Xeloda, any info please

DonnaNY · 02-27-2008, 12:07 AM

Hi all, My moms Onc wants to start her on Xeloda. She is currently on Herceptin (two weeks on , one week off) and Aredia once a Month. Any info about Xeloda would be so appreciated. Any side effects and such. Thank you all so much. God Bless !!

Sheila · 02-27-2008, 05:25 AM

Donna
I was on Xeloda on and off for a year...2 weeks on and one off. I was also on Herceptin....the side effects seem to be dose related...my main ones were watery eyes and dry sore fingers and soles of the feet. used Ahava skin cream and it did the trick. I was on 2500 mg a day and I found it very easy to take.

megs · 02-27-2008, 05:40 PM

I am a new member,have just been given the bad news that the brain mets have increased in size but the bone and other tumors have really settled down, the herceptin worked on those. Please could someone let me know if i just take xeloda and not the tykerb will still have a good result, the impossible question

Mykentuckyhome · 02-27-2008, 06:04 PM

Dear newcomer, Although your onc. should always be consulted on things like that, I would think tykerb is very important because as I understand it, Tykerb passes the brain barrier for brain mets. I dont think anything else does that. I dont have brain mets, but I had been taking that combo since April of 07. Hope this helps.

DonnaNY · 02-28-2008, 12:23 AM

Thanks Sheila

Lolly · 02-28-2008, 06:08 PM

Donna, I was on Xeloda with Herceptin for over a year, a very small dose(500 mg. 2 x's daily. It served to keep the cancer stable, and it was only when I resumed Xeloda at a higher dose, after a break to try other chemos, that I had hand/foot syndrom in a big way. At first my onc restarted me at 1000 mg. 2 x's daily, then I asked if we could up the dose so he increased it by just 500 mg. a day and that did me in. So as Sheila points out, side effects are usually dose related. From what I understand it's important to start lower and increase gradually, rather than the reverse.

<3 Lolly

Bill · 02-28-2008, 06:26 PM

Hi Donna, my wife was on Xeloda for several months at 3500 mgs. per day, I think, and suffered no side effects. Her onc. stressed to her repeatedly that if she suffered any side effects, like hand and foot syndrome, or diarrhea, to quit taking the pills and contact her immediately. Don't let your mom try to "tough it out" with diarrhea while on Xeloda if that were to happen. It can lead to renal failure. On the other side of the coin, Xeloda, as others have said, can be increased or decreased according to the tolerance of each person. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Love, Bill

Bill · 02-28-2008, 06:38 PM

Hi Megs! I'm sorry to hear about the brain mets, but glad you have come here with your questions. Please feel free to ask anything. These awesome women and men have "been there and done that", so ask away. Like Kentucky said, it may be important to continue/resume the Tykerb. Talk to your onc. again about that one. Also, what kind of radiation treatments are being scheduled for your brain mets? I'm glad your other mets have settled down. Please keep in touch. We are thinking of you and praying for you. Love, Bill

DonnaNY · 02-29-2008, 12:00 AM

This may seem like a stupid question but what is hand foot syndrome?

PinkGirl · 02-29-2008, 09:24 AM

Hi Donna
I'll try to answer this question but hopefully some
of the others will chime in and correct me.

The hand/foot syndrome is a side effect of some
chemo drugs. Some of the drug gets into the small
capillaries in the palms of your hands and the soles
of your feet. It causes redness, tenderness/pain,
skin peeling/cracking. It can be mild or severe.
It is worsened by heat and friction.

Hopefully others can tell you how to deal with it.
Hope this helps.

TSund · 02-29-2008, 03:18 PM

So then hand/foot syndrome is different from neuropathy?

Thanks for the info

TRS

PinkGirl · 02-29-2008, 03:43 PM

Yes, they are different. Neuropathy
is from damage to peripheral nerves.
It causes a "pins and needles" sensation,
and numbness usually to the hands and
feet, but it can be other body parts as well.

DonnaNY · 03-01-2008, 12:54 AM

Thank you all so much , my mom and I really appreciate the info and the all the support we get here from you all. God Bless !

With Love, Donna

Mary Anne in TX · 03-01-2008, 04:42 AM

Hey Pink....great picture.....beautiful and brilliant!!! What a combination!

madubois63 · 03-01-2008, 10:44 AM

I was told to keep my hands and feet well moisturized. The doc gave me a sample of udder Cream. I use it all day long.

On chemo, I've gotten the neuropathy - that tingly/numb feeling; but I've recently started to get the hand foot syndrome. It feel different. It's like the bottom of my feet are on fire.

I have a paraffin wax machine (like the spas have for manicures/pedicures). That really helped the neuropathy. A foot bath with cooler water helps the hand/foot thing - mineral salts help too.

hutchibk · 03-01-2008, 11:53 AM

Donna - something that you and your mom should know as she prepares for Xeloda... and something that your onc should be able to address as well, is that a shortage of a critical enzyme for the metabolism of Xeloda called dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase can cause someone who is taking it to experience the most severe side effects from it.

It does not preclude someone from taking it, and I don't know what tests are available to determine whether you have a shortage of it or not, but just be sure to ask the doctor about it. I have tolerated Xeloda extremely well, so I can assume that I have all of that enzyme that I need...

TSund · 03-01-2008, 04:08 PM

hmm...seems like they oughta make up a batch of that enzyme! ?

hutchibk · 03-01-2008, 07:03 PM

I guess it's probably pretty difficult and improbable to un-naturally create a natural biologically occurring enzyme? LOL - Wouldn't it be nice, though!

Hand/Foot syndrome: following administration of chemotherapy (Capecitabine (Xeloda<sup>®</sup>), small amounts of drug leak out of very small blood vessels called capillaries in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet, severely drying and irritating the surrounding skin. This is called Hand/Foot syndrome, (or Palmar-Plantar Erythrodysesthesia; PPE).

Also, Donna - in my opinion, one of the smartest things I did from day one was to stop taking Folic Acid (in all forms) because as mentioned in Xeloda info, supplementation with Folic Acid (by itself or compounded in your multi-vits or your B Complex Vits) can increase the severity of the side effects...

Also, I started taking vitamin B6 (by itself, not in a B-Complex formulation)- which helps protect the capillaries in the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.

Some good links that you might find helpful:

http://www.chemocare.com/managing/handfoot_syndrome.asp

http://www.cancerbackup.org.uk/Treat...s/Capecitabine

Diana1993 · 03-01-2008, 07:06 PM

I am half way through round three of Xeloda and also experiencing hand and foot syndrome/ I moisturize many times a day with Aquaphor, and Burt's Bee products. At first I was massaging but this brings heat to the hands and feet so I stopped. I do soak in cool water and this seems to relieve the hot and painful sensation and I keep my feet up whenever possible. I believe someone suggested B6 and I take it also.

hutchibk · 03-01-2008, 07:14 PM

Diana - ask your onc if they work with a dermo. I went to the dermo the other day (for something different) but she is very in-tuned to cancer specific conditions. She told me the best thing she has found for H/F Syndrome is a Urea cream. (it is made from what it sounds like it is made from) - it comes in a couple of different strengths. One is milder and I think can be bought over the counter at specialty pharmacies. The other is prescription strength. You might want to look into it. Even though I haven't had bad HFS, I do get very dry heals (and small splits/fissures in the heals) during my 2 weeks on Xeloda. She suggested I use this cream at night with socks, and it should really mitigate that happening any more.