Antidepressants

ausykaren
ausykaren Posts: 64
edited July 2022 in Stage III Breast Cancer

Are there any Stage 3ers on an antidepressant and if so which one.


Comments

  • sbelizabeth
    sbelizabeth Posts: 956
    edited July 2022

    My oncologist started me on Paxil (paroxetine) around the beginning of chemo. I thought I was just scared and sad, not depressed, but it helped a lot. When active treatment was over, she advised me to continue it indefinitely, because it can help with the hot flashes of aromatase inhibitor therapy. After ten years, I weaned myself off over a period of 5 months. Oddly enough, I immediately lost about twenty-five pounds without changing my diet or exercise pattern.

  • ausykaren
    ausykaren Posts: 64
    edited July 2022

    Thank you Katie



  • Blinx
    Blinx Posts: 82
    edited July 2022

    Yes, I'm stage 3 and have been on Lexapro for a long time. I recently had the dose increased. I honestly don't think I would have gotten through the past 8 months if I weren't on it. It keeps me on an even keel.

  • mia.koko
    mia.koko Posts: 4

    I started taking Zoloft in April 2023 . First 25mg a day and after 10 months- 50mg a day.

    No side effects, very helpful. Keeps me normal , no depression, no anxiety.

    Stage 3a hormone positive, HER2-

  • exbrnxgrl
    exbrnxgrl Posts: 5,443

    I may be going out on a limb here but it seems that many members, regardless of stage, have taken anti-depressants. Some use it short term, some long term. Most find them to be very helpful.

  • micia
    micia Posts: 3

    I'm on wellbutrin and prozac. I was lurking to see if any stage IIIers had gotten off letrozole and changed to tamoxifen. I'm on year 4 of 10 of letrozole but asked my m.o. about switching to tamoxifen. She wasn't thrilled but I'm not unreasonably concerned about osteoporosis (which was severe). And getting off the Wellbutrin and prozac is problematic given suicidal tendencies and family history of suicide.

    Any switchers out there? (IIIa strongly ER , modest PR, HER - , grade 3 with the IDC, the nodes, and the miscellaneous DCIS)

    Thank you

  • karen1956
    karen1956 Posts: 4,660

    Yes, for many years. I've been on Wellbutrin for years. Added Vybriid in April and now trying to get off the Wellbutrin. Right now it's a mess trying to get to where I need to be.