Medical Oncologist
Medicines
Taking anastrozole: timing, food and daily routine
Anastrozole is one tablet a day, taken with or without food at a time that suits you. The most important thing is taking it steadily for years. This page covers timing, food, building a routine, missed doses, fasting, travel, storage and the everyday questions women most often ask about their tablets.
NG
Medically reviewed by Dr. Naresh GunduConsultant Medical Oncologist · MBBS, DNB (Internal Medicine), DM (Medical Oncology, AIIMS) · last reviewed September 2026, next review due September 2027
On this page
- How should you take anastrozole each day?
- Four habits that make daily tablets easier
- Everyday questions about taking anastrozole
- The vocabulary, in plain language
- Honest realities of a daily tablet for years
- Fasting, illness and hospital visits
- Storing and handling anastrozole
- Keeping your routine when you travel
- What people assume about taking anastrozole
- Common questions about taking anastrozole
The short answer
How should you take anastrozole each day?
Anastrozole is taken as one tablet by mouth once a day, at the dose your oncologist prescribes. You can take it with or without food, and at any time of day that suits you. What matters most is taking it every day, around the same time, so that it becomes a habit and oestrogen levels stay low. Swallow the tablet whole with a glass of water. There is no need to avoid milk, tea or normal meals, and there are no special food rules. Many women link the tablet to something they already do daily, such as morning tea, brushing their teeth or the evening meal. If you also take calcium and vitamin D, you can take them at the same time. If you forget a tablet, take it when you remember that day, but if it is nearly time for the next one, skip the missed tablet and never take two together. Store the tablets in their original pack at room temperature, away from heat, damp and direct sunlight, and out of reach of children. Anastrozole should not be taken together with tamoxifen or with oestrogen-containing products such as hormone replacement therapy. It is generally fine alongside common medicines for blood pressure, diabetes, thyroid problems and pain, but always check new medicines and supplements with your pharmacist. Keep enough supply so you do not run out, especially before travel or festivals, and keep taking it for the full planned course unless your oncologist advises a change.
Once a day, every day
Consistency matters more than the exact hour.
Food does not matter
Take it with or without meals, whichever you find easier to remember.
Plan your supply
Refill in good time so there are no gaps in treatment.
This page gives general information only. Follow your prescription label and the advice of your pharmacist.Your routine
Four habits that make daily tablets easier
Small routines help you stay on track for years.
Pick an anchor
Tie the tablet to a fixed daily event, such as breakfast or your evening prayers.
Use a pill organiser
A weekly box shows at a glance whether today's tablet has been taken.
Useful if you take several medicines.Set reminders
A phone alarm or a note on the fridge helps, especially in the first months.
Keep a spare supply
Keep a few extra days of tablets in your bag for delays and unexpected trips.
When travelling
- Carry tablets in hand luggage
- Take a copy of your prescription
- Keep your home time zone routine where practical
Quick guide
Everyday questions about taking anastrozole
Question
General answer
Morning or night?
Either; choose the time you will remember
With food?
With or without food
Can the tablet be crushed?
Ask your pharmacist; swallowing whole is usual
Missed a dose?
Take it that day, or skip if the next dose is close
With calcium and vitamin D?
Yes, they can be taken at the same time
Words you will hear
The vocabulary, in plain language
- Once daily
- One tablet taken each day, roughly twenty-four hours apart.
- Film-coated tablet
- A tablet with a thin coating that makes it easier to swallow.
- Adherence
- Taking a medicine as prescribed.
- Patient information leaflet
- The paper inside the pack with detailed advice about the medicine.
- Batch and expiry
- Codes and dates printed on the pack showing when it was made and when to stop using it.
- Pill organiser
- A box with a compartment for each day of the week.
Being straight with you
Honest realities of a daily tablet for years
A simple tablet can still be hard to take faithfully over a long time.
Motivation fades
In the first months, remembering is easy. After a few years of feeling well, it can slip. Many women find a routine and a supportive relative help.
Side effects affect routine
Joint pain or low mood can make people skip tablets without meaning to. Mention these, as they can often be helped.
Cost and supply problems happen
Running out or struggling with cost are common reasons for gaps. Speak up early.
What this page cannot tell you
It cannot change your prescription. Your oncologist and pharmacist can advise.
Talk to our team
Have a question about your situation?
Call the helpline or leave your details, and someone will help you arrange a consultation at the CION centre nearest you. One helpline serves every CION centre.
Call 1800 202 8726
Helpline open 24/7
Special situations
Fasting, illness and hospital visits
Normal life brings disruptions. Anastrozole is flexible enough to fit around most of them.
Religious fasts
Because food does not matter, you can take the tablet before dawn or after breaking your fast. Keep the same timing through the fasting period.
Vomiting
If you vomit soon after taking the tablet, do not take another. Take the next dose as usual and tell your doctor if vomiting continues.
Surgery or admission
Tell the hospital team you take anastrozole. It is usually continued, but confirm with your surgeon.
Difficulty swallowing
Ask your pharmacist for advice rather than crushing or splitting tablets yourself.
Keeping tablets safe
Storing and handling anastrozole
Proper storage keeps tablets effective, particularly in hot and humid weather.
Keep them cool and dry
Store tablets in their strip and box at room temperature, away from bathrooms, kitchens near the stove and sunny windowsills.
Check each new pack
Look at the name, strength and expiry date, and ask your pharmacist if the tablets look different from before.
Keep them away from children
Store tablets out of sight and reach, and never share them with anyone else.
Dispose of old tablets safely
Return unused or expired tablets to a pharmacy rather than throwing them in household waste.
Away from home
Keeping your routine when you travel
Journeys, weddings and visits to family are when tablets are most often forgotten. A little planning keeps anastrozole on track.
Pack more than you need
Carry enough tablets for the whole trip plus a few extra days, in your hand luggage, in the original pack with the label.
Crossing time zones
Take your tablet at roughly your usual home time at first, then move gently to local time. A few hours either way does not matter.
Commonly believed
What people assume about taking anastrozole
It must be taken on an empty stomach.
Anastrozole can be taken with or without food.
Taking it an hour late ruins the effect.
The exact hour is not critical. Steady daily use is what counts.
Milk or tea stops it working.
There are no known food or drink restrictions for anastrozole.
Two tablets should be taken after a missed day.
Never double up. Just continue with the next dose.
Questions we are asked
Common questions about taking anastrozole
What is the best time of day to take anastrozole?
There is no best time. Choose whatever you are most likely to remember. Some women prefer night if tablets make them feel tired or unwell, while others like the morning routine. Just keep to roughly the same time each day.
Can I take anastrozole with my thyroid tablet?
Anastrozole does not interfere with thyroid tablets. Thyroid medicine is often taken on an empty stomach, so many people take it first thing and anastrozole later with breakfast or at another time. Ask your pharmacist if you are unsure.
Can I split or crush the tablet?
Anastrozole is usually swallowed whole. If you have difficulty swallowing, ask your pharmacist before crushing or splitting it, as they can advise on the product you have and whether any alternative is available.
What if I take the tablet twice by mistake?
An occasional extra tablet is unlikely to cause harm. Continue with your normal schedule the next day. If a large number of tablets were taken, or a child swallowed some, seek urgent medical advice and take the pack with you.
Does anastrozole make me drowsy?
Some women feel tired or weak, particularly in the early months. It does not usually cause marked drowsiness, but take care driving or using machinery until you know how it affects you, and mention lasting tiredness to your team.
Do I need to stop anastrozole before dental work?
No. Anastrozole does not affect dental treatment. If you also have bone medicines such as zoledronic acid or denosumab, tell your dentist before extractions or implants, as those medicines need extra care.
Can a relative give me my tablets?
Yes. Family members can collect prescriptions, fill a pill organiser and remind you. Make sure they know the missed-dose rules and that the tablets are kept away from children and never given to anyone else.
What should I do when a new pack looks different?
Pharmacies sometimes supply a different manufacturer. Check the name and strength match your prescription and ask the pharmacist before taking it if anything seems wrong. Report any new side effects after a change.
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Sources
- NHS — How and when to take anastrozole
- MedlinePlus — Anastrozole
- Macmillan Cancer Support — Anastrozole
This page is general information, not a prescription. Do not change or stop any treatment based on what you read here. If anything is worrying you, contact your own treating team — or call our helpline and we will help you reach the right specialist.