DEPRESSION

[Gram10]

I've been on the Ibrance/letrizole treatment for one month now and yesterday came down with a bout of depression. Questioning if this is really going to work and feeling like I'm less of a woman with estrogen blocked. Dry skin and facial hair and more signs of aging with no estrogen.

[Crazydentist]

Hello

I feel the same..all dried up and angry about it all

I’ve just started Ibrance again after stopping the high dose..been on letrazole for 3 months

I’ve discovered morrocan oil for my hair..it’s brilliant..just comb through when hair dry or wet..only need a few drops..really works

Plenty moisturiser in face and a bit of fake tan does wonders..I’m not giving up looking like a woman!!

It’s depressing though and like you I get tearful and mad as hell

Get some help for depression..I take amitriptyline at night which helps me sleep and helps with pain as I have a lot of bone mets

Be well

B xx

[Gram10 in reply to Crazydentist]

Where do I get Morrocan oil. My hair looks like straw. I appreciate your input.

[Crazydentist in reply to Gram10]

I order it from Amazon..it’s quite expensive but lasts for ages as you only need a few drops..my hair is mid length and I dye it..if I didn’t use this oil it would look like straw as well

B x

[Gram10 in reply to Crazydentist]

Thank you. Thank you. I'll order it right now.

[nstonerocks in reply to Gram10]

I do seem to be drying up and wrinkling more. I’ve tried a lot of facial moisturizers Paula’s Choise Moisture Boost seems to work for me. Makes skin feel firmer and moisturized not greasy or tacky. She also has a product with AHA I think that is supposed to be good for maturing skins. I’m going to try that. Online only. I use LOreal Smooth Intesnse Frizz taming Serum to smooth my sparse rabbity hair. And a thickening conditioner. Used to have thick wavy hair. While in Ireland tried a camomile lanolin salve on my legs hands and arms. Feels great and skin looks much better. Some people are allergic to lanolin but I’m not. I’m going to send for pounds of the stuff.

I never got really angry. Went straight to sad and depressed. It’s a work in progress. I want to live a long time and feel pretty good. Hard to be optimistic some days and when scans show some progression. But what choice do we have, we have to get up and live like we mean it. I take far less for granted and have no illusions about mortality. I’ve travelled more and have a greater Appreciation for the peoPle in my life. Buddhism helps me. Find what centers and comforts you. Find what lights up your life and do it. Slather on the moisturizer and eat your fruits and vegetables and drink lots of water! I also wear red lipstick and fill In my brows. Whatever works. If you want the name of the lanolin salve I’ll look for the info. However, it’s made in Ireland so it will have to take a trip across the ocean to get to you.

[mbogorad in reply to nstonerocks]

Hi, your Irish lanolin salve sounds pretty good. Could you give more info? Thanks!

[nstonerocks in reply to mbogorad]

Website is lanolia.ie. They ship worldwide and do charge about $15 for shipping any amount. I was at a sheep farm in Ireland that sold the salves. There is a plain, one with calendula and one with camomile. It is about $15/1.07 is so not cheap but thick and you don’t use a lot. You take a good dab and spread it over your skin. No smell I can detect. Has lots of other great things in it like Shea butter. It lasts all day and beyond for me. Feels so good. As a disclaimer I have no vested interest in this product. I have used all kinds of things with varying success and really like this. Hope it works for you as well! ☘️

[Gram10 in reply to nstonerocks]

Thank you

[mbogorad in reply to nstonerocks]

Thank you.

[nstonerocks in reply to Crazydentist]

I thought I was the only one on amitryptyline it is such an old drug. Works for me.

[Crazydentist in reply to nstonerocks]

I find it works well and I only take a tiny dose of 10 mg

B x

[nstonerocks in reply to Crazydentist]

Me too! I felt like a zombie on Zoloft and don’t like the SSRIs. I don’t feel any symptoms with Elavil, I get sad and cry sometimes but it doesn’t last long and I don’t bottom out. I’ll never be off it.

[Gram10]

Sharing with this group of survivors is definitely helping me.

[blms in reply to Gram10]

Do yourself a favor and try L theanine before you get an anti-depressant medication. Try to hundred milligrams it works extremely well to keep you and never even place and it’s also suggested by Sloan Kettering with benefits as long Jevity for cancer patients.

[Gram10 in reply to blms]

I will look into it

[blms in reply to Gram10]

Sorry fir crazy script! That’s what happens with voice recognition. !!

[blms in reply to blms]

Try sublingual melatonin at nite! Also stated by slone Kettering for cancer survivors with evidence of longer survival. Helps you sleep but new studies saying much more than just sleep aid! Look into it

[Mimiholl]

If you see any of my responses you know I'm convinced it works. Of course you are feeling depressed it's natural what we are going through! But there are days now where C is not my first thought and anger and fear and tears are not my daily enemy. I have to tell myself I'm alive today and I choose to enjoy myself as much as possible with family friends and everyday simple things. Don't worry about letting out your feelings, scream cry laugh whatever, fear doesn't own me, and C does not define me.

[Hidden]

Hello Gram10!

I would suggest talking to your oncologist if the depression continues; it may be linked to the Letrozole or Ibrance. I also take Letrozole, and I experienced a low mood when I first started it in June, but it quickly subsided. So it's hard to tell if it was the medication, or just feeling low about the disease in general. I can also understand what you mean about feeling less of a women with oestrogen being blocked. I had that conversation with my husband and he reassured me. For things you can control (facial hair, dry skin etc) I would spend some time pampering yourself, finding a moisturiser that works for you and that might help you feel better. l know that I feel better about myself when I make the effort to look nice and get dressed up and that shines through.

Take care,

Sophie x

[Hidden]

I meant *woman*.

[mariootsi]

I too was on letrozole for 4 years. Depression is definitely a side effect and so is being able to grow a goatee! Talk to your onc soon before the depression worsens! Catch it now. There are plenty of meds for it and I'm sure there is the perfect one for you! Hang in there! We have all been there and many of us still are. We are here for you!

[SeattleMom]

Hello, Gram!

I had my first real bout of depression last week (after 8 months on same protocol). It seems that the depression and anxiety will come and go. I think that you and I (and many others) are lucky to have this med available; it seems to have prolonged NED for long periods for many women.

I definitely notice my arm skin seems to be much drier. I use a skin cream recommended by my dermatologist: CeraVe, large white jar available in most drug stores at very reasonable price. For just about any side effect, you will get many recommendations from the wonderful women here who are sharing your journey.

The most depressing thought is that our lives will never be what they were the day before we discovered we had metastatic breast cancer. But somehow, at some point, you start to move forward again and make the best of the situation you are in. You are in my nightly prayers, as is every woman sharing this same journey! God bless you! Linda

[Gram10 in reply to SeattleMom]

Thank you. I will look into the skin cream.

[blms]

Also, Amazon sells a really cool facial hair remover that is a little battery-operated thing that looks like a big lipstick case. It’s really awesome. I’m on the speakerphone typing now and I don’t have the name of the product see if you can find it

[Kate407 in reply to blms]

You can find these things in Walgreens and other drug stores, Walmart, Target, etc..

[Hidden in reply to blms]

Hi Blms,

I have one of those! It's by Remington, and comes in a silver case. It looks like a really posh tampon applicator! I didn't realise I had one until I came across an electric razor I have had for years, but haven't used. It is battery-operated, so it is really handy to have.

Sophie x

[blms]

Both melatonin at nite, sublingual only, and l theanine in am on empty stomach are both amazing. I believe that if one takes l theanine everyday you won’t need depression drugs. Gotta becrirth a try for acouple weeks!

[kit5]

it takes a while and a good set of scans to start to have faith. even without cancer, we'd be getting dry skin and facial hair!! definitely talk to someone at your cancer center. at ucsf they have onco-therapy - and trust me - my therapist does just as much for me as my onc killing the cancer just breathe thru it... it is depressing...but you'll find hope again when you get the news that your scans are better/stable!!!

[Hidden]

Hi Gram10. The oestrogen suppressant can give some rather unpleasant side effects like facial hair and dry skin - I was on it for over 3 years and certainly thought my skin was getting older. However, on the plus side for all that time scans showed that it was working and the liver lesion was being controlled so I guess it was worth it. As for depression, maybe the drug did affect me - or just as likely maybe it was the whole stress of coming to terms with the knowledge that this was not going to be something I would actually recover from - I would just have to learn to manage my life round it. It is hard and sometimes I find the depression returning on whatever treatment I am on so take an anti-depressant to help when necessary. Also activity and exercise (I garden - I do NOT jog!) seem to help.

Good luck and make use of this very supportive site - it really helps to vent to people who have been there.

[mariootsi]

I also found when I was taking letrozole I was very depressed and grew hair on my chin. Not fun!