xeloda dose question

[Lyn]

Hi there, if I am not mistaken Xeloda is the tablet form of 5FU, and is convenientg as a tablet but as you are having intravenous any way ask you onc if you would benefit from it and I don't think they have the same side effects, I know the patients where I go suck on ice when they have it so they don't get mouth ulcers, it is worth the ask. I had it the strongest dose first up for skin mets until I couldn't walk with blistered feet, then it was reduced but the symptoms you are having I have from time to time then they stop just as I think maybe I should go off them then I have minimal problems, until next time, it all seems to be trial and error and how much can we take I stopped it when I got another lump in the neck and swapped to Navelbine which worked well for ages.. Hope this helps.

Love & Hugs Lyn

[Esther]

Rosie, that is something that you should discuss with your oncologist. The kind of symptoms you are describing should not be ignored.

I'm on Herceptin/Navelbine/Xeloda. My initial dose of Xeloda was 2000 twice a day. I was unable to tolerate it due to side effects, so it was reduced to 1000 twice a day.

After 6 months on this combination, my bone mets went NED, and over 50% of my liver mets have disappeared.

I'm doing very well with the lower dosage. See what you dr. says, perhaps a lower dosage would be good right now in your case.

[rosie]

I have been on gemzar and xeloda with herceptin for 7 months now. It has worked really well for my lung mets. However, I am having trouble with the xeloda now. Initially, the onc started me on 3000 mg but quickly reduced me to 2500 and then to 2000 mg.

But now I am having abdominal pain, fever and diarrhea with the last couple of cycles. I know the obvious answer is to reduce the dose of xeloda yet again but I am really afraid to. I have been told that there is a very sensitive line with xeloda and dose beyond which it is not effective.

For those of you on xeloda, what doses are you on and when you were reduced how did you do?

Thanks