Xeloda dosage?

hope · 06-23-2006, 11:10 AM

Well I'm back on Xeloda and Herceptin to try to get rid of these lung mets but I was wondering what your dosages are and cycles. I have been taking Xeloda at 1,500mg/day for 14 days on and 7 off. I was previously on Xeloda about a year ago but was on a much higher dose and got major diarrhea that landed me in the hospital. Now the doctors are saying less is better.

Unfortunately my onc has let me decide to play with my dosages with Xeloda as I have extreme fatigue now but don't know if it is related to Xeloda or progression. This week I started a new cycle and increased my dosage to 2,000mg/day but this time to keep intrack with the fatigue I will take it for 7 days on and 7 days off Does anybody have this cycle? Other than the exteme fatigue I have no other side effects from Xeloda like hand/foot syndrome, diaharrea, and counts look good. I have talke to my onc about Lapatinib early access program but can't get the drug until they approve my cancer center and that will take approx. 2 months so this is all I have for now. Thanks in advance for your input. Hope

Sherryg683 · 06-23-2006, 12:55 PM

I was on Xeloda at 3000mg a day. Couldn't handle it, my hands and feet would almost bleed at times. Cut it down some but the damage had been done to my feet and hands. It's a great drug if you get the right doseage, if I had to go back on it, I would insist on starting somewhere around the dose you are on...sherryg683

pattyz · 06-23-2006, 03:38 PM

Hope,

I do believe I saw one gal on the bcmets? site that was on the 7days on/off schedule, too, fairly recently. Maybe it was here, I am not sure.

I was on two weeks on ( just 2000mg total a day ) with two weeks off, had no side effects I could pin to the Xeloda. I did take the B6 @ 200mg a day and lotioned my feet (most of the time). but.......?

Hope this works for you FAST.

hugs,
xoxopatty

Sheila · 06-25-2006, 12:16 PM

Hop
I am on Xeloda, 1500 mg in a.m. and 1000 at night so 2500 mg a day, 14 days on and 7 off....so far no side effects except tired. This seems to be the new recommended dose.

Shell · 06-26-2006, 12:04 PM

Hi Hope-

I am on xeloda (and now tykerb), and my xeloda dosage is 1850mg/m2, which for my height and weight is 3300 daily. I am on 14 days on, and 7 off, because I am part of the clinical trial. I have been on it a year, and the H/F is not getting any easier - I don't get the peeling on my hands so much as cracking and bleeding at the joints...I am inquiring as to whether they can switch me to 11 days on /10 off, or some other regime, or whether the dosage can be reduced...

Good luck w/ things,
Shell

Lisa · 06-26-2006, 03:23 PM

My Xeloda dose started at 1,500 morning and 1,500 evening for 2 weeks on and 1 week off. The only side effect I had was really bad foot/hand syndrome. So we lowered the dose to 3,000 daily EVERY OTHER DAY and 2,500 on ALTERNATE DAYS. Still 2 weeks on, 1 week off. My hands and feet are much better. I do try to keep them lotioned with good lotion AND I take 100 mg B6 with each dose. My onc says that most people end up lowered their dose. And for what it's worth, it combined with Herceptin, seems to be keeping my mets stable.

Love and light,

Lisa

Shell · 06-27-2006, 10:38 AM

I got instructinos that I can lower my xeloda dosage, and I will be at 1250mg/m2, which for me will be 2150 mg 14 days on and 7 off - I hope it helps - it's frustrating that we all say it's fine "except for the H/F thing" but it has reduced my level of activity, the shoes I wear, and the sensitivity of my feet. For my hands, my cooking is greatly decreased, I rarely garden, and I frankly avoid most activities with my hands...I am usually at the extreme high end of the Grade 2 clinical and functional domain, and I really hope the reduced dosage makes things more manageable....

Shell

al from Canada · 06-27-2006, 10:25 PM

There doesn't appear to be any clinical evidence (please correct me if I'm out of date), that there is any survival advantage with higher doses vs lower doses vs times off etc but their is a definite quality of life advantage.

There have been some very successful, but small sample studies, that indicate 500 mg BID with no breaks is just as good as 3000 - 4000 mg of xeloda (hand-foot syndrome) with 7 days off. This actually mimicks a continuous 5-FU infusion. There also didn't appear an increased drug resistance. It also didn't matter if you took 7 or 10 days off. Just going by memory here so if anyone wants to chime in... but I think this is the real issue at hand.
Al