Nolvadex is a drug that is prescribed for breast cancer, which has spread to other parts. The drug, along with other medicines, is also used for treating other kinds of cancers. Nolvadex is also given to women who are at high risk for breast cancer and also prescribed for reducing the risk of developing breast cancer for women with DCIS.

Nolvadex belongs to a group of drugs known as Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators. The active ingredient in Nolvadex is tamoxifen citrate and this acts on the estrogen receptors and locks it from growing.

The drug can be taken with food and without food but take it with a full glass of water. Always follow the doctor’s direction while taking Nolvadex. Never go for larger doses or less or for longer periods unless your doctor directs. Always complete the course of the medication and do not stop in the middle of a course as it can increase the risk of side effects.

Never miss any dosages. In case you forget to take a dose, take it as you remember it. But never have the missed drug if it is time for your next dose. Do not mix two doses of Nolvadex. Well, if you suspect an overdose, contact the doctor immediately.

It is better to inform your doctor about all your health conditions, including your diseases and the allergies that you have, before the doctor prescribes Nolvadex.

Inform the physician if you have allergies to any particular substance, food or medicine. Do not hide from the doctor if you have a history of stroke, blood clot, cataract or if you have liver disease or if you have high levels of triglycerides in blood or if you are receiving radiation treatment.

The drug is FDA pregnancy category D, which means that the medicine can cause harm to the unborn babe. If pregnant or hoping to get pregnant, you should not take Nolvadex. It is better not to get pregnant while you are on Nolvadex medication. Moreover, pregnant women should also not handle the drug as it may enter the body through the skin. Newborn babes should never be breast fed if the mother is taking Nolvadex medicine.

Though the drug is effective against breast cancer, there is an increased possibility for the development of endometrial or uterine cancer. If you come across menstrual changes, vaginal bleeding or pelvic pain while using Nolvadex, you have to contact the doctor without any delay, as these may be the symptoms of uterine cancer. Well, you have to be careful if you come across such symptoms even after stopping the drug.

Nolvadex also comes with side effects but it is not that every person who takes the drug is liable for such side effects. Well, you may come across allergic reactions like hives, breathing difficulty and swelling. Some of the serious side effects that come with Nolvadex include sudden numbness, headache, vision and speech problems, chest pain, coughing up blood, swelling in legs, irregular menstrual periods and unusual vaginal bleeding.

Where there is a Will to Fight Cancer, There is a Way

Getting diagnosed with breast cancer can be devastating and can turn the person’s life upside down. Such things not only affect the self but the entire family too. What ever be the stage of cancer, the impact that it hits with would be the same.

But then it will take the woman quite a while to accept the truth. There is a natural process that takes place, first of denial that it is not true. After a few days a resigned acceptance over takes and a sense of fatalistic despair takes over. The person is likely to think that she is at the end of her life and the next moment is going to step into death. In such mental condition, there is no possibility or recognition of the fact that there can be some other out come; She is not likely to consider that she can live. She resigns herself to fate and prayer alone.

While the above is the likely reaction of many people. But then there are other courageous women who do not think the same way. They accept the fact that they are affected by this deadly disease which can be fatal. After spending a few days by themselves, they come to terms with it and then begin to consider the options in front of them. They are very practical when it comes to living their life. They leave no stone unturned to find out all they can about the condition and possibilities of cure. They discuss in detail with their doctor, get their doubts clarified and take responsibility for themselves. They read up everything they get on the internet too.

The major difference between the above cases is that one has turned fatalistic and the other has decided to fight. The doctors will always tell you that it is possible to cure cancer, but only when the patient is ready to put her will to test and fight to route out cancer within her. If the patient begins treatment meticulously with this attitude and with total dedication, focus and will, cancer has no other way but to recede and quit.

Today thanks to extensive medical research cancer is no longer dreadful as it was a few decades ago. It is becoming increasingly common for women to have been cured of cancer and leading a perfectly normal life. Medications and treatments options available are highly advanced and sophisticated to successfully combat the deadly enemy.

Nolvadex is a popular medication that is administered to both early stages of breast cancer as well as advanced breast cancer patients. Marketed by Astrazeneca , the generic name of the drug is Tamoxifen. Nolvadex is an anti-estrogen which works against estrogen receptors that are present in the breast tissue. Cancer cells depend upon estrogen for their growth. When Nolvadex blocks the estrogen receptors, the cancer tissue’s growth is curbed. Nolvadex has become a accepted standard endocrine –anti estrogen therapy for early stages of breast cancer. This is not all; Nolvadex is also used in treatment of infertility resulting from anovulatory disorders, as well as retroperitoneal fibrosis.

But then women should be very careful while using this drug, for it is known to have side effects that are very serious and can turn fatal. This medication should strictly be taken against medical prescription only. If you find any symptoms of blood clotting, impairment of breathing, pain in chest, blurred vision etc, you should immediately consult the doctor.

Be informed of your complete medical problem, treatment and all about medication. It helps you fight cancer and defeat it.