The FDA approved Nolvadex as hormonal therapy for treating breast cancer in 1998. It significantly decreases the risk of invasive cancer and cancer recurrence.
Some people also take Nolvadex to minimize the likelihood of developing breast cancer. It is classified as anti-estrogen because, when you take this oral medication daily, it prevents cancer cells from utilizing the body’s progesterone and estrogen to grow.
In this post, we’ll discuss Nolvadex Canada and the benefits that patients suffering from breast cancer can enjoy from hormonal therapy. We’ll also discuss where you can buy Nolvadex products. Keep reading to understand more about Nolvadex steroids.
What is Nolvadex?
Also known as Tamoxifen, Nolvadex is an oral nonsteroidal synthetic anti-estrogen medication that treats hormone-positive (hormone receptor-positive) breast cancer and prevents breast cancer in men and women. Breast cancer tumors that are hormone positive require progesterone, estrogen, or both, to grow and spread. According to research, around 75% of breast cancers in postmenopausal patients are hormone receptor-positive.
Since it entered the market in 1998, it has become the most popular selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM). It is designed primarily as a contraceptive and plays a substantial role in ovulation induction. Many people have accepted this hormone therapy because it offers numerous benefits, including increased bone density among postmenopausal women and a positive impact on lipid profiles.
What Does Nolvadex Do?
Nolvadex binds itself to specific proteins (hormone receptors) present in breast cancer cells. After the medication enters the cells, it prevents cancer from gaining access to the hormones they require to multiply.
Nolvadex prevents breast cancer and helps patients with hormone-positive breast cancer on two critical conditions:
- Patients who have a high risk of developing breast cancer because of a family history of sickness or mutated breast cancer genes.
- Patients who have been diagnosed with hormone-positive cancer to prevent a recurrence of the condition – this includes developing breast cancer in the untreated breast or recurrence of cancer after surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
Your healthcare provider will conduct a lab test and biopsy to assess the most effective solution for your condition.
How to Use Nolvadex?
Nolvadex is an oral tablet; hence you should consume it by mouth. Typically, patients take these tablets once or twice daily with or without food, and it would help to have a consistent routine of taking Nolvadex. Daily doses above 20mg are often divided into two and taken twice daily – in the morning and evening or as directed by your physician.
If your healthcare provider prescribes liquid Nolvadex, measuring the correct dose with a special measuring spoon or device will help. Avoid using household spoons because they are not standardized; therefore, you may not measure the precise dosage.
If you’re uncertain about the correct dosage, carefully adhere to the instructions on the prescription label. It’s also an excellent idea to consult your healthcare provider to explain any questions you may have about the treatment.
Do not spit, crush, or chew the tablets when taking Nolvadex. Instead, swallow the tablets with water or any non-alcoholic drink. There is no one-size-fits-all dosage for patients using Nolvadex to treat breast cancer. The severity of your medical condition and your body’s response to the treatment significantly influences your correct dosage. Nevertheless, using this hormone therapy regularly ensures you receive its maximum effects.
Usage & Dosage
For instance, if you’re taking Nolvadex to avoid developing breast cancer, it may take around five years or more. On the other hand, if you’re taking it to treat breast cancer, your healthcare provider will determine the duration of your treatment. Do not stop taking Nolvadex without informing your physician. The physician can recommend taking Nolvadex for five years and then changing to different hormone therapy for other years.
If you miss a dose of Nolvadex, take the missed dosage immediately you remember, then take the next one as usual. However, if you missed the dose and it’s almost time for the next dose, it’s best to skip the missed one and proceed with your dosing schedule. Don’t take your dose twice to compensate for a missed one.
If your breast cancer spreads to the rest of your body, you may experience increased bone pains, or the condition flares up when you begin taking Nolvadex. In many cases, this is a sign of great response of the body to the medication.
Clomid Vs. Nolvadex – Which is Better?
Clomid and Nolvadex are two renowned brands for treating and preventing breast cancer in men and women worldwide – but they have several differences. To differentiate them, let’s discuss what Clomid is.
Clomid, the tradename for Clomiphene, is a potent selective estrogenic receptor modulator that women have used for decades to aid in fertility. It typically works by restricting the negative reaction caused by estrogen in the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. As a result, it promotes the production of gonadotropins such as follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH).
Now that we understand what Clomid is, let’s look at their differences.
As you may have noticed from the information above, both compounds possess similar characteristics—they are SERMs, have anti-estrogen properties, and encourage the production of LH and FSH. However, both compounds have different applications. Nolvadex is mainly used to treat breast cancer in women, while Clomid, on the other hand, is used to aid fertility.
Nolvadex is the stronger compound because it offers better results in lowering estrogen levels with an average of 20mg daily compared to Clomid’s 100mg and it deactivates rebound estrogen quicker and more effectively. Significantly, it directly influences the production of natural testosterone, whereas Clomid has a relatively negative influence. Nolvadex increases the response of LH to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), whereas Clomid reduces the responsiveness.
Nolvadex also has milder side effects than its counterpart. Clomid’s side effects are more than Nolvadex’s. High doses of Clomid often cause mood swings, irritability, and increased libido.
Patients with breast cancer can use either depending on the severity of their condition and the doctor’s recommendations.
Conclusion
Nolvadex is a highly effective breast cancer hormone treatment. For decades, it has helped reduce the risk of invasive breast cancer or a recurrence of the condition. Doctors prescribe Nolvadex to people with a high risk of developing breast cancer to lower their chances of developing the disease. Before you start taking this hormone therapy, it would help to consult your physician and discuss the possible benefits and side effects of Nolvadex for sale and the correct dosage. Use this guide when deciding whether to use Nolvadex tablets and the benefits you can receive from this hormone therapy.
Resources
https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a682414.html
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29909264/
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/endometrial-cancer/treating/radiation.html
http://www.fda.gov/Drugs/DrugSafety/ucm085729.htm
https://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/SideEffectsofTamoxifen.html
https://www.breastcancer.org/research-news/low-dose-tamoxifen-after-non-invasive-dx