat, or less. For the last year (9 months actually) since I had my last surgery, I was believing that I had beat this thing. I've done everything that I was supposed to, I had biopsies, surgeries, radiation and now I am taking tamoxifen supposedly for the next five years. But somehow, now I feel like I haven't beaten anything. This "thing" looms over my head, its with me everyday, and I just feel blue. I have been reading alot about tamoxifen and I have learned that it also causes blood clots on the lungs. Well, how about this one, my asthma has been dormant for a long time, but for the last two weeks, I am having so much trouble breathing. I am going to see my onco this week, guess I'll be giving him an earful. Anyone else with tamoxifen related depression? Misery loves company, join me.
Lori

PageT

Hi Lori!My name is Page and I finished my chemo the end of December. I start taking tamoxifen soon. Is it really that bad? I wish I could make you smile - think about positive things..........pray!!

sassysally

Hi, I was on tamoifen for 7 years, my oncologist believes that you should stay on always. The depression that you feel is from the cancer, and asking "Why Me" I know, I have had breast cancer 3 times now since the age of 28, and am now 41. The thought of cancer is always in the back of your mind, but you can't let it overtake your life. If you do, it will kill you or drive you insane. You have beaten this disease, and yes, forever every ache and pain will make you panic and say to yorself " Oh, God is it Cancer again?" I still have those times after 13 years, but you have to trust in your doctors, you gut instinct ( you know when something is wrong) and have faith that it will be ok and is nothing to worry about.I know that this is difficult, and not the easiest thing to do, but if you continually let cancer run your life, it will be more than happy to ablige. You have beaten your cancer, put the issue of it back where it belongs, and live your life.... Your are a Survivor!!!!! Want to talk, anytime Thanks for sharing your emotions and thoughts with the rest of us. We are all there with you and have all come out the other side.

sandytrif525

Dear Lori, Hi I have been living with cancer for about a year and a half. So much has happened in that time, but the one thing that has not changed is the fact that The Lord loves me and gives me strength. Whenever I feel scared I lean on Him and in His arms. He gives me peace. No one is given more than today, so use today for all it is worth. I have been on TAmoxifen for the past year. I haven't gotten depressed from it. I think it is the cancer too. You have to let it go and start living again. It isn't always easy. When I think of my children and maybe not being there for them, I get sad. But then I say, what am I doing today for them. Something that they will remember. I will keep you in my prayers. strifiletti@safeplac.net if you ever want to talk. sandy

kamehameha6470

Absolutely, Lori. I had such severe depression, that friends began to worry about me. I was able to joke with the nurses and doctors through all my treatments, but once I was done and the tamoxifen was in my system, I couldn't even laugh. I acted in ways that made me feel like I was having out of body experiences. I had highs and lows which could happen in a blink of an eye. And the worst part was my short fuse with my children. Once that started to happen, I took myself off the tamoxifen. I went off for a month, then I saw the cancer councelor at the center. I felt like the weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

A month later, I am slowly being weaned onto the drug. I'm taking about 5 mg, and guess what? All the old symptoms are coming back even with such a low dose, which the doc said could happen. We're going to give this thing a last try, and then we'll put our heads together and think of another plan of attack.

You are not alone, and you are not going loony. I can't tell you how many stories I've read about this reaction or how many people I've chatted with who've suffered too. Talk with your doc and discuss your options. And if their is a councelor where you went for treatments, see him or her. You won't believe how sympathetic they are, or how much better you'll feel afterward. Maybe, it's not just the meds, it could be that you and I suffer from battle fatigue and we just need a little help.

Good luck, and God bless. If you need to chat with someone who can relate, please email me anytime.

Aloha,
Sonja

marytres

Hi Lori, I'm a 3 year survivor. No, it's not the tamoxifen that makes you depressed but it's the cancer. I've been trying to get over my depression too and have tried several meds that the oncologist prescribed but they make me sick so I just have to work it out for myself. Hang in there, it'll get better even though the depression comes back time to time. I switched to Arimidex, have been on it for a year. Find it better. I'll keep you in my prayers, Hugs, Marie

monkeyboymommy

PageT said:

Hi Lori!My name is Page and I finished my chemo the end of December. I start taking tamoxifen soon. Is it really that bad? I wish I could make you smile - think about positive things..........pray!!

Thanks for your prayers Page. I am feeling better now, don't know what happened, I am not usually that down. It's passing and I see my onco today. Is it really that bad, well, let's put it this way, its a very strong drug/chemical and my body is very sensitive. I would say that I am experiencing most of the side effects that you've probably heard about. Let me know how it goes.
Lori

monkeyboymommy

sassysally said:

Hi, I was on tamoifen for 7 years, my oncologist believes that you should stay on always. The depression that you feel is from the cancer, and asking "Why Me" I know, I have had breast cancer 3 times now since the age of 28, and am now 41. The thought of cancer is always in the back of your mind, but you can't let it overtake your life. If you do, it will kill you or drive you insane. You have beaten this disease, and yes, forever every ache and pain will make you panic and say to yorself " Oh, God is it Cancer again?" I still have those times after 13 years, but you have to trust in your doctors, you gut instinct ( you know when something is wrong) and have faith that it will be ok and is nothing to worry about.I know that this is difficult, and not the easiest thing to do, but if you continually let cancer run your life, it will be more than happy to ablige. You have beaten your cancer, put the issue of it back where it belongs, and live your life.... Your are a Survivor!!!!! Want to talk, anytime Thanks for sharing your emotions and thoughts with the rest of us. We are all there with you and have all come out the other side.

Thanks for your Sass Sally. I really appreciated what you shared with me. The other day I was letting the cancer rule my life, something that I have never really done before. I am grateful that that blue feeling has passed and I am feeling better. But I am experiencing a lot of the side effects. Yes, I would like to talk. Especially because I haven't been able to join a group for breast cancer survivors/patients. Your words really helped, thatnks a lot.
Lori email me at lorisue@earthlink.net

monkeyboymommy

kamehameha6470 said:

Absolutely, Lori. I had such severe depression, that friends began to worry about me. I was able to joke with the nurses and doctors through all my treatments, but once I was done and the tamoxifen was in my system, I couldn't even laugh. I acted in ways that made me feel like I was having out of body experiences. I had highs and lows which could happen in a blink of an eye. And the worst part was my short fuse with my children. Once that started to happen, I took myself off the tamoxifen. I went off for a month, then I saw the cancer councelor at the center. I felt like the weight had been lifted off my shoulders.

A month later, I am slowly being weaned onto the drug. I'm taking about 5 mg, and guess what? All the old symptoms are coming back even with such a low dose, which the doc said could happen. We're going to give this thing a last try, and then we'll put our heads together and think of another plan of attack.

You are not alone, and you are not going loony. I can't tell you how many stories I've read about this reaction or how many people I've chatted with who've suffered too. Talk with your doc and discuss your options. And if their is a councelor where you went for treatments, see him or her. You won't believe how sympathetic they are, or how much better you'll feel afterward. Maybe, it's not just the meds, it could be that you and I suffer from battle fatigue and we just need a little help.

Good luck, and God bless. If you need to chat with someone who can relate, please email me anytime.

Aloha,
Sonja

Sonja:

Thanks for your reply. As I said, misery loves company. I know that what I am feeling is the tamoxifen. Some days are better than others. The last 10 days however have been like a battle. You are so right on with your thoughts and comments. I cannot believe that you came off the tamoxifen, I am too frightened to do that. I am seeing my onco today and I will discuss it with him. He and I agreed that I would stay on it for as long as tolerable, considering that he would give me "band-aids" for the side effects. My latest band-aid has been lasix, for water retention. I am so glad that I found this web site and all you people. For the last year I can't really explain how I've been feeling and then just like that I plunged down deep. Yes, my mother was so concerned, that perhaps I was gonna quit the fight. Well that will never happen, because I am a fighter, but sometimes I just get so tired of fighting.
Thanks for your thoughts and prayers, you are in mine as well.

ksfc

From what I've read here before, I think there are many of us that take anti-depressents to help us cope with the side effects of cancer and tamoxifen whether it be hot flashes or depression.
I've been taking Celexa since the beginning of all of this and I think it has really helped. Diane

monkeyboymommy

ksfc said:

From what I've read here before, I think there are many of us that take anti-depressents to help us cope with the side effects of cancer and tamoxifen whether it be hot flashes or depression.
I've been taking Celexa since the beginning of all of this and I think it has really helped. Diane

Hello toeveryone who replied to my message. I am so grateful for the support. I am feeling a bit better, since the onco prescribed yet another antidepressant to go with the wellbutrin I am already taking. I was taking Celexa too, but one of the side effects is weight gain, so I gave it up for the wellbutrin.
Right now, between the chemobrain that I am feeling and the new drug I am semi whacky. Amazing that I can get anything done at work. My concentration isn't what it used to be.
Everyone keeps saying that it isn't the tamoxifen that its the cancer that is making me feel depressed. Perhaps that is true. But I have gone for some healing prayers, and I am beginning to feel better.
Thanks - All
Lori

hpratt2002

marytres said:

Hi Lori, I'm a 3 year survivor. No, it's not the tamoxifen that makes you depressed but it's the cancer. I've been trying to get over my depression too and have tried several meds that the oncologist prescribed but they make me sick so I just have to work it out for myself. Hang in there, it'll get better even though the depression comes back time to time. I switched to Arimidex, have been on it for a year. Find it better. I'll keep you in my prayers, Hugs, Marie

Hi, I'm a cancer surviror for 5 yrs now. My dr. put me on tamoxifen and I took it for 5 yrs. I'm not sure if it was the meds or the cancer that put my life in such a state. When I was told that I had cancer I was by myself. Before returning home I had to stop and cry and try to be strong for when I told my family. After returning home I told my husband and of course he was shocked. My husband is a very loving husband but he felt that by not talking about it would would go away and of course it didn't..I tried to tell him several times how scared I was but he would tell me what do you expect me to do. I understand that that he was probaly scared also but I felt like I couldn't discuss it with him or any of my family. Matter of fact some of my family didn't come around me while I was going through my treatment. I felt like I had to be strong for everybody else. I had both chemo and radiation..And my dr. lied to me telling me I wouldn't get sick from the chemo. He said they had new pills that would control that. Well for me it didn't work. I feel that the Tamoxifen and the depression that I had to start with is the reason I feel like I do today. I have no energy and I don't enjoy the things I used to. I have asked my dr. what I should do and they tell me that this will pass. Maybe you can help me figure out how to handle this. I feel better already just talking with someone that knows how I feel. Thanks

llgordon

Tamoxifen Questions for Premenopausal Women

Hi, I'm just checking in to see if you stuck with tamoxifen.  I am hormone receptor postive and pre-menopausal and I can't tolerate it.  I am currently not taking it for quality of life reasons (debilitating joint pain, depression, and vaginal fissures).  Let me how it worked out for you.  I am especially interested in the side effects premenopausal women face.

Thanks!

L