Teresa Chapman! You win the "Pinky Promise" bag!!!!
I will pop it in the mail this week as I have your address.
Yippee!
Pink Hugs
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Monday, October 19, 2009
Sunday, October 18, 2009
Tamoxifen & Zoloft bad cocktail
New Study: Antidepressants Commonly Prescribed with Tamoxifen Put Women at Much Higher Risk for Recurrent Breast Cancer :
- Several SSRIs more than double risk of cancer recurrence in tamoxifen
treated patients
- Nearly 30 percent of tamoxifen users take drugs that reduce its
effectiveness against breast cancer
ORLANDO, Fla., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- An important new study finds
that certain popular antidepressants frequently prescribed to women taking the
breast cancer drug tamoxifen more than double the risk of a breast cancer
recurrence for those using both medications. The research presented by Medco
Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) and Indiana University School of Medicine
at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
is the largest study to date looking at how these drugs impact breast cancer
recurrence rates when taken with tamoxifen.
The antidepressants at issue are three widely used selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Prozac(R) (fluoxetine), Paxil(R) (paroxetine) and
Zoloft(R) (sertraline), and are among a group of drugs known as CYP2D6
inhibitors. Antidepressants are often prescribed with tamoxifen to treat
depression - a common co-morbidity of the disease, as well as hot flashes - a
common side-effect of the breast cancer drug.
The three drugs that pose this risk for women on tamoxifen are considered to
be moderate to potent CYP2D6 inhibitors. Several other SSRIs examined in the
study that are weak CYP2D6 inhibitors did not raise breast cancer recurrence
risks for patients using them along with tamoxifen. Those SSRIs included
Celexa(R) (citalopram), Lexapro(R) (escitalopram) and Luvox(R) (fluvoxamine).
"We've known that these CYP2D6 inhibitor drugs block the activation of
tamoxifen chemically, but this is the first time there's evidence that these
drugs are putting women at a much higher risk for recurrent breast cancer,"
said Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco's chief medical officer and one of the study
researchers. "It's also the first time that a comparative analysis has been
done looking at various SSRIs and what's clear is that several of these drugs
are extremely risky for women to take with tamoxifen, while others don't
present a problem."
This study advances prior research which has shown that the active form of
tamoxifen, called endoxifen, is found in far lower levels in the blood stream
when CYP2D6 inhibitor drugs are present, and it is the first study to show the
comparative impact of various antidepressants on breast cancer recurrence.
"While we expected to see some impact on the disease recurrence rate based on
already existing evidence, what is remarkable is that the effect is consistent
with the pharmacologic potency of these antidepressants as CYP2D6 inhibitors.
This lends biological plausibility to the data," added Dr. David Flockhart,
chief of clinical pharmacology at Indiana University School of Medicine and a
member of the research team.
Study Details
The study was a retrospective analysis of almost 1,300 women who were newly
prescribed tamoxifen to treat breast cancer between 2003 and 2005 and were
monitored for at least two years, with the average being 2.7 years. All study
patients had to be at least 70 percent compliant with their tamoxifen therapy
and on average, compliance was 90 percent throughout the study period. The
average duration that patients used tamoxifen and a CYP2D6 inhibitor
concurrently was 340 days.
The analysis first looked at two different cohorts, one with 353 women, about
27 percent of the study sample, who were taking a moderate to potent CYP2D6
inhibitor in conjunction with tamoxifen which included but was not limited to
antidepressants, and a group of 945 women on tamoxifen who were not taking any
CYP2D6 inhibitor. The patients' pharmacy and medical records were analyzed to
determine the medications used and the incidence of a breast cancer
recurrence. Comparisons were made between the cohorts using a CYP2D6
inhibitor and the group on tamoxifen only. The study found that women taking
a moderate to strong CYP2D6 inhibitor had a two-year breast cancer recurrence
rate of 13.9 percent, 1.9 times higher than the 7.5 percent recurrence rate of
those only using tamoxifen.
Given that 60 percent of the women in the study on a CYP2D6 inhibitor were
using an SSRI, the researchers examined a subset that included only those
patients taking an SSRI and divided it into two cohorts, one that included 213
women on a moderate to potent CYPD2D6 inhibitor SSRI, and one made up of 137
women using a weak CYP2D6 inhibitor SSRI.
Results showed an even greater increase in the risk of a recurrence among
those taking a moderate to potent CYP2D6 inhibitor SSRI as compared to the
initial analysis. These women had a rate of breast cancer recurrence of 16
percent, 2.2 times higher than women only taking tamoxifen. Patients using
SSRIs that are weak CYP2D6 inhibitors had a disease recurrence rate of 8.8
percent and were not at any increased risk for the disease.
"Since the majority of women using a CYP2D6 inhibitor were taking an SSRI, we
felt it was incumbent upon us to look specifically at that drug class," said
Epstein. "What we found is that the choice of which SSRI is prescribed could
make a huge difference in whether there's a recurrence of the disease. That's
very important information for breast cancer patients and their physicians."
Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen is one of the oldest and most widely used treatments for reducing
the risk of breast cancer recurrence among women with estrogen-dependent
tumors. The drug works by blocking the estrogen receptors in the breast cells
and can reduce the risk of a breast cancer recurrence by up to 50 percent.
It's the only anti-estrogen available for prevention of breast cancer
recurrence in pre-menopausal women and is one of several anti-estrogens used
to treat post-menopausal breast cancer patients. Approximately 500,000 women
take tamoxifen in the U.S., with 80,000 new patients starting on the treatment
annually. Nearly 30 percent of women taking tamoxifen also use an
antidepressant.
Alerting Physicians
While evidence has been mounting that CYP2D6 inhibitors can reduce the
effectiveness of tamoxifen, many physicians treating breast cancer patients
are still unaware of the problem or may not know that their patient has been
prescribed a strong inhibiting antidepressant by another physician. In an
effort to ensure that women get the full benefit of tamoxifen, Medco has been
alerting physicians when a patient has been prescribed both tamoxifen and a
moderate or potent CYP2D6 inhibitor antidepressant.
- Several SSRIs more than double risk of cancer recurrence in tamoxifen
treated patients
- Nearly 30 percent of tamoxifen users take drugs that reduce its
effectiveness against breast cancer
ORLANDO, Fla., May 30 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- An important new study finds
that certain popular antidepressants frequently prescribed to women taking the
breast cancer drug tamoxifen more than double the risk of a breast cancer
recurrence for those using both medications. The research presented by Medco
Health Solutions, Inc. (NYSE: MHS) and Indiana University School of Medicine
at the 2009 Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO)
is the largest study to date looking at how these drugs impact breast cancer
recurrence rates when taken with tamoxifen.
The antidepressants at issue are three widely used selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), Prozac(R) (fluoxetine), Paxil(R) (paroxetine) and
Zoloft(R) (sertraline), and are among a group of drugs known as CYP2D6
inhibitors. Antidepressants are often prescribed with tamoxifen to treat
depression - a common co-morbidity of the disease, as well as hot flashes - a
common side-effect of the breast cancer drug.
The three drugs that pose this risk for women on tamoxifen are considered to
be moderate to potent CYP2D6 inhibitors. Several other SSRIs examined in the
study that are weak CYP2D6 inhibitors did not raise breast cancer recurrence
risks for patients using them along with tamoxifen. Those SSRIs included
Celexa(R) (citalopram), Lexapro(R) (escitalopram) and Luvox(R) (fluvoxamine).
"We've known that these CYP2D6 inhibitor drugs block the activation of
tamoxifen chemically, but this is the first time there's evidence that these
drugs are putting women at a much higher risk for recurrent breast cancer,"
said Dr. Robert Epstein, Medco's chief medical officer and one of the study
researchers. "It's also the first time that a comparative analysis has been
done looking at various SSRIs and what's clear is that several of these drugs
are extremely risky for women to take with tamoxifen, while others don't
present a problem."
This study advances prior research which has shown that the active form of
tamoxifen, called endoxifen, is found in far lower levels in the blood stream
when CYP2D6 inhibitor drugs are present, and it is the first study to show the
comparative impact of various antidepressants on breast cancer recurrence.
"While we expected to see some impact on the disease recurrence rate based on
already existing evidence, what is remarkable is that the effect is consistent
with the pharmacologic potency of these antidepressants as CYP2D6 inhibitors.
This lends biological plausibility to the data," added Dr. David Flockhart,
chief of clinical pharmacology at Indiana University School of Medicine and a
member of the research team.
Study Details
The study was a retrospective analysis of almost 1,300 women who were newly
prescribed tamoxifen to treat breast cancer between 2003 and 2005 and were
monitored for at least two years, with the average being 2.7 years. All study
patients had to be at least 70 percent compliant with their tamoxifen therapy
and on average, compliance was 90 percent throughout the study period. The
average duration that patients used tamoxifen and a CYP2D6 inhibitor
concurrently was 340 days.
The analysis first looked at two different cohorts, one with 353 women, about
27 percent of the study sample, who were taking a moderate to potent CYP2D6
inhibitor in conjunction with tamoxifen which included but was not limited to
antidepressants, and a group of 945 women on tamoxifen who were not taking any
CYP2D6 inhibitor. The patients' pharmacy and medical records were analyzed to
determine the medications used and the incidence of a breast cancer
recurrence. Comparisons were made between the cohorts using a CYP2D6
inhibitor and the group on tamoxifen only. The study found that women taking
a moderate to strong CYP2D6 inhibitor had a two-year breast cancer recurrence
rate of 13.9 percent, 1.9 times higher than the 7.5 percent recurrence rate of
those only using tamoxifen.
Given that 60 percent of the women in the study on a CYP2D6 inhibitor were
using an SSRI, the researchers examined a subset that included only those
patients taking an SSRI and divided it into two cohorts, one that included 213
women on a moderate to potent CYPD2D6 inhibitor SSRI, and one made up of 137
women using a weak CYP2D6 inhibitor SSRI.
Results showed an even greater increase in the risk of a recurrence among
those taking a moderate to potent CYP2D6 inhibitor SSRI as compared to the
initial analysis. These women had a rate of breast cancer recurrence of 16
percent, 2.2 times higher than women only taking tamoxifen. Patients using
SSRIs that are weak CYP2D6 inhibitors had a disease recurrence rate of 8.8
percent and were not at any increased risk for the disease.
"Since the majority of women using a CYP2D6 inhibitor were taking an SSRI, we
felt it was incumbent upon us to look specifically at that drug class," said
Epstein. "What we found is that the choice of which SSRI is prescribed could
make a huge difference in whether there's a recurrence of the disease. That's
very important information for breast cancer patients and their physicians."
Tamoxifen
Tamoxifen is one of the oldest and most widely used treatments for reducing
the risk of breast cancer recurrence among women with estrogen-dependent
tumors. The drug works by blocking the estrogen receptors in the breast cells
and can reduce the risk of a breast cancer recurrence by up to 50 percent.
It's the only anti-estrogen available for prevention of breast cancer
recurrence in pre-menopausal women and is one of several anti-estrogens used
to treat post-menopausal breast cancer patients. Approximately 500,000 women
take tamoxifen in the U.S., with 80,000 new patients starting on the treatment
annually. Nearly 30 percent of women taking tamoxifen also use an
antidepressant.
Alerting Physicians
While evidence has been mounting that CYP2D6 inhibitors can reduce the
effectiveness of tamoxifen, many physicians treating breast cancer patients
are still unaware of the problem or may not know that their patient has been
prescribed a strong inhibiting antidepressant by another physician. In an
effort to ensure that women get the full benefit of tamoxifen, Medco has been
alerting physicians when a patient has been prescribed both tamoxifen and a
moderate or potent CYP2D6 inhibitor antidepressant.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Cup with Love Project
The Cup With Love Project is a non-profit organization that represents world-wide acts of kindness to individuals impacted by cancer. The Cup With Love Project's commitment is to provide emotional support to cancer survivors, patients undergoing cancer treatment and those impacted by cancer.
A gifted cup symbolizes love, hope, prayers for inner strength, and serves to empower them as they travel through their cancer journey. It is a true testament that lets them know that they are not alone.
The Cup With Love Project also provides advocacy, mentoring, education on cancer prevention, and raises awareness on cancer-related health issues. Through these combined efforts it benefits and strengthens all communities.
A gifted cup symbolizes love, hope, prayers for inner strength, and serves to empower them as they travel through their cancer journey. It is a true testament that lets them know that they are not alone.
The Cup With Love Project also provides advocacy, mentoring, education on cancer prevention, and raises awareness on cancer-related health issues. Through these combined efforts it benefits and strengthens all communities.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Pink Tools
I love just about anything pink and that goes for my tools as well. This company sells some cool pink tools : Tomboytools.com
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Stopping Tamoxifen for good
Was curled up in the fetal position last week with awful joint pain everywhere when it dawned on me that I did NOT have to deal with this. I cannot remember when I have not had joint pain? A year maybe? More or less? And it is getting worse.I stopped the Tamoxifen and Dr Swanson is having me start Aromisan. She wholeheartedly agrees with stopping Tamoxifen if it is causing me such distress. I use a mail-away pharmacy for the estrogen blockers as it is much cheaper so will not be starting the Aromisan for another week or so.
Dr S said the joint pain should be gone since I stopped the "T" but that is not the case. If this pain continues into next month I will get checked for arthritis or fibromyalgia. Call it what you want....it is a pain in the ass.
But it is not stopping me from enjoying my life. It is just slowing me down. lol
L
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
KISS!
Steve brought me to a KISS concert (my third with him - he is the huge fan) last night in Boston. We had front row, touch the stage seats and met the band before the show. Here is one of several photos.
It was a spectacular show and evening!
Granny is tired now. Good night.
LOL
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Thursday, October 1, 2009
No extensions
That is a lot of hair compared to 1 1/2 years ago!
And that is also a much happier human being.
L
Breast Cancer Awareness Month Giveaway!
I am offering up this brand-spankin' new Beijo Pinky Promise purse FREE to 1 lucky visitor to my blog. I will draw a random number at the end of the month. Tell your friends. Spread the word. I ordered this purse for me awhile back and have found it too big and stiff for my liking. It is a quality purse and unique in it's design but not for me.
So, here are the rules:
Leave me a comment under this post. {Please do not comment if you do not absolutely LOVE this bag!}
That is it.
Don't you wish everything in life was that simple?
Now go do a self breast exam & keep up to date on your mammograms. Early detection really does save lives. REALLY.
Pink Hugs
L
P.S.
Yes - you may comment more than once throughout the month of October. WooHoo!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Tamoxifen Issues
I am slowly weaning myself off of Zoloft which seems to be amping up the side effects of the Tamoxifen.
The joint pain has increased to more areas and is more intense. The last few days it is all on my right side: wrist, elbow, knee and bottom of foot. Feels achy like a sprain and the bottom of the foot feels like a cramp.
The hot flashes are multiplying and are a bit more intense.
I guess the Zoloft was masking some of the Tamoxifen side effects.
As always with this Tamoxifen....I take it one day at a time. If it gets to be too much I will take a break.
For now it is still livable.
Putting those irritations aside life is great. Spending tons of time with the children and enjoying living closer to them. I don't even mind the commute to work. (so far.)
Doing a lot of crafting and crafting classes.
Steve and I live farther apart now but that is okay too. Space does not erase the love.
Life has been very full lately.
I am sure the winter will bring a slower schedule. That is a good thing too.
Happy Autumn,
L
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Friday, July 24, 2009
Cut it out!
This is a photo of me from the Elton John/Billy Joel concert last weekend. I cut the extensions to my shoulder and am much happier.
The concert was wonderful.
Life is good.
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Hair Extensions
I went to Boston last week and sat for half a day getting extensions. I have been getting impatient waiting for my hair to grow longer.
I do not know if I will keep them for long as they are not what I expected. Because of my short hair within the extensions it doesn't look so great putting it up or in a ponytail so all I can really do is wear it down.
My scalp is sore. And it is starting to itch.
You should only wash your hair every few days and must completely dry hair so the bonds don't break down. This is a big pain in my ass as I am not a daily "fuss with my hair" kinda gal.
They are too long. I need it cut to my shoulders. And I need a style.
If I liked the way I looked with them it might be worth the hassles but as of right now.....not real tickled with the look.
I wonder how long I'll go before I start screaming to rip them out??!
I am on day 4.
Monday, June 22, 2009
From Sherri
A very dear friend of mine created this wonderful card for me! The pink ribbon pin says "Survivor." She made it in honor of my 2 year survivorship.
Sherri........you are such a sweetheart.
BigHugs!
p.s.
Interesting to note: I am working on this same image right now for a set of cards. :)
Monday, June 15, 2009
Sunshine on my shoulders....
Well,
I am coming up on my 2 year anniversary from when I first heard the words: "It's cancer."6/22/07
When I stop and reflect on all I have endured in the past 730 days I am astounded. It feels so good to not be consumed with the cancer stuff. I feel lighter. And I know I am fluffier. :)
I will be posting less now that I am enjoying the light at the end of the tunnel. Don't get me wrong - I still have issues to deal with, scars to heal, hair to grow and emotions to tend. But don't we all in some form or another?
Thank you with all my heart to each and every person who has followed along with me and left comments and sent cards, etc. It made a difference. You made a difference.
I can only hope that my story may help others in some small way, who will have to do battle with this ugly evil beast. Just knowing you are not alone helped me at times.
I have started another (fun) blog related to my papercrafting obsession! I will be posting many of the cards I create for Little Life Preservers. Please hop on over and visit me at:
So I am still here but not posting that often. (This is a good thing.) (Whoo-Friggin-Hoo)
I am off to find my sunglasses. Need to get used to this light at the end of the tunnel I never ever thought I would see.
Life is good.
L
Thursday, June 4, 2009
Survivor Spotlight
I did an interview for TheBreastCaresite.com.Click here if you would like to read.
It's all about getting the word out for LittleLifePreservers.
"Small gestures/Big love"
L
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