Patient/caregiver was educated on how to take Tamoxifen as follows:
- Take the medication at the same time, every day, to avoid forgetting the medication.
- Maintain strict compliance with intake of the medication as ordered, with regards to dosage and frequency, to derive the benefit of the medication.
- Do not change the dose on this medication without consulting your doctor.
- This medication can induce some nausea and vomiting, when taken on empty stomach. Taking the medication with a glass of water and some food or snack can help avoid these unpleasant gastrointestinal symptoms.
- Tamoxifen can induce some dizziness and makes one drowsy. Compliance with intake of the medication over time can result in overcoming this side-effect due to the medication. If the dizziness becomes bothersome, report it to your physician and other health care personnel, for any change in plan of care to be considered. Stay away from activities, such as, driving and operating heavy machinery, until you are used to the side effects caused by olanzapine.
- Take the regular tablet as a whole. If you encounter difficulty swallowing the whole tablet, you may cut the tablet into half and swallow it in pieces with a glass of water. If the side-effects of tamoxifen intake, such as, hot flashes and mood swings, are poorly controlled, check with your physician if you can divide your daily dose into two portions, for improved control on the side-effects.
- Tamoxifen could also be prescribed as an oral syrup/suspension. Use a measuring spoon/cup to measure the correct dose of tamoxifen being taken, in order to avoid risk for over/under dosing. Also, do not forgot to shake the suspension well before you use it.
- Notify your physician if you are pregnant or planning for pregnancy. Tamoxifen is contraindicated during pregnancy, as it can result in damage to the fetus. Also, tamoxifen can be absorbed through the skin and respiratory mucus membranes on inhalation. So, pregnant women and sexually active women planning to get pregnant should avoid getting in contact with tamoxifen, as this medication could harm the fetus.
- In sexually active women of childbearing age group, therapy with tamoxifen should be initiated during menstruation. If tamoxifen therapy were to continue, sexually active women should avoid getting pregnant, atleast for two months, after the therapy with tamoxifen ends. Tamoxifen compromises the therapeutic effects of hormonal contraceptives, such as, birth control pills and implants and so, can result in failed contraception. Sexually active couple using tamoxifen must employ physical and nonhormonal birth control measures, such as, condom, diaphragm, and spermicide for effective contraception.
- In women with reproductive cycle irregularities, tamoxifen use can help stimulate release of sex hormones, streamline the reproductive cycles, and contribute to ovulation. Women with menstrual irregularities must have a negative pregnancy test confirmed prior to beginning therapy with tamoxifen.
- Tamoxifen can take some time to fairly adjust to the body and show the beneficial effects of streamlining the cycles, controlling the progression of osteoporosis and tumor growth. So, do not discontinue taking tamoxifen without your physician’s consult, as you failed to see the beneficial effects immediately after taking the medication. Discontinuing on the medication intake will only be on your physician’s recommendation.
- Your physician could change the dose of tamoxifen or discontinue on the medication, based on the response obtained and side-effects developed. Maintain compliance with follow-up physician appointments and be accommodative to the plan of dose changes, until you show an optimum response.
- Observe compliance with regular physician visits, uterine studies, and mammograms ordered, for a better understanding of the response to tamoxifen intake.
- If you miss a dose, try taking it at the earliest notice of noncompliance. If it is time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take the dose scheduled. Do not take an extra dose to try making up for the missed dose. Notify your doctor and other health care personnel regarding your dose noncompliance.
