Living With Long-Term Cancer Tablets

Living With Long-Term Cancer Tablets

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

Make it a habit: 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. Methotrexate is different: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

For more practical tips, see this patient-friendly guide covers routines, side effects and questions for your oncologist.

Side effects to watch: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Letrozole and anastrozole can reduce bone density, so many people have bone scans and advice on calcium and vitamin D. Report chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding promptly.

Order ahead. Reorder when you still have two or three weeks of tablets left, so a delay never causes a gap. Generic tablets contain the same active ingredient as the brands and usually cost far less. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

There is more information here.

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

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