Managing Your Medications

As you progress through your battle with cancer, you may sometimes get medications to take at home, including chemotherapy drugs. It’s very important to take these drugs exactly as prescribed. Talk to your cancer care team if you don’t understand how to take the drugs, if you can’t afford them or if you have other concerns about them.  Once you have the drugs, don’t skip doses, since skipping may render your treatment ineffective or increase side effects. Find ways to remember each dose, such as a pill organizer or reminder alarms on your cell phone. Let your care team know if you experience side effects from the drugs.

Additional Sources of Information:

• Asco’s patient Web site: www.cancer.net “The Importance of Taking Your Medication Correctly”
• CancerCare: www.cancercare.org “Breast Cancer Now: The Importance of Taking Your Pills Every Day”