Dear Dr. Gott: I have been taking tamoxifen since my breast-cancer diagnosis and treatment six years ago. Now I’ve read that the drug may cause uterine cancer. How can I respond to this?

Dear reader> Tamoxifen has been the mainstay of breast-cancer-recurrence prevention for 30 years but has recently been discovered to increase the risk of uterine cancer.Medical authorities advise women at high risk to continue the drug under the supervision of their physicians. This is yet another example of the risk/benefit ratio. Recent studies have shown that Evista is as effective in preventing a cancer relapse but with fewer side effects. Therefore, many oncologists recommend treatment with both drugs.

To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report “Breast Cancer and Disorders.” Other readers who would like a copy should send a long, self-addressed, stamped envelope and $2 to Newsletter, PO Box 167, Wickliffe, OH 44092. Be sure to mention the title. Dear Dr. Got$> I have been a reader of your column for many years and have profited in many ways from the advice you have shared. Now I would like to give something back.

For the reader who recently had trouble swallowing pills, here is what I have discovered. Use a drinking straw to help you swallow pills. Simply put the pill or pills in your mouth, and then take a sip through the straw, and the pills will go right down your throat without your even thinking about it.

Dear read<$> Good solution, but I have found success by recommending that patients take their pills with applesauce if swallowing the medicine is difficult. Thanks for sharing.

Dear Dr. G:<$> My husband has atrial fibrillation. He is 73 years old. His doctor wants to put him on Coumadin, but we are very much against this, as we have heard so many horror stories.We have the booklet on it, and we also looked it up on the computer, and it turns us off even more. He is very active and in good health. He works on our farm for a pastime. He is retired from the Air Force and a job at a bank.

We would appreciate your advice, as we read your column every day and think you are a common-sense doctor. I know this is not a detailed medical report, but we would like to know what you would do.Dear rer:<$> It’s very easy to get turned off by detailed knowledge about medication. Case in point: Coumadin (also known as warfarin or “rat poison”).Can the drug be harmful? Absolutely. If prescribed in overdose, it can severely slow blood coagulation, leading to bruising and internal haemorrhage.

Coumadin, however, when administered in appropriate dosages under close medical supervision, can be literally life saving. In your husband’s case, atrial fibrillation (irregular pulse) is associated with the risk of stroke. Anti-coagulation is vital to prevent this serious disorder.

I urge you to discuss your concerns with your family physician rather than put all your eggs in the computer basket. I am certain that Coumadin therapy, despite its drawbacks, is appropriate for your husband.Doctor Gott is a practicing physician and the author of the new book “Dr. Gott’s No Flour, No Sugar Diet.” (Quill Driver Books, www.quilldriverbooks.com; 1-800-605-7176). Write directly to Dr. Gott c/o United Media, 200 Madison Ave., 4th fl., New York, NY 10016.