don't go thru this alone

ckmcclelland
ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
My onocologist, highly recommended, told me to go off my Zoloft and see how I got along. Zoloft makes tamoxifen less effective and I was slated for tamoxifen. So I did. I got depressed and didn't recognize what was happening. I didn't feel like going on. Fortunately I was talking to my husband who got me help. I worry about those going thru their cancer journey alone. I told my onocologist about this and he just said it was proof that I really did have depression. So just be sure you are talking to someone, if only this dicussion board, as I worry that some might commit suicide. I really question the wisdom of telling a cancer patient to go off their antidepressant and see how they get along. I understand that some have to start a antidepressant while they are going through treatment.

Comments

  • pattimc
    pattimc Member Posts: 431
    #2
    Antidepressants
    There are several out there that don't work against Tamoxifen. Celexa is one of them...I've been on it for years.

    You can google it and find out what the rest of them are. I know there is a thread some time back that talks about which ones are OK to use.

    Good luck!
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #3
    pattimc said:

    Antidepressants
    There are several out there that don't work against Tamoxifen. Celexa is one of them...I've been on it for years.

    You can google it and find out what the rest of them are. I know there is a thread some time back that talks about which ones are OK to use.

    Good luck!

    Effexor is OK to use and it
    Effexor is OK to use and it has the added benefits that it helps with hot flashes so I am lucky. I goggled antidepressants some months ago.
  • ms_independent
    ms_independent Member Posts: 214
    #4
    how stupid
    Well, I just have to say----what a stupid thing for an oncologist to suggest!!! It's a time when lots of people start taking antidepressants. I'm so glad your husband recognized what was happening. Pretty scary stuff. Glad you're ok.

    Hugs, El
  • tgf
    tgf Member Posts: 950 Member
    #5
    ms_independent said:

    how stupid
    Well, I just have to say----what a stupid thing for an oncologist to suggest!!! It's a time when lots of people start taking antidepressants. I'm so glad your husband recognized what was happening. Pretty scary stuff. Glad you're ok.

    Hugs, El

    antidepressants ...
    For several years before my diagnosis ...I was on zoloft and wellbutrin ... but after the diagnosis ... chemo and radiation ... my oncologist switched me to effexor. I was terrified because I hate messing with my antidepressants. When something works ... I want to stick with it. I almost told him I would not take tamoxifen ... but "we" did it gradually. First he took me off zoloft and and gave me half the effexor dose ... then after a couple of weeks of me doing OK ... I stopped the wellbutrin and went totally to effexor. So far so good..

    hugs.
    teena
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #6
    ms_independent said:

    how stupid
    Well, I just have to say----what a stupid thing for an oncologist to suggest!!! It's a time when lots of people start taking antidepressants. I'm so glad your husband recognized what was happening. Pretty scary stuff. Glad you're ok.

    Hugs, El

    it was scary
    Looking back on it, it was scary. What if I hadn't been talking to someone? I tried to tell my oncologist this looking out for other women in the future but I'm not sure he got it. I won't let him sweep my comments under the carpet easily because I'm concerned about others. There is no reason not to say, "Be sure you are talking to someone" or "Call in and report on how you are feeling" or something similar.
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #7
    tgf said:

    antidepressants ...
    For several years before my diagnosis ...I was on zoloft and wellbutrin ... but after the diagnosis ... chemo and radiation ... my oncologist switched me to effexor. I was terrified because I hate messing with my antidepressants. When something works ... I want to stick with it. I almost told him I would not take tamoxifen ... but "we" did it gradually. First he took me off zoloft and and gave me half the effexor dose ... then after a couple of weeks of me doing OK ... I stopped the wellbutrin and went totally to effexor. So far so good..

    hugs.
    teena

    I requested Effexor
    I requested Effexor when I was told to go off the Zoloft but he wouldn't prescribe Effexor at first. He just said go off it and see how I got along. It's a wonder I didn't committ suicide. It doesn't seem like he was using common sense.
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294 Member
    #8
    ckmcclelland said:

    it was scary
    Looking back on it, it was scary. What if I hadn't been talking to someone? I tried to tell my oncologist this looking out for other women in the future but I'm not sure he got it. I won't let him sweep my comments under the carpet easily because I'm concerned about others. There is no reason not to say, "Be sure you are talking to someone" or "Call in and report on how you are feeling" or something similar.

    you can change your oncologist
    if you your's does not care about you. Ask for references and have a second opinion.
    Good luck
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #9
    ms_independent said:

    how stupid
    Well, I just have to say----what a stupid thing for an oncologist to suggest!!! It's a time when lots of people start taking antidepressants. I'm so glad your husband recognized what was happening. Pretty scary stuff. Glad you're ok.

    Hugs, El

    thanks
    I appreciate your comments. Others have told me they had to start antidepressants during cancer treatments.

    Let's see, "You have cancer. Now go off your antidepressant." That's what I was told & I think my onocologist really missed the boat.

    Thanks for the hugs, too. I think hugs help lots.

    Colleen
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #10
    New Flower said:

    you can change your oncologist
    if you your's does not care about you. Ask for references and have a second opinion.
    Good luck

    considering
    I'm considering changing--no matter how highly recommended he was. Different people have different needs and some personalities don't mesh as well as others.
  • ms.sunshine
    ms.sunshine Member Posts: 707 Member
    #11
    ckmcclelland said:

    thanks
    I appreciate your comments. Others have told me they had to start antidepressants during cancer treatments.

    Let's see, "You have cancer. Now go off your antidepressant." That's what I was told & I think my onocologist really missed the boat.

    Thanks for the hugs, too. I think hugs help lots.

    Colleen

    We have enough to go thru
    We have enough to go thru without having to deal with a doc who now makes you wonder if he knows what he is doing. Been there still there. Makes one wonder when to listen to your doc or when to just say no.
  • XO143XO
    XO143XO Member Posts: 23
    #12
    Effexor for Depression Long B4 Cancer
    I have been on Effexor since my husband died (he had a heart attack from over the counter Xenedrine diet pills that contained Ephedra...massive heart attack; no warning). I digress. Around the time I felt I should wean myself off the Effexor my OB-GYN said I sould stay on it because I was becoming perimenopausal and it would help with night sweats and hot flashes. Now I have cancer that is ER+ and I will be starting Tamoxifen tomorrow and guess what??? Effexor apparently is given to breast cancer patients for hot flashes and night sweats when they are ER+. You could not wrestle my Effexor away from me! I srongly suggest you ask your oncologist or mental health professional to see if Effexor would be a good alternative for depression. It has helped me through the tough and rough parts of life.

    I am here for you if you need further information or if you have more questions.

    Kristi xoxo

    P.S. XO143XO is my license plate on my car. It is a tribute to my husband. He always wrote me notes and signed them that way. 143 means I love you. Just thought I'd share. It's a sweet memory for me.
  • Mama G
    Mama G Member Posts: 762
    #13
    XO143XO said:

    Effexor for Depression Long B4 Cancer
    I have been on Effexor since my husband died (he had a heart attack from over the counter Xenedrine diet pills that contained Ephedra...massive heart attack; no warning). I digress. Around the time I felt I should wean myself off the Effexor my OB-GYN said I sould stay on it because I was becoming perimenopausal and it would help with night sweats and hot flashes. Now I have cancer that is ER+ and I will be starting Tamoxifen tomorrow and guess what??? Effexor apparently is given to breast cancer patients for hot flashes and night sweats when they are ER+. You could not wrestle my Effexor away from me! I srongly suggest you ask your oncologist or mental health professional to see if Effexor would be a good alternative for depression. It has helped me through the tough and rough parts of life.

    I am here for you if you need further information or if you have more questions.

    Kristi xoxo

    P.S. XO143XO is my license plate on my car. It is a tribute to my husband. He always wrote me notes and signed them that way. 143 means I love you. Just thought I'd share. It's a sweet memory for me.

    There's a time and place for everything...
    and NOW is the time for antidepressants, because if this doesn't make you depressed, then something's wrong!!!
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #14
    XO143XO said:

    Effexor for Depression Long B4 Cancer
    I have been on Effexor since my husband died (he had a heart attack from over the counter Xenedrine diet pills that contained Ephedra...massive heart attack; no warning). I digress. Around the time I felt I should wean myself off the Effexor my OB-GYN said I sould stay on it because I was becoming perimenopausal and it would help with night sweats and hot flashes. Now I have cancer that is ER+ and I will be starting Tamoxifen tomorrow and guess what??? Effexor apparently is given to breast cancer patients for hot flashes and night sweats when they are ER+. You could not wrestle my Effexor away from me! I srongly suggest you ask your oncologist or mental health professional to see if Effexor would be a good alternative for depression. It has helped me through the tough and rough parts of life.

    I am here for you if you need further information or if you have more questions.

    Kristi xoxo

    P.S. XO143XO is my license plate on my car. It is a tribute to my husband. He always wrote me notes and signed them that way. 143 means I love you. Just thought I'd share. It's a sweet memory for me.

    I am on Effexor
    I'm on Effexor. I knew it was antidepressant that helped with hot flashes long before my cancer diagnosis.
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #15
    ckmcclelland said:

    I am on Effexor
    I'm on Effexor. I knew it was antidepressant that helped with hot flashes long before my cancer diagnosis.

    why do anti-depressants make you more depressed
    I have tried prozac years ago and effexor just recently while going through a bout of depression....both made me feel worse within the first week or so....so I stopped taking them. Has everyone else gone through this when they first started taking the anti-depressant? If so I don't know how you can feel that way for 2 weeks without really thinking suicide and having to stop taking it...I wanted to get some feedback on this from you ladies so that I know how to handle it or which med might be best to take that would actually stabilize my mood and actually make me feel better. I certainly would like to find a med that works so I would not have to go through these bouts of depression but unless or until that happens I don't plan to try anything else.
    Lorrie
  • carkris
    carkris Member Posts: 4,553 Member
    #16
    Balentine said:

    why do anti-depressants make you more depressed
    I have tried prozac years ago and effexor just recently while going through a bout of depression....both made me feel worse within the first week or so....so I stopped taking them. Has everyone else gone through this when they first started taking the anti-depressant? If so I don't know how you can feel that way for 2 weeks without really thinking suicide and having to stop taking it...I wanted to get some feedback on this from you ladies so that I know how to handle it or which med might be best to take that would actually stabilize my mood and actually make me feel better. I certainly would like to find a med that works so I would not have to go through these bouts of depression but unless or until that happens I don't plan to try anything else.
    Lorrie

    I have a friend who has
    I have a friend who has severe anxiety and no med seems to work for her. I was on zoloft my first cancer and just felt like I wanted to cry but I couldnt. I started lexapro when I got this one and it makes me more even and I can think more logically. I take 5 mg which is a low dose but works for me. Everbody's chemistry is different. I never believe in withdrawing from any med and 'seeing what happens" the gradual weaning is the way to do it. II am glad you brought this up MC, as it is an important issue. I to am not sure I jive with my onc, I have had him for 16 years and it never was a great fit, I just put up with it. This time I was terribly sick and had such a hard time communicating with him. I have a delemma now not sure what I will do.
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #17
    Balentine said:

    why do anti-depressants make you more depressed
    I have tried prozac years ago and effexor just recently while going through a bout of depression....both made me feel worse within the first week or so....so I stopped taking them. Has everyone else gone through this when they first started taking the anti-depressant? If so I don't know how you can feel that way for 2 weeks without really thinking suicide and having to stop taking it...I wanted to get some feedback on this from you ladies so that I know how to handle it or which med might be best to take that would actually stabilize my mood and actually make me feel better. I certainly would like to find a med that works so I would not have to go through these bouts of depression but unless or until that happens I don't plan to try anything else.
    Lorrie

    anti depressants
    I used to work as a pharmacy technician in a hospital. Anti depressants take at least two weeks to start working, probably longer. You have to stay on them for awhile to see if they will really work for you. I'd think a mental health practitioner might work with you to find the right one for you. Everyone is different and reacts differently to meds. I wish you the best as depression is really, really tough. Someone should be able to help you. Don't give up.
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #18
    pattimc said:

    Antidepressants
    There are several out there that don't work against Tamoxifen. Celexa is one of them...I've been on it for years.

    You can google it and find out what the rest of them are. I know there is a thread some time back that talks about which ones are OK to use.

    Good luck!

    I think there are only 3
    I think there are only 3 that are safe to take if you are on tamoxifen. In a study, the other antidepressants, along with tamox, could cause a recurrence. I wish I knew where that post is. If I can find it, I will post the info. If you need help, you need to ask your oncologist to prescribe something for you. Maybe you just need a nerve pill, and, not an antidepressant. Good luck!

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