There is some evidence to suggest that due to changes in liver metabolism caused by St John’s Wort, levels of tamoxifen may be lowered. This in turn may result in tamoxifen being less effective.
We would always encourage anyone to seek advice from their medical team and a qualified herbalist before taking any herbal preparations. A specialist hospital pharmacist may also be able to help. To find a qualified medical herbalist, please see useful organizations at the back of Breast Cancer Care’s Complementary therapies booklet. breastcancercare.org.uk/uplo … ug07_0.pdf
Saw my doc yesterday. He said St Johns wort was a no no.
Hes put me on Sertraline. NOt heard of it. He said it was an SNRI but looked it up and it says its a SSRI. So confused!!
Anyway, cant start them yet as might be pregnant. Find out tomorrow. Come of tamoxifen just in case. Very nervous!!!
emelf sertraline is the one i was on… 50mg and then went up to 100mg when i found out i had the brca 2 gene then reduced back to 50mg before stopping it.
however i just stopped it suddenly and apparently you are supposed to reduce it ie every other day then every 3 or 4 days before stopping it completely so i developed some very unnerving side effects… actually thought i had brain mets because of it… was spacing me out and my brain was having funny turns.
all ok now but i know if i ever go in ADs again to reduce them gradually.
I have just been prescribed citalopram for depression and am very scared. How had is it? It says that driving may be affected, has anyone experienced this? My GP said I did the right thing going to see him but now I’m not so sure. It is all too much at the moment. I feel really pathetic, no chemo and almost finished rads, but I have not had any time off and have tried so hard to keep going, I think I’ve burnt out!
Sorry, just scared of going down this route.
Hi,
I have been taking citalopram for nearly a year now. I take 10 mg a day which is apparently a very low dose. They have really helped me cope-no more panic attacks, no dreadful mood swings and I just feel ‘normal’(whatever that is). I would recommend giving them a try they have made my life (and my families) so much better.
good luck
Caroline
What a useful thread as I have just been prescribed citalopram and was also panicking after reading the leaflet which is terrifying.I checked with my BCN and she looked citalopram up in a book that they have and it’s ok to take with tamoxifen. I had hoped to take St Johns Wort but she said no. Still worrying but think I need to try it.
Hi Misscally,
I’ve been on Citalopram 20mg of 4 months now and I don’t know what I would have done without them. I really didn’t want to go on them at first but everything was getting on top of me and I said I would give them a try and they have been very good. I have also been on Arimidex for 5 month now and the Citalopram helped to lessen the se’s of the Arimidex, which were getting rather painful within the first week or so of taking them, sore feet and legs and night sweats ect, they have all subsided for now anyway.
I hope you find them as helpful as I have.