Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

Staying on Track With Daily Cancer Medicines

Blog Article

A growing number of cancer treatments are now taken by mouth at home. Tamoxifen, letrozole and anastrozole are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and generic imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Keeping a steady routine matters as much as the tablet.

Build a simple routine: take your tablet at the same time each day, use a weekly pill box, and set an alarm. If you miss a dose, check the patient leaflet and never take two at once. Weekly methotrexate is the exception: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

To read more about day-to-day life on treatment, this article explains what to expect in the first months.

Common side effects: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Aromatase inhibitors can thin the bones, so many people have bone scans and advice on calcium and vitamin D. Tell your care team about chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding straight away.

Never run out. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never interrupts treatment. Generic versions contain the same active ingredient as the brands and click here usually cost far less. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

You can read more on this page.

This article is for general information only. Always check with your oncology team before making any change.

Report this page