tips for better mammogram?

[redrhodie]

Time for an update. My tamoxifen side effects seem to be mild depression, decreased appetite, and weight loss. No hot flashes yet. Now here's the funny (not so funny) part, as I'm concerned about the weight loss- yesterday some jerk yells "fat b!tch" at me out a car window. I'm 5'5", 120 so yeah. Fat.

I think about how devastating that could have been to so many women, and I hope he never does it to anyone else. Lucky for him my chasing mojo isn't back yet. Soon.

My nurse said that most of the side effects usually go away in a few months, so I'm not really worried. Actually things seem a little better already. I'm almost back to regular weekly miles on the bike. Much slower, but not wiped out after, like I was.

[Crankin]

Time for us to schedule that ride...

[OakLeaf]

Thanks for the update. Good to hear you're getting your strength back.

[spokewench]

Red: Glad things seem to be getting better and better. I know it is hard to have patience, but you seem to be doing okay that way too. Hang in there - I'm always thinking of you.

spoke

[redrhodie]

I do see improvement, but I'm still so slow. Crankin, I know you'll be okay with riding easy for me, so we can make plans. I will make you see how strong and fast you are!

Last Sat, we had a woman on our group who I didn't know, who is a racer and is starting a women's ride from my lbs. She asked me how I was and I said nervous because I wouldn't be able to keep up. She kind of gave one of those upbeat you'll do great! answers that perky cheerleader types give, and I found it so annoying, as I got dropped in the first few feet. She didn't know me or that I'm fighting cancer, so I shouldn't take it out on her, but it bothered me. Bah. I used to be perky. I think I'm jealous.

But it is getting better. If the only thing I can complain about is not keeping up on the bike, things are great.

[Crankin]

I hate those perky types, too. Also, the ones who say, "You'll be fine," but really don't want to help anyone who is struggling for whatever reason. They just want their own work out. I saw that today at the gym. I guess I've always been attuned to teaching beginners, whether it was in a class or on the bike, even when I was at my super fastest/fittest. Personally, I don't care.
I will PM you.

[redrhodie]

Sorry I haven't been around for a while. My mild depression turned into depression after my last post. It was awful. I felt so bad one day, as bad as the day my mother died, that I called my oncologist for help, since I figured it was the tamoxifen wreaking havoc on my hormones. She claimed it wasn't a common SE of tamoxifen (which is contrary to everything I've read). She suggested I go to my GP for an antidepressant. I mentioned that I read that many antidepressants interfere with tamoxifen. She said "Oh, yeah" in that way that people do when they forget something they used to know, but then she stated that the jury is still out on that. I'm pretty sure she's wrong about that (or the American Cancer Society is). So, I said I didn't trust my NP to prescribe antidepressants, and did she have other suggestions? Yoga was all she could think of.

In hindsight, she should have recommended a support group, or a psychiatrist, someone trained to deal with this, someone really qualified to prescribe drugs if that was really what I needed. I wasn't able to think of these options myself at the time, but shouldn't she have been? And now it's been a couple of weeks, and she hasn't followed up which further makes me think she's a bad doctor. I've lost faith in her. I'll be finding someone new.

On the bright side, the depression went away without drugs, cycling and massage helped, but I think my body just needed to adapt to the drug. I'm still losing weight, have joint pain, my hair is brittle, but no other SE's. I am back to feeling very lucky for my life. And, I rode fast and fearlessly on the last group ride. I didn't get dropped or anything. Yay me.

I am sure the depression was related to the tamoxifen, and adjusting to the drug has been the hardest part of my treatment. I still feel lucky it's an option for me. But this part was hard.

[OakLeaf]

Hang in there Red. Thanks for the update. Hope you find a doctor you trust.

And yay you for riding ... living ... so strong!

[indysteel]

(((Red))). I'm so sorry you've been feeling blue. I sure hope you find another doctor who can help you sort this out, although it sounds like you're already feeling better. Keep on keepin' on. You remain one of heroes!

[marni]

I am sure the depression was related to the tamoxifen, and adjusting to the drug has been the hardest part of my treatment. I still feel lucky it's an option for me. But this part was hard.

I have to agree with you. Tamoxifen did a whole depression number on me in spite of having been on anti depressants for many years. A year later I am still coping with the hot flashes and an occasional two or three day cycle of depression. At least I know now what the symptoms are and how to deal with them. My doctor was a bit more helpful than yours and was very patient with listening to me whine and complain, to reassure me that it was side effects of tamoxifen, to support exercise with a purpose, and keep a good eye on my diet including limiting but not totally, consumption of dairy, sugar and processed flour and anything not full grain.

It has helped, especially training for a purpose rather than just for exercise. I put getting myself back to full strength and endurance a priority

Glad your downer went away and hope you are soon back to your normal self. Tamoxifen is not fun but not undoable considering the alternatives.

hang in there.

marni