Xeloda - Need feedback

[michelemd]

Hello

Guess I am having one of those "lows"

I am on Hereptin and have failed Taxotere, Gemzar and now I think Navelbine. (recurrance in breast neck, brain)

someone suggested we could use Xeloda with the Herceptin, studies support it. My Onc I think indicated she can't give it to me without taking me off Herceptin.

?? I will ask again -- anybody know for sure?

Any good experiences?

Thanks -- support appreciated.

Michele in MD

[al from canada]

Dear Michele,
It is not uncommon to get Xeloda + Herceptin. Even a MORE common tx is Xeloda, Navelbine + herceptin.
Good luck,
Al

[Jackie]

I came off of gemzar last August and began Xeloda while continuing Herceptin. I had a pretty dramatic cardiac reaction which was definitely drug induced and had to stop all treatment for a bit. I came off of Xeloda for that reason and began Doxcil, without Herceptin. Heart problems with Xeloda are very uncommon, but I was in that 1%, so be sure to clear this up with your onc! I would be happy to provide you with my onc's name and ph # if you would like your onc to talk to her. Hope this helps!
Love,
Jackie

[madubois63]

Michele - I am glad you posted your question here. This is the place to find the most agressive treatments. I sent you an e-mail. I am not up to the meds you are on, but my oncologist has always been very agressive with me. I am doing hormonal, chemo and adjunct all at the same time. I got more test results back today and the cancer on my lungs and in the far right arm nodes is gone! Time to bring out the big guns. Get another opinion.

[wlward]

Michelle
i had six rounds of herceptin /xeloda for skin mets and small local recurrence. Skin mets disappeared in about 3 weeks the lump took a litle longer. It has been about 11 weeks now and no return. I have not gone longer than 16 weeks without a return, for 2 years.
All the best
love
lindaw

[*_celina_*]

Michele,
My sister is due to begin Xeloda and Herceptin once she has completed her WBR. I have heard good things about this combination, many on this site. It seems to be a common combo for skin mets and quite successful too. Haven't heard much about it's treatment for liver/bone, which is what my sis has. Please let me know how you are feeling if/when you begin. I'm not sure why you would have to be pulled off Herceptin???

[michelemd]

thanks so much for your kind comments!!!

My breasts are the worst. My Onc consulted her top oncs and they mostly said do NOT take me off Herceptin. Sooo she spoke with the fellow at Sloan Kettering and we iwll now try adding Xeloda next week.

Will get a chest scan to check ribs, etc.
Meantime, I plan to consult another onc in Annapolis who is doing 35 trials. Need somone outside the box.

I am really disappointed they suspended the Celebrex trials!! There was one for breast cancer.

Thanks!! Started my physical therpy too.

Guess I just have to pray now.

Congrats to Maryann!!

Cheers
Michele

[al from canada]

Michele,
Just ask for the celebrex for its primary use: painful joints etc. You don't have to be in a trial. 100 mg 2 x day is good. All the paranioa has been due to studies of 400 mg / day +.
Al

[Jennifer]

My sister did great with Xeloda and Herceptin, she had a liver full of mets and several in the lungs. Now she is only on Herceptin and Arimidex.

Love, Jennifer

[Guest]

I have been on herc.+ Xeloda since October now. I have not had a check up yet, but I will let you know. Since I have several mets in my liver, I decided to get rid of the bigger ones (3) through Cyberknife. This is quite a new treatment, there is not much literature on it, but since chemo therapies have not had that great success with me so far, I thought why not to try and give it a hand? So I had this treatment last week, - everything went well, absolutely no pain at all no side effects... And now I have re-started Hercpetin + Xeloda. I should have my next check in a month.
Good luck, take care, Beatrice

[Hope]

I too have started Xeloda/Herceptin. I think at first there was a study done or something that said Xeloda/Herceptin were antagonistic to each other. At first, my onc. would not give it me also. But I just had the first round with Xeloda/Herceptin. Unfortunately, I think the dose was too high because I had a terrible bout with diarrhea. I'm afraid to try it again, but onc has lowered my dose by one pill. I hope I do better. I also read not to take a supplement with folic acid in it. There are some ladies on the board who ho and some who don't. My onc. said not too. Would be interested what other oncs. are saying. God bless you!

[Sherry in WV]

I was on herceptin when my Onc tried Xeloda. Unfortunately I could not take it, it gave me severe diarrhea.
I just found out yesterday from my latest MRI that my disease is progressing. I have stage IV to liver and My liver is now full of tumors. I have been on taxotere, doxi, gem, navalbine. Now on CMF, last ditch effort so they say.....If I fail this, we are going to try Xeloda again, My Onc has a lot of faithi in it. And I am still on Hercptin. My Doc also said to try the folic acid. I too, was scared to go back on the Xeloda, but if this combo fails, I will go back to it.
Good LUck!

[Sherry in WV]

Do you have any information you could share about cyberkife? I would be interested. I have 3 big tumors along with the small ones.
2 are 8 cms and one is 6. I would appriciate anything you could share that I could take back to my Onc. He is very accepting of new ideas.
Thanks
Sherry...