tamoxifen & depression

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ckmcclelland
ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Just to let you know that tamoxifen can cause depression. I don't think it is common at all but it happened to me. I was doing fine before I started tamoxifen and then it happened quite gradually so I didn't really realize what was going on for quite awhile. Anyone else have this experience?

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  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #2
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    About to start Tamoxifen
    Thanks for this information! I'm really glad to have read about Tamoxifen reactions in these posts. I feel better prepared to manage things when I start taking it. Perhaps I'll alert my family to what you've said here so they can remind me about what's happening if I start getting depressed.

    When did you start the Tamoxifen? Did you get an anti-depressant medication?
  • bjmom1
    bjmom1 Member Posts: 152
    #3
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    Tamoxifen & depression
    I was on tamoxifen for 2years and I was depress I was put on anti-depression and it work not only did if help with the depression it also help with the hot flashes. So take with your doctor about putting u on antidepression if feel your depresssion is lasting a long time.
    Barb
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #4
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    bjmom1 said:

    Tamoxifen & depression
    I was on tamoxifen for 2years and I was depress I was put on anti-depression and it work not only did if help with the depression it also help with the hot flashes. So take with your doctor about putting u on antidepression if feel your depresssion is lasting a long time.
    Barb

    Which anti-depressant did you take
    Which anti-depressent did you take? effexor and prozac caused me to feel more depressed. It seems like all of these anti-depressents make you feel worse for several weeks from what I am told until that side effect subsides. My problem is I have never been able to stay on it longer than a week...I was getting more and more depressed taking it.
    Lorrie Balentine
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #5
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    Christine Louise said:

    About to start Tamoxifen
    Thanks for this information! I'm really glad to have read about Tamoxifen reactions in these posts. I feel better prepared to manage things when I start taking it. Perhaps I'll alert my family to what you've said here so they can remind me about what's happening if I start getting depressed.

    When did you start the Tamoxifen? Did you get an anti-depressant medication?

    I started the tamoxifen
    I started the tamoxifen March 8, 2010. I was on Effexor for depression already but it wasn't enough for the new depression from the tamoxifen. My oncologist took me off tamoxifen and I think I'm starting to feel a little better but he also wants me off the Effexor. And back on Zoloft which I used to take before starting tamoxifen. But then I'll have nothing for hot flashes which have been bad anyway.
  • Balentine
    Balentine Member Posts: 393
    #6
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    ckmcclelland said:

    I started the tamoxifen
    I started the tamoxifen March 8, 2010. I was on Effexor for depression already but it wasn't enough for the new depression from the tamoxifen. My oncologist took me off tamoxifen and I think I'm starting to feel a little better but he also wants me off the Effexor. And back on Zoloft which I used to take before starting tamoxifen. But then I'll have nothing for hot flashes which have been bad anyway.

    will he give you something to replace the tamoxifen
    If he is taking you off tamoxifen is he going to give you another treatment pill? I was told I need to take the tamoxifen for 5 years to increase my chances of not getting a recurrence so I am wondering that if he takes you off of that and does not give you something else then your percentage of a recurrence will go up.
    Lorrie
  • outdoorgirl
    outdoorgirl Member Posts: 1,565
    #7
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    I think
    there was a post some time back about how some anti-depressants counter act tamoxifen or another drug(can't remember which one). Let your doctors know what you are taking before they prescribe anything new for you...
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #8
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    outdoorgirl said:

    I think
    there was a post some time back about how some anti-depressants counter act tamoxifen or another drug(can't remember which one). Let your doctors know what you are taking before they prescribe anything new for you...

    The antidepressants to avoid
    The antidepressants to avoid with tamoxifen are the SSRIs--Zoloft, Paxil, etc. -- don't remember all of them.
  • ckmcclelland
    ckmcclelland Member Posts: 47
    #9
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    Balentine said:

    will he give you something to replace the tamoxifen
    If he is taking you off tamoxifen is he going to give you another treatment pill? I was told I need to take the tamoxifen for 5 years to increase my chances of not getting a recurrence so I am wondering that if he takes you off of that and does not give you something else then your percentage of a recurrence will go up.
    Lorrie

    yes, aromatase inhibitor
    Yes, he will put me on an aromatase inhibitor at my next appt. So I will be taking something else and hope the side effects are tolerable for me. I only had DCIS which I originally expected to be only a bump in the road. But I'm finding out that even early, highly curable breast cancer is still cancer and one can't expect to ever go back to the old normal. Even though I'm not there yet I hope there is a new normal that I can eventually find. The side effects of these drugs are the same whether you have DCIS or a much more serious breast cancer. I had no idea what these side effects would be like. Have taken a number of other drugs in the past with never any bad side effects but cancer drugs are a whole different story.
  • Christine Louise
    Christine Louise Member Posts: 426 Member
    #10
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    Sure hope this works better for you
    With all the physical procedures I've had and will have, it's the emotional, mental stuff that scares me the most. Do whatever to my body, but depression - ooooh. I know I can get through my "cancer year" of surgeries and chemo okay, but the thought of being on Tamox, then Arimidex for years makes my heart sink. I have read on this board that it can take time to get over bad emotional effects from these drugs, but people stick with it and do. Please let us know how the aromatase inhibitor works for you!
  • Nufferz
    Nufferz Member Posts: 55
    #11
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    Christine Louise said:

    Sure hope this works better for you
    With all the physical procedures I've had and will have, it's the emotional, mental stuff that scares me the most. Do whatever to my body, but depression - ooooh. I know I can get through my "cancer year" of surgeries and chemo okay, but the thought of being on Tamox, then Arimidex for years makes my heart sink. I have read on this board that it can take time to get over bad emotional effects from these drugs, but people stick with it and do. Please let us know how the aromatase inhibitor works for you!

    Link to Antidepressants and Tamoxifen
    I posted this link a couple of times before and for those who didn't catch it the last time around,here it is again.

    http://medicine.iupui.edu/clinpharm/COBRA/Tamoxifen and 2D6v7.pdf

    I printed it out and cut the part on the left and carry it in my wallet, so I can show my Nurse Practitioner and counselor. They've both made copies of it so they will have it to go by if they feel the need to change my antidepressants. I am currently on a high dose of Effexor XR (150 mg) and I was checked to see how I was metabolizing Tamoxifen and according to the blood test, I'm doing just fine with it.
    I hope this helps.

    Nuff
  • anaumann
    anaumann Member Posts: 60 Member
    #12
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    bjmom1 said:

    Tamoxifen & depression
    I was on tamoxifen for 2years and I was depress I was put on anti-depression and it work not only did if help with the depression it also help with the hot flashes. So take with your doctor about putting u on antidepression if feel your depresssion is lasting a long time.
    Barb

    Barb, what antidepressant worked for you.
    I never used any antidepressant until I was diagnosed last month. Tried lexapro but had terrible side effects and hot flashes. Now dr gave me cymbalta and I am afraid to take it.
    ann
  • sal314
    sal314 Member Posts: 599 Member
    #13
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    I Thought it WAS Common?
    Hmmm....thought depression was a fairly common side effect. It definately affected me! When I tried it the first time I stopped after 3 months. Didn't try it again until 4 years later. And the same thing happened, I just "delt" with it! Just finished my 5-years last week. Just being off of it for a week, I can say I'm feeling better! The fog is lifting and I'm feeling more like my old self!

    I eventually went on an anti-depressant to help with the depression as well with the hot flashes. Seemed to help a little bit, but not completely.

    Good luck :)

    Sally

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