Things You'll Need:
- Physician
- Pharmacist
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Step 1
Speak to your doctor, since she will have the best knowledge about how you should progress in a breast cancer prevention regiment. By using your family history and past medical issues, your doctor can better predict possible risks and benefits of using prevention medication.
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Step 2
Talk with your doctor about the side effects of each medication. Once you know what you're potentially facing, you can make an informed decision about whether the side effects of the medication are worth the possibility of lowering your risk of breast cancer.
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Step 3
Discuss the option of taking Nolvadex (Tamoxifen Citrate) with your physician. This drug works as a hormone antagonist, blocking the estrogen producing cells in the female body and killing present cancer cells. Since cancer cells depend on estrogen to grow, they die when this medication blocks the estrogen necessary for the cancer to survive.
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Step 4
Consider future pregnancy plans before taking prescription drugs. If a woman is pregnant or may become pregnant, the use of medications like Nolvadex are not recommended by most physicians. There is a possibility of sterility or birth defects when this drug is administered during or before pregnancy.
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Step 5
Consider the use of medications Raloxifene or Evista if you are a postmenopausal woman. In recent studies, the drug Raloxifene, (used for prevention and treatment of osteoporosis), has been shown to be as effective as Tamoxifen in preventing breast cancer. In addition, women have shown to have fewer blood clots while taking Raloxifene than its counterpart Tamoxifen.
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Step 6
Tell both your doctor and your pharmacist about all the medications you take. This includes both prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications. Your doctor and pharmacist will be able to reduce the risks of medication interactions if they know everything you are taking.
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Step 7
Supplement your prescription drug course of therapy with a healthy diet and exercise routine. Both of these play a vital role in your overall health and breast cancer risk.
