**24TH** TAMOXIFEN thread !

[MaryAnnSingleton]

here we go...

HRH I'm glad you like your fresh new look :) You're a woman after my own heart! I love dying my hair. I need to find a hairdresser brave enough to make it blonde even though i have red dye in it. I did find one years ago but it's been bought over and no-one will do it now! I had to sign a form last time! Still, i do know my own hair. It's incrediby thick and can take the punishment. i really want it blonde so that i can dye it bright red with Crazy Color, but it'll never happen at this rate!

I'll speak to my doc about the Venlafaxine next time I get into a own spiral. It'll come, it always does. I'm rubbish at dealing with my emotions. Over-analysing them as a matter of habit because, with my parents, my feelings were and are always wrong. It leads to lots of stockpiling and my not being able to feel things right away when bad things happen. Especially this tumour business. It's very surreal. it feels like I'm seeing someone else life through my own eyes.

Those of you with blogs, can you link me to them again? Hubby cleared out my favourites by accident and I can't find the links on this thread. Sorry!

A few years ago, 2005 I think? there was a study which showed certain antidepressants, but not all of them, might make tamoxifen less effective. I'm sorry I can't do linkie things (I am a dinosaur), but I did find a list by putting 'tamoxifen and antidepressants' into a search engine of my choice. I'm sure Amber or someone else more adept will be along to give a link for those interested. Apparently, Venlafaxine is okay; Prozac/fluoxetine is one of the ones found to be maybe less good for takers of tamox. I can't recall the rest. Sorry!The thing to remember about studies is that they get published and raise alarm, then sometimes are found to not be so accurate. And then drugs manufacturers have to mention any adverse interactions on their PILs (Patient info leaflets), even if the risk is tiny. From the small amount I've read of this, I can't see whether the initial study was good quality or not. (And my brain is too minced to read stuff like this anyway). So, in summary, nobody should be too alarmed in the short term, but for those concerned you should keep on your tamoxifen and ADs if you've started them and then ask your doctor for guidance in the next week or so.

Autumn, I like your blog. It's articulate and courageous. I look forward to the rest.

HRH, I love Aveda products. A recent convert here as I changed my hairdresser last year, and she 'deals' in aveda stuff - though big branches of Debenham's sell them too, I find (and they are sl cheaper).

A longterm card acrrying depressive here too. Could you tell?!! I am struggling at mo but had to come off ADs earlier this year (in an awful hurry - and it was AWFUL for some weeks) because they were screwing my liver. Just been for a walk with DH and feel sl better but toiling a bit, and not sure I cna manage without my 'happy pills'. aargh!

Grey lady, you will be tired after pneumonia. I think that always makes you want to eat more snacks. Another trick as well as water like KK suggested - herbal teas, raw veg like carrots, celery, cucumber (prepare abatch and keep in fridge so when you feel like nibbling they are there to munch on). The theory is great .....

HRH yes it's prozac I believe. I'm not taking them, especially as they have been prescribed one week in 4 which the pharmacist said was not a good idea. Last time I took anti ds I went hyper and got sectionned, which I did explain to the gp... Not feeling so depressed now as my period came (several days late) and I feel much better for spending the afternoon weeding.

Autumn, my dd1 is experienced at hair dye abuse. Never does a test strand, bleaches it within an inch of its life so she can get a really bright green or blue on it! Fortunately now she has dyed the top back to brown and the underneath can be any colour without the regrowth showing!

Kurri - what did you decide on the big hair colour debate?

Hello all- back from France then off again on Monday with the little ones . Lots of stinky cheese and pâté for people.

Autumn will read your blog later- was thinking of Doing one too. Is it easy to limit access?

I haven't had any ad but have had shed loads of talking therapy and now Cbt. This can also be very effective (Mas am I right in thinking you had some Cbt too?).

Am reading but struggling to keep up but hope everyone one doing ok ESP the poorly and anxious ones.

We are really lucky that tomorrow we have a place on boat to watch jubilee river thing (family involved very heavily in pageant). Am no great royalist but big gig is so excited ESP as her cousins will be there . Will post any good photos we have.

xpost baskets exercise is how I normally keep my mood stable - plenty of exercise, plenty of sleep, not too much sugar!

Baskets - that must be so hard to go cold turkey without pills.

It's been dreadful, at times, going cold turkey - stopped over 10 days in Feb/March - only because I'm a stroppy cow and told the doc i wouldn't stop more quickly than that!! I was determined to keep going as below, but things are sliding again, sadly. Even DH has noticed so things must be bad. Shocked:

I agree, jchoc - exercise is the way to go, and regular sleep/routine, and limiting anything but virtual FBSs. Which, I know, is really boring but there you go .... I hit a real low last year and reckoned exercise was the thing I had let slide. I began with lttle walks and till a few weeks/months ago was running a bit. (Still 2 extra stones but a huge improvement).Then had a couple of bad colds with bad episodes with asthma and exercise slid again. Then it was too wet/ too hot. So today's walk was 'back to therapy' for me. I do feel better when out there (I just hate gyms, and can't afford anyway). And I need to sort it without meds as I know I may not find an AD that is compatible with my liver prob. though doc says he'll ask around ..... I'm no expert, but I think you ahve to be a bit cautious with ADs if you have bipolar tendencies. No desire to diss the doc you saw this week, but maybe you need a different one?!

CBT is very good. I've been doing it for years, some times need a wee reminder if I let things slide, but ti is very effective for lots of things like anxiety.

jc when i go over-kill on the dye and put it back to brown, I always end up with the other colours showing under the brown when the light hit it. The colour you see under the brown is dependant on the light. I like it! i haven't done that stuff to my hair for years though.

gig I haven't worked out the settings yet but I think it depends on the site that you use. I still have to add a bit of funk to mine background-wise.

I hope you enjoy the boat!

geylady Feel better soon.

What are we all up to tonight? !

Drinking wine and watching Charlie and lola- rock and roll here

:) As always, Gig, pure class! We're waiting on Pizza Hut and I'll be joining you on the Vino when that arrives. We're going to watch the latest episode of Sherlock, finally! I loves it. That kind of brain smarts on a man is just so hot!

I'm going to have a nice hot bath and maybe make some bunting for the street party! Drank a bottle of wine with dh yesterday so maybe not tonight.

Baskets agree that should be careful with ads and bipolar - that is why I used to avoid all medication, because from experience, it can be better to be a little depressed than a lot hyper and hallucinating.

I am on Trazadone here - it definitely helps mostly with my sleeping, but evens out mood too, I think.

Hope everyone is OK this evening. It's raining here and I love that smell of rain Met up with old uni mate for drink tis afternoon - worked out we hadn't seen each other since November 1999. Got back in touch through Facebook recently. Great to see her and reminisce!

autumn excellent blog. We are definitely spoiled with interesting blogs to read, between you and HRH. Keep writing! Enjoy Sherlock finale - one of my favourite programmes of all times!

gig thanks for the pate! Hope you are OK x

I have wavered about ads over the last few years with things going pear shaped with the kids but opted for long term counselling and exercise. I do know that if i take time out to walk on the hill near us I WILL feel better.

loved your blog Autumn..keep at it it's quirky and thought provoking.

Bit of a lonely weekend DH away picking up eldest from Uni in England...trying to do jolly things with the girls, struggling a bit...maybe a glass of rose..... x

What are we doing? You mean, apart from mumsnetting?! though i plan to stop now as read enough. Sometimes a little goes a long way. A friend is on trazodone - she reckons she sleeps v well on it. I'm sleeping okay at mo and reckon that's my guide - if I start wakening in early hours feeling like real c%£p, and sometimes even wishing to be dead, then that's when i ahve to see what nice doc has up his v expensive looking sleeve. Meantime, I up the exercise gradually and keep the CBT stuff at front of mind.

So now a choice - DH is making curry. Do I stay up and eat, despite not being hungry (and getting sl fatter after 2 stone weight loss last year with 2 more to lose); have bath now, go to bed with lappy while still awake enough to watch a whole film; put off radio (Opera on 3) and let boys watch something 'unchicky'. (We use a rude word in this house for films that boys like, but chicks don't - rhymes with 'chick'. I blame Susan Sarandon as she said something like it on extra features in Thelma and Louise .....). Glad you ahd good catch up with friend, Ned. It's so good to do that. We have good, dry weather here in Scotland. Not bad!

Enough already! Have a good weekend, everyone, even the republicans amongst us. I hope the token emoticon worked. I can't get to grips with those. Confused:

I can't get this at all. Time to go. Good night, all.

Evening All

Not much going on over here in the way of Jubilee celebrations . (not exactly a royalist country !)
So as an English Laydee in a Republican country it's slightly disappointing ...

No drinking of booze going on here either , my body just can't handle it right now .
Am eyeing up Gigs pâté , but my tummy still isn't right (damn horse tablet antibiotics !)

Wound is still being a bit of a bugger . Nurse has started measuring it to see what progress it is making .
Trying new dressings to see if that makes any difference . And am seeing the surgeon on Thursday .
Just feeling a bit meh about it all now . As I had this operation as something to make me feel better about myself , epic fail ...

It's clean bedding night in Topsys house , so I've been trying to think of good excuses to go to bed for the last 3 hours !
If I ever win a large amount on the lottery I will pay someone to put fresh sheets on my bed every day !

Just catching up on The Apprentice before tomorrows final .
See you all tomorrow ..,

gig - yes, I have had CBT and very effective it was too- I was assessed again a couple of years ago and started having sessions but stopped because I felt I needed to address the grief issues first as they were blocking everything and were the underlying cause anyway -so went on to have Cruse counselling which was totally excellent. Instead of being assessed yet again for CBT I decided to do the Mindfulness course which has been very helpful,and I practice Mindfulness meditation as often as I can.

Had a lovely evening- nice dinner out with dh and ds and then off to the park to hear dad's concert band playing in the rain (they were on the bandstand !)
Oh and I meant to say yesterday - mum has some new Parkinson's drugs and hooray,they are great- much improved -she was walking quite easily yesterday evening.
Sleep well everyone-I have nice clean sheets too !

topsy, arrgh re the operation. Have a and a hug. Not that this is any real consolation.

No info I'd trust re ADs and tamoxifen - there's too much we don't know about how ADs work for me to feel confident about the results given online.

Fascinating research - shows that if breast cancer spreads to just one another place (i.e. lung, liver, bone etc - stage 4) and they can hit it hard enough, the survival rate is 73% over 10 years. And if they can use targeted radiotherapy or surgery and it's one

Just sweeping you chatty lot all up in one big inclusive hug, as i have no time for more just now. Spent yesterday welded to the sofa and have to work now until I get through it all. Dd is away for a few days so I am getting on with it while I can. Have a lovely day (even if you do get a bit wet )

dd asked me how many surgery scars I have - turns out to be 11 (and some of those have been used twice)

Much love from the Walking Wounded xx

Great stats as always Amber! Thank you!

Totally agree about appreciating life more. That's one life-changing effect that is entirely positive, and seems to stay longer-term