Practical Tips for Long-Term Hormone Therapy

Practical Tips for Long-Term Hormone Therapy

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Many cancer treatments are now daily tablets. Letrozole, anastrozole and tamoxifen are often taken for five years or more after breast cancer, and generic imatinib is taken every day for chronic myeloid leukaemia. Keeping a read more steady routine matters as much as the tablet.

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

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

What you may notice: 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.

Plan your supply. 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 can make long-term treatment more affordable. A valid prescription is required for every order of a prescription medicine.

More detail is available on this page.

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

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