ca27.29 and Paxil

[CherylS]

At my last appt., my ca 27.29 had krept up to 32. To me this sounds terrible with the top end of normal at 38, but my lowest ever was 25, so it's not a drastic bump. Just made me scared to death that next time it will be up more. I read that medications like Paxil can cause an increase in this marker. Anybody know more about that? I am on Celexa, and have reduced it now from 40mg a day to 20.

Thank you.

[Becky]

Cheryl


The SSRI's can do this - this includes Celexa, Paxil, Zoloft but not Wellbutrin or Prozac (biochemical mechanism is different). How often do you get your CA27/29? If it is every month, then just wait and get it done again. I get mine every 3 months so if you are like me, just get it done in a month and see what's going on with it.

My markers bounce all over the place and are very chaotic (my range is 8 - 18) but they have no real pattern (ie: 9, 15, 13, 8, 11, 8, 16, 13). If they went 8,10,12 16 - I would be watching more closely. Do you keep track of yours and do you bounce all over the place or are they consistently going up?

Get a repeat in a month (it can take that long for the body to respond to the lower dose of Celexa (I think it is 2-4 weeks)). I bet it is lower or at least not higher.

Have a nice holiday weekend.

Becky

[CherylS]

Thanks for the encouragement Becky. I needed it. Right now mine are done every six weeks until I finish Herceptin, which is next week. Then every 3 months like you. My numbers have been 25,28, then 41,46 while on chemo, then back to 27, now 32. So after chemo this is the first jump. I know it could be anything, but these darn tests! Thank you again. It's nice to know it could be the Celexa.

[tousled1]

Don't get overly concerned about the rise/fall in the tumor marker tests. A lot of oncologists don't even use them due to the fact that they tend to fluctuate and put patients in a panic mode. As long as the number is within the "normal" range everything should be ok.