which AIs have less depression as a side effect

ohilly
ohilly Member Posts: 441
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
I think I am going to have to bite the bullet and see a psychiatrist to put me on anti-depressants, which, as I have written before, I believe is caused by the Femara. First I will try the anti-depressants, but I want to know: does anyone know which AI (Aromasin, Arimidex Femara )causes the least depression as a side effect, or what have been your experiences with this?

Ohilly

Comments

  • maya00i
    maya00i Member Posts: 42
    #2
    Arimidex
    I take Arimidex and swear I have every side effect there is. I too get depressed.On xanax and paxil.
  • ohilly
    ohilly Member Posts: 441
    #3
    maya00i said:

    Arimidex
    I take Arimidex and swear I have every side effect there is. I too get depressed.On xanax and paxil.

    thanks for replying
    I'm getting to the point where I wouldn't mind taking anti-depressants. Do the Xanax and Paxil at least help you?

    Ohilly
  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549
    #4
    Depression
    I think all of the hormal therapy drugs cause depression and I honestly cannot tell you which one is the "lesser of evils." Since they are classified as "hormal therapy" drugs they will react with your hormones. It's probably not too dissimilar to women who naturally enter into menopause and experience depression (this is only a guess, since I was not one of those women). As for anti-depressants, I have not gone down that road yet.

    I will be seeing my onc next week and we may discuss altering the schedule. In the meantime, I am not taking any meds and enjoying being "Me" for awhile. Though I'm not condonning stopping the drug therapy, but this was my personal choice. I have read that several of the women here take an anti-depressant and it has helped them. I, personnally, don't want to take a drug to counter the se of another drug, but that's just me. An altered schedule of Femara worked fairly well before, but when I started taking it regularly I had every se including depression and mood swings. I needed to get it out of my system (and I wanted to enjoy my summer, too), so I stopped it nearly two months ago--when I joined this site.

    I would suggest that you discuss this with your onc, he/she will be able to guide you. When I became overly depressed last year after my pup died, my onc (not my regular one) suggested that I go on anti-depressants. I got a dog instead :).

    Wish you well.
    dmc
  • arbojenn
    arbojenn Member Posts: 118
    #5
    That altered schedule for
    That altered schedule for the Femara sounds interesting and promising! What would that schedule be? I often wonder why they put ALL of us on the same schedule and the same dosage. It just stands to reason that some of us are probably getting too much and some too little. And if it stays in your system for so long, do you really NEED to take it EVERY day for it to be effective? Could you let us know the schedule you finally hit upon and keep us posted as to how it is working?
  • dmc_emmy
    dmc_emmy Member Posts: 549
    #6
    arbojenn said:

    That altered schedule for
    That altered schedule for the Femara sounds interesting and promising! What would that schedule be? I often wonder why they put ALL of us on the same schedule and the same dosage. It just stands to reason that some of us are probably getting too much and some too little. And if it stays in your system for so long, do you really NEED to take it EVERY day for it to be effective? Could you let us know the schedule you finally hit upon and keep us posted as to how it is working?

    Schedules...
    in the past, my dr suggested every other day (but, I am so forgetful that I knew this would be a lousy idea) and the 3 mo on and 1 month off schedule is one that I have done in the past with a break over summer vacation-2.5 months.

    It takes, approx, one month for the Femara to completely leave your system (at least that is my understanding). What happens with an altered schedule is, of course, that you will need to take the med for a longer period of time. Normally, it is 5 years. I calculated that I would be on the drug for closer to 10, considering how often I have stopped and started with my various drugs. I would assume, since the 5-year mark is the first benchmark and this is what the studies are based upon for success, that this is why the drs suggest a daily dose

    I have many questions for my drs (rads and onc)next week, since I have had severe se (the pain was the least of them). I'll let you know what comes of my visits. To be honest, I am not looking forward to them.

    dmc
  • lynn1950
    lynn1950 Member Posts: 2,570
    #7
    Depression
    Since I've been depressed for months, I feel like I can give expert advice. I am finally coming out of hole and, boy being in deep and only being able to look down is awful. I take Zoloft and Abilify (just started) and I'm finally able to look up. Today my daughter took me riding with just a saddle blanket (she has a great horse) and I'm starting to have other goals.

    I am a great disbeliever in using chemicals to alter my body because I am great believer in the idea that if you change one thing, you change the universe. I nursed my babies for years on this principle, (based on that belief that formula changes the universe of my baby's growth and development). But desperation calls for desperate measures.

    I've read all AIs can bring on depression, but since our bodies are all different, who knows how any one will affect you as an individual. For me, seeing a psychiatrist and a therapist, meditating, doing yoga, time, and chemicals have all played a part in recovering my spirits. Don't be afraid to try everything!
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #8
    lynn1950 said:

    Depression
    Since I've been depressed for months, I feel like I can give expert advice. I am finally coming out of hole and, boy being in deep and only being able to look down is awful. I take Zoloft and Abilify (just started) and I'm finally able to look up. Today my daughter took me riding with just a saddle blanket (she has a great horse) and I'm starting to have other goals.

    I am a great disbeliever in using chemicals to alter my body because I am great believer in the idea that if you change one thing, you change the universe. I nursed my babies for years on this principle, (based on that belief that formula changes the universe of my baby's growth and development). But desperation calls for desperate measures.

    I've read all AIs can bring on depression, but since our bodies are all different, who knows how any one will affect you as an individual. For me, seeing a psychiatrist and a therapist, meditating, doing yoga, time, and chemicals have all played a part in recovering my spirits. Don't be afraid to try everything!

    I have never taken an
    I have never taken an antidepressant and I hope I never have to, but, Ohilly, you do what you need to do. At least, give it a chance. It isn't right that you should feel so down.
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #9
    ohilly said:

    thanks for replying
    I'm getting to the point where I wouldn't mind taking anti-depressants. Do the Xanax and Paxil at least help you?

    Ohilly

    Ohilly, I am not on
    Ohilly, I am not on antidepressants, but, I do have friends that have used Xanax and it worked great for them.

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