Tamoxifen/ Controlling side effects

[egdf]

I have not figured out how to work this site yet just to post comments so if anyone can help, please. I posted the same comment somewhere else but do not know where. I am definitely technology challenged .
I have now been on Tamoxifen for a year. Stage 2 /grade 3 /hormone+++/ no node involvement/ had lumpectomy, chemo, and radiation.
Tried my hardest to avoid all of those treatments but was convinced i needed to do them.Was pushed into premature menopause.
After this and beginning the Tamoxifen ,I suffered severe depression, hot flashes, excessive sweating . I began Effexor  and found it helped the depression but not the flashes. Now a year later, I have started having severe ups and downs and mood swings and the sweating still there among other things.
I have been taking the B1 and E suggested. can not find the periden c. no help
I finally am seeing an M.D. who is also a qualified homeopathist with a background in biochemistry and pharmaocology so she knows about drug interactions. I am now much better with less severe and frequent sweats and flashes . I find this is the only thing that helps except acupuncture helped the flashes but I tired of seeing the dr. 3x a week. For what its worth. Good Luck!

[egdf]

Thanks a lot for responding. There is no other anti depressant because all the other ones interfere too much with the effectiveness of the tamoxifen.
I am going to 2  different types of therapists but when i have a severe down ; it doesn't help because there is no cause that precipitated the fall, they are random and i haven't figured out when they happen but i am in good times learning and practicing different techniques to help me stay stable. I really think the homeopathy is helping and hope when i am stable for a long time that i can wean myself off the effexor.
Hope you are feeling well! Take good care.
Thanks again.

[lhughes]

Because your depression is still a problem and because I KNOW that Effexor can make you constantly warm and sweat, perhaps you might discuss with your doc another more effective medication for your depression.

I would think that with the depression being more problematic than the hot flashes, that fixing the depression would be tantamount to the hot flashes.  

Talk with your doc about trying something different and get your depression under control.  Are you also going to a counselor?  I know that helped me more than the medications for my depression, but my depression was unrelated to cancer and not so severe.

I wish you the best.

[egdf]

Thanks for the input. I am scared to get off the Effexor because my depression has been so severe. I am trying a lot of different things in addition to help and hope once I stabilize, perhaps i can try.Definitely reassuring to know symptoms may subside w/ time.
Thanks. all the best!

[lhughes]

I took Effexor for about year and a half after starting Tamoxifen.  It helped with the mood swings and then I realized that I was always much too happy (no down side at all).  It helps with the hot flashes by keeping you constantly sweating, which became annoying.  Sweating and constantly being hot are a side-effect of Effexor.  I weened off Effexor and am now just on Tamoxifen.  I have the occassional hot flash, but it's quite a bit better than when I first started Tamoxifen and Effexor.  The mood swings are coming back now almost a year after ending Effexor, but I'm learning to handle that myself instead of with drugs.

If you want to try weaning yourself from Effexor to see what you have in terms of symptoms from Tamoxifen, it's worth a try.  Talk with your doc on how to get there, you have to step down in dosages very particularly.  The headache getting off Effexor is NASTY but lasts only about 2 weeks.  Once you are off, give the Tamoxifen about 3 months to determine what kind of symptoms you are still having.  

Seriously, I'm much better 3 years in than I was when I first began.  Things seemed to "normal off" after a while.  I'm still not menopausal (just got checked for peri-menopause) ...  Tamoxifen, however, is having a wonderful time keeping me on my toes with what periods I do seem to have.  THAT is annoying, but livable.

Good luck to you.  I had heard that acupuncture was a good form of treatment.  I agree with you about having to go to a doc constantly, that can get overwhelming in itself.