Antidepressants and Tamoxifen
Posted 3/19/2009
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In a recent meeting of one of my post-treatment support groups, the question about certain anti-depressants and Tamoxifen came up. One of our group members was very distressed to realize that she has been making a medication that may interfere with the metabolism of Tamoxifen, her anti-cancer treatment. I am not a physician and certainly cannot speak with authority about this issue, but I have now done enough research to realize that at least some people question the combination of certain anti-depressants and Tamoxifen. To be fair, other doctors do not think this is a problem.
Certainly, if you are taking both an anti-depressant and Tamoxifen, you want both medications to have the best possible chance at doing their job. Here is a link, from the Consortium on Breast Cancer Pharmacogenomics that may be helpful.
If you are concerned, my strong advice would be to speak with your doctor about this. This is a great example of the importance of working with doctors who are well-informed about cancer and cancer treatments. Ideally, a psychiatrist or a nurse practitioner or, in some states, a psychologist who is prescribing anti-depressants will know about any possible contra-indications related to breast cancer medications. We all know, however, that we must be our own best advocates.
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