Informal Xeloda survey
 

Hi - well, I will start Xeloda on Monday, and will add Tykerb as soon as it arrives. Just curious if those who have been on it or are currently on it would kindly post their experiences:

1. What is the best cream you have found for hand/foot?

2. How long until you experienced:
nausea?
hand/foot?

3. Does the nausea happen every day? or is it erratic?

4. Do you also have nausea during your 'off week'?

5. What does your 'off week' feel like? Only fatigue?
Or other symptoms, too?

6. What is your preferred nausea med for Xeloda?
(my doc prescribed Zofran, but I know it is pricey)

That is all I can think of for now. Just want to be prepared...

Thanks!!!

I have never had nausea with Xeloda, just some indigestion if I didn't take it soon after I ate. The best hand foot cream I have found is AHAVA, I purchased it at
www.deadseamineral.com

It took awhile to get as it comes from Israel...sometimes I have found it at TJ Maxx...it was about 3 months until I developed the pain in my feet, but my hands were cracked and dry in about 2 weeks, and have continued. Iasked the manufacturer of Xeloda when I was in San Antonio, and they recommended Utter Balm...well, I had used 3 tubes and my hands were no better...I was happy to have found the AHAVA....I buy both the hand cream and foot cream. I know Sandy found something that worked for her, maybe she will rply.

Hope this helps.
By the way, I do feel more tired, but that could be many things.

Thanks Sheila! Do you take it AM and PM? (apx 10-12 hours apart?)
Good to know about taking it after a meal. Does that apply at night, too? Or is it better to take just before bed?

Brenda

I take it am and pm
after breakfast and after my evening meal...I take 1500mg in the am, and 1000 mg at night. Be sure to drink lots of water, and take it with a full glass of water...this stuff makes me very thirsty, so I have no problem drinking lots.

I use 2 pill boxes, the 7 day kind, and put 5 in each day for my 14 day cycle...this way I know that I have taken them. I swore I would never use the pill boxes, the kind that say the days of the week, and here I am using 2!!!! But it works...I just got my new shipment of Xeloda yesterday from Caremark....they ship me enough for 4 cycles, which is like 280 tablets for $5.00...I think the actual cost is over $1000.00 per cycle.
Hope this helps.
Sheila

Wonderful advice and the pill boxes I already have... I tried to use them a few years ago when I was trying to teach myself how to take vitamins on a regular basis.... I've never been good with structured pill popping because up until b/c, I have never had to take meds for anything. And I was always a reluctant, part-time vitamin taker. So any advice about staying organized and structured in the Xeloda process is a huge help!!

It sounds like my dosing will be a little different than yours, but the same idea... I don't know the dosages yet, but he said 3 pills in the AM and 4 in the PM. Maybe the bigger dose at night to ward off potential daytime nausea.

Thanks again.

Brenda

The pills come in different strengths...some are 500mg, some are I think 150mg or 50 mg, so you may need to really watch if you have to combine pills to get the am and pm dosing...if I didn't take my pills after my dinner, I always ate sugar free pudding, a banana or something before I took them....like I said, I have never had any nausea...ever, so I hope the same is true for you!

Here are my thoughts:

1. What is the best cream you have found for hand/foot?
--udderly smooth udder cream (your local pharmacy or hardware store should carry it)
2. How long until you experienced:
nausea?
hand/foot?
--i never experienced nausea. H/F started after my second cycle (week 6)
3. Does the nausea happen every day? or is it erratic?
--surprised to hear this is an issue for some...
4. Do you also have nausea during your 'off week'?
--N/A
5. What does your 'off week' feel like? Only fatigue?
--my worse symptoms were during the off week. H/F, diarheea and fatigue
Or other symptoms, too?

6. What is your preferred nausea med for Xeloda?
--N/A

Good luck,

Generic for Zofran
 

I use Zofran for nausea and, like you was trying to minimize my intake after the shock at the register! Well, now there is a generic for Zofran...ONDANSETRON HCL. My last monthly order was just a $10 copay, vs. $224 I paid last time with Zofran. Near as I can tell, it works just the same!

All the best,

Thanks Michelle, for the info on generic Zofran. I'm on it again with my new chemo combo, will check with my nurses this week to see if I'm getting the generic...

<3 Lolly

Hello everyone,

I'm supposed to start on the X + T soon, when it gets sorted out how I'll pay for it.
Until then here is some info that I found about the hand foot syndrome:

http://www.vioquestpharm.com/pdfs/sp_xyfid.pdf

The nicotine patch makes sense to me, constricting the small blood vessels in the feet and hands so they don't get much of the 5FU.

Has anyone tried that?

Odette

Watch out for that generic! I know they're supposed to be the same, but I've had zofran suceessfully in the past and my onc didn't check the box this time and i got the generic and it did not work at all for me...

I am going to make sure i get the zofran this time...

Regards,