just miserable
 

i'm not asking for advice...just venting i guess. i have never felt so miserable so continuously as i have since xeloda - tykerb came into my life. it changes between constipation, diarhhea, nausea, heartburn, gas, bloating. today i woke up with what i think is the mother of chest colds in that my lungs and chest feel so so tight. i wish i could cough. used all my inhalers, decongestents, etc. can't take vit c with xeloda. unless of course the xeloda is affecting my lungs which can happen. i can't wait for the results of the dam blood test. if it comes out positive i sure hope she calls me to stop it before my appt. sometimes i just don't even care what happens to me. i know i haven't been at this as long as many of you ladies but 18 years of suffering with lupus wears you down also. thanks for listening. gm.

just miserable
 

I am sorry you are feeling so miserable. There must be something that can be done to make you more comfortable until you get the test results. I would call my doc's office and make it know that I am feeling so miserable if I were in your situation. In fact I have done that in the past. I found out they were giving me some other medicines they didn't tell me about and those medicines were causing my symptoms !! If what you are experiencing is not on the side effect lists of the Xeloda and Tykerb there might be some negative interaction with some other medication or supplements you may be taking. Also everyone's body is different. We all respond to medicines differently. I hope you feel better soon.

Dear GM,
I am praying for you with all my heart. I hope that they find a way to give you some relief from these side effects.

Ugh! What a sorry deal! I'd be a fruit cake for sure! Vent all you like! No time to be Miss Hero today! But I'm praying they figure it out quickly and get you back to the regular crazy normal again. Sending prayers and best wishes, ma

Please Vent
 

I am soooo sorry you are having a rough time with the combo. I am so interested to see what your test shows re: the enzyme. Just to be sure, you're not on any vitamins that have folic acid in them, are you? It can be in your multis and B-complex, and it can really increase severity of SEs while on Xeloda.

I take nexium with my Tykerb... as I have had sporatic acid reflux/heartburn with most of my treatment combos, and it really really helps. Also, I take a digestive enzyme with all of my meals that helps me digest everything more efficiently and really corrects the stomach irritation and sourness...

I hope you start to feel better soon. I have been pretty tethered to the potty myself for the last two weeks since dropping Xeloda and adding Herceptin to my Tykerb. I am dreaming of the day my body gets used to this new combo and this particular SE subsides...

thanks for all your comments. i had such an easy time with herceptin...no problems at all (except if you want to count that it stopped working lol). i have actually stopped even my multivitamin and b-complex because they both contained folic acid. thing is i was very deficient in that so i don't know. i'll ask rheumy tomorrow. also i've been on nexium for years. brenda, what is the digestive enzyme you're taking? maybe that would help me. i need to do something because i can't live like this for the duration. gm

just miserable
 

I am not Brenda, so I hope you don't mind me commenting on the digestive enzymes. Our own her2support.org website has a link to information on that subject. You might want to go to http://cancernutrition.com/enzymes.html.
Fresh or candied ginger may be helpful for nausea. It is good in tea or just by itself with warm water.
Pepermint sometimes helps with digestive problems.
Probiotics (friendly bacteria usually found in yoghurt)helps some people with digestive problems. Some people find it helpful to eat 4-5 small meals a day instead of 3 large meals.
Take care. I hope you feel better soon.

I use Safe and Sound Digestive Enzyme. I order it from my nutritionist at Northwest Natural Health in Seattle.