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rhondalea · 03-08-2015, 07:01 AM

I'm so sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing, Flori. It sounds as if it's more the nerve pain than the cancer that's killing your spirit. Nothing will make a person lose hope faster than unrelenting pain.

I have never found a benefit from antidepressants (although I've only tried two that were prescribed temporarily to relieve hypothyroid-induced depression until my blood levels came up), but there are other options. You might want to ask about Deplin. For some, it can be amazing. It is a medical food, and it does not work the same way as antidepressants do. Another option might be a mild stimulant at a low dose, because that will address the neurotransmitter (norepinephrine) that SSRIs don't touch.

But the pain is what needs to be addressed, so it might be best to find a doctor who specializes in pain mitigation. This link is to the US page of the World Institute of Pain, but you can access all their information from links at the top of the page. I don't see anything local to you, but if you contact them, they should be able to help you find a local practitioner or center:

http://www.worldinstituteofpain.org/...ction-USA.html

And again, I'm just so sorry that you're having to deal with this, but I have hope that if you are able to control the nerve pain, you will have reason to be more optimistic.

rl

03-08-2015, 07:01 AM	#15
rhondalea Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Somerset, NJ Posts: 487	Re: cancer is killing my spirit I'm so sorry to hear about the issues you're experiencing, Flori. It sounds as if it's more the nerve pain than the cancer that's killing your spirit. Nothing will make a person lose hope faster than unrelenting pain. I have never found a benefit from antidepressants (although I've only tried two that were prescribed temporarily to relieve hypothyroid-induced depression until my blood levels came up), but there are other options. You might want to ask about Deplin. For some, it can be amazing. It is a medical food, and it does not work the same way as antidepressants do. Another option might be a mild stimulant at a low dose, because that will address the neurotransmitter (norepinephrine) that SSRIs don't touch. But the pain is what needs to be addressed, so it might be best to find a doctor who specializes in pain mitigation. This link is to the US page of the World Institute of Pain, but you can access all their information from links at the top of the page. I don't see anything local to you, but if you contact them, they should be able to help you find a local practitioner or center: http://www.worldinstituteofpain.org/...ction-USA.html And again, I'm just so sorry that you're having to deal with this, but I have hope that if you are able to control the nerve pain, you will have reason to be more optimistic. rl __________________ 2/6/09 Core needle biopsy: negative; Mammos through 2010: no change 3/30/11 Pea-sized lump in left breast at site of prior biopsy; mammo negative, sonogram not so much 4/14/11 Core needle biopsy: negative for cancer 5/18/11 Excisional biopsy 1.2 cm tumor, LVI, positive margin; ER+60%,PR+20%,HER2/CEP17 5 6/15/11 BMX: Left DCIS & LH; Right ADH; SNB: 2/3 nodes: 1.4 cm and 1 mm; ALND L1&2: 0/10; Stage IIa, Grade 3 7/14/11 CT/Bone scans NED; MUGA 66% 7/19/11 Biweekly dd AC w/Neulasta; done 8/30/11 9/13/11 Transfusion (Hemoglobin 8.6); MUGA 64% 9/20/11 Start Taxol + Herceptin; Taxol done 12/6/2011; continue Herceptin until 9/4/2012 12/27/11 Radiation - 6 weeks; 2/27/2012 - DONE! Yayyyy! 2/29/12 Start Tamoxifen 20 mg/day; continue until 2/28/17 5/16/12 Start five-years Metformin trial 6/19/12 MUGA 61% 8/21/12 Brain MRI NED (head still hurts, brain still fogged) 9/4/12 Herceptin done! 9/6/12 Port out! 7/11/13 Aricept 5mg for cognitive impairment; increased to 10mg as of 8/23/13; back to 5mg 12/2013 5/2014 Add Namenda 7mg 9/2014 Stop Aricept and Namenda; Neuropsychological evaluation 10/24/14 Start cognitive rehabilitation therapy