AM I crazy to not do hormone therapy?

1stTimeStage2
1stTimeStage2 Member Posts: 38 Member
in Breast Cancer #1

I am 42 years old, had a 2.4 cm tumor removed, nodes clear. I did 6.5 weeks of radiation, ONCA score of 12. I have always had anxiety and have taken Lexapro for years with great results. Now - after only 2 shots of Lupron - I feel horrible. Depressed, anxious, horrible insomnia. So - should I try a different anti-anxiety RX so I can take Tamoxifin? Or should I try a different anti anxiety med with Lupron? I am tempted to just SKIP hormone therapy. Thanks for any insight!!

Comments

  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    edited October 2016 #2
    I was told by my oncologist

    I was told by my oncologist that the estrogen therapy is every bit if not more as important than chemotherapy (I had chemo, too).  I did not have Lupron shots.  (I had Arimidex and then Tamoxifen).  I did not know there was a problem with taking Lexapro and Tamoxifen.  Is that why you're on Lupron?  I think you need to talk about this with your oncologist.  My guess (and it's only a guess) is that shutting down your ovaries and inducing instant menopause is what is causing your increased depression.  Do not stop or start anything on your own.  Please to your oncologist.  You are not alone in experiencing this I'm sure and it won't be the first time your oncologist has heard of it.  They do what is standard of care and then hope for the best, but they're prepared and aware of side effects and have all kinds of things in their bag of tricks that may help.

    Suzanne  

  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    edited October 2016 #3
    Tamoxifen

    I don't take other medications so my case if different, but just wanted to let you know that after about 6 months on Tamoxifen, I got used to it. I'm so happy to be taking it now and it gives me a feeling that I'm doing something positive for my health (along with exercise and good nutrition of course)

  • 1stTimeStage2
    1stTimeStage2 Member Posts: 38 Member
    #4
    Thank you both.

    How did you feel for the first 6 months on Tamoxifin? I think I can handle this horrible sadness and panic if I know it is going to go away in 6 months - but what if it doesn't?

     

  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    #5
    1stTimeStage2 said:

    Thank you both.

    How did you feel for the first 6 months on Tamoxifin? I think I can handle this horrible sadness and panic if I know it is going to go away in 6 months - but what if it doesn't?

     

    Ask your doctor

    Surely there must be a combination of anti-anxiety meds and hormone therapy that would work for you. Its kind of hard to tell you exactly how starting Tamoxifen was for me because I was still getting over chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Definitely had hot flashes, and sometimes still do. I make sure to dress in layers so I can be comfortable in a Tshirt if neccessary. There is so much to get through with cancer treatment that its easy to blame one drug for a set of symptoms that could be caused by the previous one. Some of it is simple aging I would imagine as I am on year 4 of the drug. If I were you, I would ask my doctor what he/she thinks would be best and then try it. Remember you can always go back and ask for adjustments if something doesn't feel right. Try not to feel sad, you've been thru so much, but soon you will be feeling much better. Don't hesitate to send me a pm anytime you want to talk...Hugs, Anna

  • Skymaps
    Skymaps Member Posts: 2
    #6
    Tamoxifin

    Hello,

    I recently completed 20 sessions of radiation. I had a lumpectomy with stage 0 cancer cell on my right breast. My oncologist recommended Tamoxifen and I am concerned with the side effects. Any side effects anyone out there experienced that I should be worried about? Thank you.

  • Sasu
    Sasu Member Posts: 39
    edited October 2016 #7
    Side effects

    i think one has to ask......what is more important-beating cancer or dealing with a few side effects.  That is basically your choice.  

    I decided to hit the cancer with the full arsenal recommended by my oncologist.  I didn't want to regret not trying.

    Hugs

     

  • Iris_G
    Iris_G Member Posts: 50 Member
    #8
    Just started Arimidex

    I had my final chemo treatment in February, finished radiation in May, and had my final Herceptin treatment last week.  I took my first Arimidex just this morning and will be on it for 7-10 years!  My onco said that Arimidex could possibly cause osteoporosis (sp?) and muscle pain, but that was about it.  I have to go have a bone density test next week as a starting point so he can track the progress of it. 

    I'm with Sasu on this one!  I want to say that I tried all I could to beat this crap!  Dr. Goldklang's been doing this a lot longer than I have, so I trust his recommendations!

  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    edited November 2016 #9
    Sasu said:

    Side effects

    i think one has to ask......what is more important-beating cancer or dealing with a few side effects.  That is basically your choice.  

    I decided to hit the cancer with the full arsenal recommended by my oncologist.  I didn't want to regret not trying.

    Hugs

     

    Side effects can be more than just dealing with them

    First, I absolutely am NOT advocating that anyone not do hormone therapy because they're a afraid of being bothered by any side effects.  The side effects of both SERMs and AIs can be serious and some can be life threatening.  Known scarey effects of Tamoxifen are blood clots and uterine cancer.  With Arimidex, etc., the joint and bone pain can be incapacitating, osteoporosis is real,  and the jury is out about the uterine cancer thing.  But the bottom line is you don't know if you're going to have any side effects or not.  For sure you won't have any if you don't do hormone therapy.   It is very imporant IMHO to discuss the risks vs. the benefits of doing the hormone therapy vs. not.  I was rather flippant about it because I knew so many women who refused to take it and were perfectly fine.  I was terribly afraid to take it.  I did chemo and said "fill 'er up", but take that little white pill?  I stared at the bottle for about 2 months before I swallowed my first pill.  Several of my friends have had distant metastases after stopping hormone therapy.   I took estrogen therapy for 5 years because that was what was what recommended at the time it was prescribed.  I had no side effects (that I know of) and I took both Tamoxifen and Arimidex.  I have no regrets.  Had I not been able to tolerate either medication, I would have stopped I'm sure.  Did I "need" it and did it prevent metastasis?  I have no idea, only that it's been 6 years and I have not had a recurrence.  Your chance of cancer recurring or metastasizing is either 0 or 100, there is no inbetween.  All that is known is that X% of people with withever stage/grade you have recurred after X number of years.  The theory of the therapy is, of course, to starve any ER+ cells if any remain or if you develop any more and have they die off and never come back again.  And it is a crap shoot because it is not known if you have any remaining cells for sure and even if you do, if the therapy will do its job or not.  I finally decided that the risk of recurrence scared me more than the possibility of not being able to tolerate the drug.  I faithfully took it for 5+ years.   And that being said, I'm glad I'm off it now. 

    At this point in your treatment, it is important to talk to your oncologist (or even a second opinion) and make an INFORMED decision.  I agree that I did not want to regret not trying, but had I not been able to tolerate the meds, then that's a different story. 

    This is my story and my thinking, not a medical opinion and you really need to express all of your concerns to your oncologist.

    Good luck.

    Suzanne

  • Teach76
    Teach76 Member Posts: 354 Member
    edited November 2016 #10
    Armidex newbie too

    I began Armidex in July after chemo/surgery/radiation.  Went for baseline Dexascan today.  It is difficult to distinguish SE from Armidex vs. post treatment SE.  That's my major concern.  I was told 10 years is the current recommendation.  Do I want to take it for 10 years looking at possible SE?  Of course not.  Do I want the best chance of beating this over the next 10 years?  Of course I do!   I can not look into the crystal ball to see what lies ahead . . . I can always stop the pill at any time, but I feel I need to give myself the BEST chance of survival.  They say 10 years, but new advances are being made all the time.  Just another view . . . We each have our own motivation - follow your heart, but make an informed choice is my suggestion.

  • peony
    peony Member Posts: 306 Member
    edited November 2016 #11
    I'm on Arimidex too, being

    I'm on Arimidex too, being post-menopausal at the diagnosis. I started the day after my last radiation treatment in May. So far, I don't see any side effects at all. You may be lucky and have none as well. What sort of bothered me when my MO first discussed taking it was, I thought, "will I still feel like a woman?" Well, I still feel sexual and feminine, so the answer to that is "yes". I say, try it for a while and if you start having difficulties, tell your MO. I think it's worth the peace of mind and to be able to say you fought with everything you could. Best wishes.

  • caregiver wife
    caregiver wife Member Posts: 234
    edited November 2016 #12
    Hormone therapy - premenopause

    Treatments are different now compared to 15 years ago when I went thru this.  Choices then were Tamoxifen or Arimidex.  I did not tolerate Tamoxifen and Arimidex was for post-menapause only.  I had ovaries removed and started Arimidex.  Forced menapause was difficult for a while, but within a few months I was adjusting pretty well.  I was strongly ER/PR positive.  Never considered NOT doing the treatment.  There is help for side effects and they don't last very long when you are looking back many years cancer free.

    Best Wishes

     

  • Iris_G
    Iris_G Member Posts: 50 Member
    #13
    One week now...

    I've been on Arimidex for a week now, and yep, I felt the side effects!  I had a couple of major hot flashes (never had them going through the change) and was woken up last Thursday night by major leg cramps in my left leg!  I like to never got the cramp to quit!  That's about it for side effects, and they seem to be leveling off.  I go for my bone density test on Wednesday the 9th for my baseline.

  • kathymck
    kathymck Member Posts: 2
    #14
    Hormone Therapy

    If you will notice, everyone has a different diagnosis, different treatment, different surgeries, etc.  I could tell you my story but it is long because I have had breast cancer 2 times.  Each diagnosis was very different even though the second was considered a reoccurance although they were 15 years apart! The most recent one was June of this year.  One of the most meaningful comments was made to me by a second opinion surgeon.  She said, what you need to ask yourself is, "If you decide against this treatment, drug, surgery, etc. will you beat yourself up if the cancer comes back?"  For a long time I second guessed every decision I had made about my breast cancer journey.  An oncologist reminded me that we make our decisions based on the information that we have at that time and that is all we can do.  We can't go back and undo so we just need to march onward toward our full recovery and good health.  By the way, I did take Tamoxifen and Aromesan for 5 years and my cancer still came back!!   I hope there is some helpful information here for you.  If you have any questions, please ask.  I know more about breast cancer that I want to know!!  Best Wishes!

  • Apaugh
    Apaugh Member Posts: 850 Member
    #15
    Started on Amridex

    I am 4 treatments into the herceptin.  I have learned how to treat the side effects the best I can and will continue these until next Aug. 2017.  Doc started me on Amridex which I have been taking for two weeks now.  Yes, there are side effects and yes sometimes they are not pleasant.  But I will deal with them and continue to fight.  I take Lexpro to deal with the stress and anxiety.  Not a huge dose.  Just a little to ease the edges.  We are fighting a battle for our lifes and all the tools we can get is a must.  May God bless and protect you all.  Hug

  • 1stTimeStage2
    1stTimeStage2 Member Posts: 38 Member
    #16
    Thank you all

    I don't think I properly articulated how depressed I was after the last Lurpon shot. I was ready to deal with normal hot flahses but bone crushing depression is something else.

  • button2
    button2 Member Posts: 421
    #17
    1stTimeStage2 said:

    Thank you all

    I don't think I properly articulated how depressed I was after the last Lurpon shot. I was ready to deal with normal hot flahses but bone crushing depression is something else.

    Lupron

    You MUST get your doctors to understand how you are feeling. Depression is a terrible symptom when it gets as bad as you are describing. And its not easy to get over a cancer diagnosis feeling as bad as you do. Insomnia just makes everything worse (I've been there). Please talk to your doctor and also ask for a therapist to talk to if you don't already have one. The holidays can be rough, and you need to take care of yourself. You deserve it! Hugs, Anna

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