Hello everyone,
It has helped me to read all your stories, experience, and advice.
I was diagnosed in May 2012. I had a Stage 1 Ductal In-Situ 4mm, two clean lymphs. Right breast lumpectomy and six weeks of radiation I just finished last week.
I am now on Tamoxifen for 5 years like so many others. I am 52 years old. My womb was removed at 27 after my second child (it prolapsed) and I kept my ovaries. I was on estrogen for 20 years...hence my estrogen positive breast cancer. My oncotype was a low 16.
So far, one week on tamoxifen and the two side effects I've had are very bad mood (I've read other posts that said it turned calm and sweet ladies into the b* from h*). I don't want to become this person. I also had depression begin the last week of radiation. They put me on Celexa. Took it two days and had the migraine so bad I stopped taking them. Has anyone else had migraines with Celexa? I'd like to try taking them again but scared of the migraine coming back.
The second side effect is bouts of light nausea.
I liked the idea given here about getting my body used to the tamoxifen a little at a time. I started on 20 mg. This week I am only going to take 1/2 each day and see if that helps. Next week I will try half one in the morning and one in the evening. Then the next week I will try the whole pill.
I was told by my radiologist the tamoxifen would only help by 2-3%, but my surgeon said 10%. The surgeon said without the tamoxifen (because of my oncotype score) my recurrance would be 20%. With the tamoxifen it would be 10%.
I want to take it to do everything I can to keep recurrance rate low, but I also have osteopenia, and am getting another baseline bone density done this week to keep track of how much bone loss occurs on this medication (tamoxifen).
I don't know (in my head if it really is worth 5 years of hell) or not. My friend had the same cancer type as I 11 years ago. She did the 6 weeks rad, 5 years tamoxifen, and this year she had to have a total mastectomy because her cancer came back in her other breast. There is no guarantee.
Anyway...that's my story. I will keep trying to wean myself to take the tamoxifen, but if anyone has taken the Celexa could you post your experience on it?
Thanks,
NRP