Women concerned about the risks and benefits of drugs they are taking are encouraged to discuss these concerns with their doctor . Doctors prescribe medications to help control nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy. They also monitor patients for any signs of health problems and may adjust the dose or schedule of treatment if problems arise. In addition, doctors advise women who have a lowered resistance to infection because of low blood cell counts to avoid crowds and people who have colds. Most short-term side effects of hormone therapy do not require medical attention.
Doctors carefully monitor women taking tamoxifen for any signs of long-term side effects.
The doctor may change the treatment plan for a woman who develops a problem that may have been caused by tamoxifen . The CIS, a program of the National Cancer Institute, is a nationwide telephone service for cancer patients and their families, the public, and health care professionals. They can answer questions in English and Spanish and can send free printed material. In addition, CIS offices serve specific geographic areas and have information about cancer-related services and resources in their region.