Sounds like a question for your doctor(s). The two may offset each other to some extent but that's all the more reason to stay on the anti-depressant (or even increase the dose, as necessary, after starting the hormonal treatment.)
My Goodwill
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BarbaraAustin started following
User: LUBI
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BarbaraAustin asked a questionBreast Cancer
Depression
4 answers-
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DaveWaz
almost 7 years agoBarbaraAustin,
Thank you for sharing your situation. I cannot answer your question, you may want to speak to your care team, but your question did remind me of an article we wrote a few weeks ago on how picking up new hobbies can help WhatNexters stay calm and distracted through their diagnosis.http://www.whatnext.com/blog/posts/hobbies-a-great-way-to-stay-calm
Perhaps it will help you!
Best of luck,
David -
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BarbaraAustin shared an experience
Side Effects (Pain): Depression
Hot flashes
Muscle aches -
BarbaraAustin asked a questionBreast Cancer
Arimdex (Anastrozole)
21 answers-
CAL
almost 7 years agoThanks to everyone for their responses. I have been on Arimidex since April, 2013 and the only side effect that I know for sure that I have is hot flashes (I am post-menopausal and hadn't had any for 7 years until I started Arimidex.) They aren't bad--just a sudden warmth and I fan myself and move right on. I have had some muscle pain but just in one leg so my onco thinks it isn't related since I had had some problems with that hip/leg before I was diagnosed with cancer. I also have had some trouble sleeping, but again it could be other things as well--like too much to do during the summer months and some generalized anxiety re: return of the cancer. I am working on going back to my relaxation/distraction techniques in hopes that will help with the waking up in the night and not being able to go back to sleep easilly. Anyway, thank you again to all of you for your responses. It helps to hear others' experiences. I am hoping to stay on the Arimidex just because I can afford it with our discounted prescription plan for generics; especially since now my onco says the recommendation is for 10 years rather than 5. Paying off all the bills from this last year is hard enough and may not happen for 10 years as it is.
The good news is that my first post chemo mammogram was negative. I had the labs for cancer marker's drawn yesterday so hopefully they will still be in the low range and I can start to breathe a little easier.
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Mickeyfan28
almost 7 years agoMy muscle aches did not last very long. Less than a month. One of the survivors in my group did have to come off of Arimidex. She successfully switched to another drug that gave her no side effects.
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FHWife
over 6 years agoHi, I have been on Arimidex for 14 months, I have the aches and pains, sometime in the knees, sometimes in the wrists, sometime in my hands or feet, it moves around. The more exericise I get the better it is honestly. If i sit for very long is worse and worst first thing in the morning and in the evening. My Dr told me this medicince of all the ones he can give, has the least side affects so that is why he choose that one. I take asprin or alieve if it gets to bad.
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BarbaraAustin posted an update
Completed Radiation on July 10th. Started Arimdex three weeks ago. So far experiencing hot flashes and muscle aches.
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BarbaraAustin asked a questionBreast Cancer
Feeling depressed at the end of treatment
12 answers-
JennyMiller
about 7 years agoWhen I finished treatment, I felt like I was laying down my weapons -- and it frightened me to stop this active part of my battle against this evil and elusive enemy. Also - from the moment of diagnosis, I had been residing in the numbing "twilight zone" of the cancer world removed from the real world. Ending treatment meant phasing back into the real world -- and when everything started coming into focus, the reality hit me all over again. Also, when I get tired, I tend to lose my strong and positive attitude -- and I get weepy. With the accumulation of fatigue from chemo and radiation, I was really tired and would get very weepy. So, what you are feeling is very normal for those of us who have been through it. I assure you that things will get better with the passing of time. Take care and I wish you the best.
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lola08
almost 7 years agoI didn't experience depression at the end of my treatments but rather mild anxiety. I was so accustomed to seeing so many doctors & nurses so frequently that it became a comfort - much like a safety net. When treatments are over & you only go every 3 months for follow ups then every 6 months - you feel very insecure!! I felt like I was "out there" all alone - no one watching over me!! Eventually that insecure feeling gives way to normalcy as time passes.
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DaveWaz
almost 7 years agoPlease know you are not alone with these feelings and others have overcome these negative feelings. Below are links to previously asked questions on this topic. One of the things I do when I keep having negative thoughts on something is that whenever I have a negative thought, I practice replacing it with a positive thought. Kind of like mental gymnastics.
For example, "All this rain is making me sad.". "I am thankful for this rain because my grass/garden/whatever is going to look great once it is done."
https://www.whatnext.com/questions/worry-sadness-depression
I hope this helps.
David
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