Xeloda side effects

[Gair]

Wow!

I finished taking Taxotere for 6 cycles, which failed -- but did manage to leave me with no hair, eyebrows, eyelashes and the loss of several finger and toe nails. Was offered the choice of Navelbine of Xeloda and chose the latter.

I am just finishing my first cycle of Xeloda and my onc said she would start me on a LOW dosage -- but I am on 2000mg morning and night which certainly sounds like the old higher dosage!

So far I am fine (except for the dires, but I get that with everything... and it is only in the morning) no hand/foot or anything else.

Also getting Herceptin, and am taking beta blocker and ace inhibitors to try to help my heart take it.

I think I will double check on the dosage when I go in next week.

thanks for the heads up,

Gair

[Shell]

while some of the mg dosage seems high, remember it is weight and height based. i started at 2500mg/m2, which for me based on weight (135) was 2150/2x day, totaling 4300 mg. after 2 cycles and then experiencing nasty H/F and everything else, my dosage was reduced 25%, to 1875mg/m2, which for my weight is 1650/2x day, totalling 3300 mg ( it's difficult to play with it much further as I am on a clinical trial, and want to stay on it...).

the safer number to talk about in terms of dosage is the m2 number, because the final calculation of your height and how much you weigh will determine the actual number of pills you take...altho it's early and my math may be wrong, it would seem that beth is taking around 1775mg/m2 and kim was taking about 2500mg/m2...

...and lu ann, lapatinib is oral, once a day (for me 5 pills)...

Shell

[pattyz]

I think it's been established by the latest reports from the makers of Xeloda that the MAXIMUM dosage has been down rated to 2500mg total a day, not dependant on body mass anymore.

[Beth]

Thanks everyone for your response. My onc said we could adjust the dosage after any side effects are noticed. I agree with you ladies that how about starting smaller??? Also I was concerned about no days off but I think I am a hard case now since all the other chemos. I just took my first 2000 mg last night and woke up with diarehha cramps and somewhat lose stools. Off to get imodiam ad just in case. Anyone get that hand/foot syndrome? We need a cure for this disease!

Hugs,

Beth