Practical Tips for Long-Term Hormone Therapy

Practical Tips for Long-Term Hormone Therapy

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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. That makes routine and supply just as important as the medicine itself.

Small habits help: take your tablet at the same time each day, use more info a weekly pill box, and set a phone reminder. If you miss a dose, follow your leaflet and never take two at once. Weekly methotrexate is the exception: for arthritis and psoriasis it is taken once a week, not daily.

If you want a fuller guide, this article walks through the essentials.

What you may notice: hot flushes, joint stiffness and tiredness are common with hormone tablets. Aromatase inhibitors can reduce bone density, so many people have bone scans and regular check-ups. Tell your care team about chest pain, sudden breathlessness, leg swelling or unusual bleeding straight away.

Plan your supply. 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.

More detail is available here.

This is general information, not medical advice. Speak to your doctor or pharmacist before starting any medicine.

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