Living With Long-Term Cancer Tablets

Living With Long-Term Cancer Tablets

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Many cancer treatments are now taken by mouth at home. Letrozole, anastrozole and tamoxifen are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. That makes routine and supply just as important as the medicine itself.

Make it a habit: take your tablet at the same time each day, keep a pill organiser, and set a phone reminder. 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 check here a week, not daily.

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

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. Report 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 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.

You can read more in this article.

This is general information, not medical advice. Always check with your oncology team before making any change.

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