Xeloda side effects?

[Lisa]

I've now gone through 2 rounds (I think) of Xeloda. No side effects except for a bit of Hand/Foot Syndrome. Yet yesterday, I vomited couple of times and today bad diahrrea. (This during the off week).

Anybody else had similar issues, especially on the off week?

Love and light,

Lisa

[Lolly]

Lisa, I'm on a continuous schedule, 500mg 2x's daily with no break. I've been on this for 2 weeks now, and the only side effects so far have been slight nausea the first couple of days, but that settled down. How much are you taking? My onc wanted to start low, then if I tolerate that well gradually increase the dose if needed until side effects manifest. He feels it's just as effective that way with fewer side effects. If the side effects continue, perhaps talk to your onc about decreasing the dose until you stabilize, then work your way back up gradually.
Hope you feel better tomorrow, the yucks are no fun ,

<3 Lolly

[Sherryg683]

I am also on my off week from my second round of Xeloda...i hate it. I hate taking pills everyday, I am on 3000mg. It's suppose to be a great drug though. My main issue is the hand/foot thing. My hands will be great for 3 days or so then all of a sudden from no where I wake up with them feeling like I placed them on a stove top. I have been off Xeloda now since Friday and I woke up this morning with hand and feet killing me. There seems to be no consistancy in when I get this H/F thing. I love playing tennis and can't seem to do it because it aggrivates my hand and feet. I have had a little diahrrea but that's pretty normal for me...no vomiting. It does seem to zap my energy though about an hour after I take them....sherryg683

[Kim in CA]

Dear Lisa,

My side effects from Xeloda (the short time I was on it) were disastrous. As you may remember from previous posts, it landed me in the hospital. I was taking the full dosage for my body mass index(BMI) which was 4300mg a day. FYI, I'm about 5'9" and 145 pounds. On the tenth day of taking it I woke up very dizzy and just passed out on my way to the bathroom. My doc had me immediately stop taking it and we thought all would be fine(or maybe I just did). Anyway a couple of days later I developed the nausea and diarrhea. Just be watchful for any sign of fever and don't wait around if one should develope. I ignored the early warning signs and developed a raging infection that entered my blood stream through my intestines that were so ravaged from the Xeloda.
I don't want to frighten you, but if your white counts are low and infection should develope it can be really hard to get things back under control. I just would hate anyone to have to go through that experience.

Take Care, Kim in CA

[Shell]

I have had 7 or 8 rounds of xeloda (the two week on/one off cycle). The uplift I get from the peace of not having to take the pills in that third week is somewhat tempered in the off week when my symptoms are often worse than during the pill taking part. I haven't experienced the nausea, but do struggle through the H/F issues, and more rarely, the diarrhea. Usually after 2 cycles I take a bit of a longer break to make sure the H/F is resolved before I continue with it.

Good luck with things

Shell

[Brian]

Dear Lisa:

My wife, Lisa, is completing her 5th cycle of Xeloda, 2600 total (1300 twice a day for two weeks, one week off). She has suffered the hand/foot syndrome, but only mildly. Her fingers split and bleed on occasion and she suffers nausea in the second week of the treatment. She takes care of that with either Zofran or Adivan. Apparently, Adivan's ability to relax her tends to relieve the nausea.

The Dr. first intended 6 cycles of this, but her previous scans were NED, so we think he may continue the treatment for awhile.

Good Luck and God Bless!

Brian

[jojo]

Hi Lisa,

I have been experiencing only rather mild Hand/Foot Syndrome: dry peels & some rediness. No nausea or diahhrea on my part.

Hope Xeloda is working effectively on you!