capecitabine…dodgy stomach…
capecitabine…dodgy stomach… Hi,
I have just started capecitabine this weekend, and feel quite sick for an hour or so after taking it. I wondered if this is what happens at the beginning of starting this drug, and that your body gets used to it? I have also been on 2 lots of very heavy antibiotics over the weekend too, so I think my body has just had enough of pills…but I am hoping the capecitabine won’t be a problem for me. has anyone else had this reaction when they first started it. and did it pass?
love Jo
HI Jo
I’ve been on capecitabine since October 2006 - maximum dose - but only recently experienced the dodgy stomach.
I suspect mine is due to the fact that I’m not really a breakfast person so tend to be lazy and have my first dose on an empty stomach.
Do you take yours after eating?
Also if you’re like me and don’t like taking additional drugs to deal with side effects - here’s a couple of tips from my US support group to deal with it:-
- reduce the dose;
- take probiotic intestinal friendly bacteria.
- take 15 mins to 1/2 hour after food.
cheers
Moira
Sickness I have posted this on behalf of terry
Kind Regards
Forum Host
Breast Cancer Care
posted on 19.03.07 12:33 pm
terry
Hi Jocasta,
My wife is on Xeloda too. 4700mg a day. She started on 5300mg but it was too much.
She also was very sick the first time and we had to take her back to emergency. There is a special anti sickness tablet called Zelodex or something similar, she takes it for the first three days of each Xeloda cycle and now has no more sickness. I know Zelodex is very expensive so you might have to push for it.
Watch out for the tiredness the Xeloda might bring, it is accumulative but other than that tolerance is good.
Kind ergards
Terry
Hi Jo, I’ve just finished my second round of xeloda and have had a very sore tum today which I didn’t have when I began treatment. I know you can get a ‘stomach protector’ prescribed by your onc. if you are having problems. They also offered me anti-sickness meds which I declined as I’ve never suffered any sort of chemo sickness. From what I can gather, the side effects of xeloda seem tailored to the individual so each of us seems to have a different reaction. My hands and feet became very very dry last week and I quite expect them to get worse after my next round. I have had a couple of very tired days too, but basically can get on with life as usual. It is still by far the easiest chemo I’ve had. The side effects are cumulative, so try and nip any in the bud before they turn into real problems. Make sure you let your hospital know of any side effects.
Love Jenny
P.S. Moira, am not really a breakfast person either. Is the reason you are supposed to take it after food to make it easier on your digestive system? I didn’t know if it may be to act as a catalyst…
thanks for help Hi,
thanks for the info/tips…I will get some probiotics, and phone the hospital if the sickness stays, and maybe ask to reduce the dose. Today I’ve felt terrible, so exhausted, unable to get out of the house at all, really down, crying a lot, and just feeling so weak. The problem is it’s really confusing knowing what exactly is causing all the symptoms. I’ve recently come back from India and have had a bad chest infection, so I’ve just finished 2 lots of very strong antibiotics (I’m very sensitive to drugs…they make me really depressed, especially antibiotics)…and I’ve started the capecitabin at the same time as the antibiotics…and I think I am unwell because of the cancer too. I’ve lost my voice for 3 weeks now, and thought it was the chest infection, but the hospital are saying it’s possible my lung mets are pressing on my vocal cords. That’s really freaked me out!!! and then there’s been a whole big ordeal with my boyfriendm since coming back…so I’m in a bit of a mess really, and don’t know what’s what. I’ll give this drug a few more days, and see how I feel.
What really confuses me is that until 3 weeks ago I was feeling so well, was doing 2 hours of yoga a day, swimming for 45 minutes, sometimes jogging on the beach…I felt happy, convinced that the cancer was in remission…and then I step off the plane, get told it’s spread more, find out my partner’s having an affair, and my health goes so down hill I can’t even get the energy to go out. The hospital are saying maybe the cancer syptoms have been gradually getting worse and now the scales have tipped that bit too much, anhd I’m sick. But I wonder. Do the test results have an impact on my health? If they say it’s worse, do I then feel worse? If i’m down emotionally, does the cancer feel worse…or get worse?
sorry for the ramble. I’ve been feeling so lonely the past 3 weeks since i’ve been back. really scared. Having such negative thoughts. Feeling exhausted by the cancer journey. Feeling like I don’t want to talk to anyone because it’s always doom and gloom. Feeling so angry that this is going on. and i guess it feels nice to write this, knowing that all of you will understand these feelings. When I’m well, I feel like I’ll go on forever, I feel pretty positive a lot of the time…but when I’m sick, I get so scared.
sorry I’ve rambled on.
love Jo
For jocasta Hi jo
It sounds like you’ve got a lot to contend with at the moment with your relationship problems and illness as well as having to take different drugs. As you are feeling alone I wondered if it may help to talk to some one confidentially on our help line 0808 800 6000.
You are able to talk about technical and emotional issues with some body who has expereince of breast cancer or is a breast cancer nurse.
The team comes from a variety of backgrounds, which means you get the opportunity to talk to someone who has an understanding of the issues you’re facing.
The helpline is available Monday to Friday 9am-5pm and Saturday 9am-2pm.
Best wishes
Online Host
Breast Cancer Care
Hi Jo Sorry you are having such a rough time. I think you’re right a lot of it is to do with what they tell you. Last week I was told my bloods were really low and instantly started to feel like I was getting a cold or something. Not in the same league as what you are feeling but I’m sure we do sometimes feel the way we perhaps think we should until we can shake it off.
Don’t know about you but I always feel low after a trip away it’s back to appointments and treatment again it’s always a big downer for me. You have a lot going on at the mo. so no wonder you feel the way you do.
I’ll email soon, want to hear all about India.
Take care
Love Twinkle (Joy) xoxo
A hug from me Hi Jo
I just had to post to give you a big cyber hug - you really seem to be going through it just now.
Thinking of you and I hope things start to look brighter soon.
blondie
for Jo and Jenny Hi Jenny and Jo
Now firstly Jenny - it is my understanding that the food lines the stomach to prevent the nausea and dodgy stomach - I have noticed hat my evening dose which is usually taken within 1/2 hour of food doesn’t result in an upset stomach as the morning dose does.
Jo - I’m sorry to hear all you are dealing with - I think anyone in your position would be feeling the same. You’ve dealt with a lot in the past few weeks - you’re coming down from your holiday, you’ve found out you have bc mets and that your boyfriend was/is cheating on you.
Its confusing hearing that your condition is now terminal - as you had up until then felt fine - i was the same - I continued on my merry old life feeling fine - even did so once I was told I had bone mets - it was only when I was told it had gone to my liver, did I start to physically feel like cr*p - maybe some of it was the cancer, side effects of the treatment or pyscho-sematic. Who knows.
And yes having mets is terrifying at the beginning - I remember planning my funeral songs, doing some uncontrollable sobbing and was convinced i only had months left - that was in July 2006. And here I am 8 months later - working full time, travelled to the US in August and back home to Australia over Christmas and currently stable.
So my dear there is hope - no doubt about it. You will adjust to your new normal - eventually - I still have my down days (in fact just emerging from a 6 week black period) - its only natural - but I wallow in my self pity when I want to - then dust myself off and get back onto that horse known as living and enjoying every day I can.
Its unfortunately part and parcel of the new uncertain world in which we reside - but I never give up hope. I’m a member of a couple of US support groups and hear lots of encouraging stories from ladies who had liver, lung and bone mets and were given the “you’ve got 6 months” news - and are still here 5 or 8 years later.
And in the middle of my cancer journey - got dumped by my partner of 3 years (1 week before Christmas - nice one) who I subsequently found out was cheating on me. Yes that hurt like hell (especially when he kind of made out I was making him miserable) - and I remember asking “what more do I have to put up with”?
My friend we are dealing and have dealt with so much - but I got through it and so can you. For me what worked was - getting some counselling for my relationship issues (so I no longer blamed mysef and cancer for our break up); wrote a list of practical things I could do to make myself feel better - if that was eating a donut, I would - and finally I’ve made some hard decisions in terms of regaining control of my life. The hardest thing I found dealing with was the lack of control - my life was dictated by hospital visits - scan results, feeling ill - but now i’ve set a list of things I want to achieve and am putting my plans in place so I can achieve them. I tell you - it made me feel so much better.
And finally on another note - I was very scared about dating again - given my previous partner had been there for me during the mastectomy, hair loss etc first time round. How was I goingg to cope with entering the dating world again? I did - and last weekend celebrated 12 months with my new partner.
Anyway I’m waffling - I hope this has helped you see some light at the end ofthe tunnel - because sometimes thats all we need. No one understands like someone going through the same sh*t as you.
Good luck with it all - let us know how you get on and if you need to offlaod - i’m always here.
cheers
Moira
PS if you develop the hand/foot syndrome - I have some great home remedies for that as well…
eating before Hi Jo
I’ve just finished 3rd lot and have a bit of a funny tum for a few days in the middle. Usually its only slight. I think it is imprtant to eat before you take them. I just think if its a toxic drug I need to line my stomach.
My instructions do say take within 30 mins of eating.
Fingers are not too good this time, cracked and sore despite taking Pyridoxine ( Vit B6) and smothering with cream.
Off to the hospital tomorrow to collect next lot, hope bloods are ok as been a bit dodgy!
Love to all
Kitkat
Capecitabine side effects Hi Kitkat
I just wanted to say please try Alpha Lipoic Acid. It is a supplement which really does help with the hand and foot syndrome often suffered with Capecitabine. I was taking this supplement and hardly had any problems with this side effect. Before I took this supplement I suffered really badly with the hand and foot syndrome when I was on Taxotere. I know it really does work and it was recommended by an Oncologist. I tried Pyridoxine and it did nothing for me but ALA really made a difference.
Good luck
thanks again hi there,
thanks again for your lovely replies…the cyber hug felt great! and thanks Moira for your inspiring email about getting into a new relationship. My stomach has settled down and I feel just about normal again. I think it was the combination of antibiotics and the first 3 days of chemo that sent me spinning. But the depression has lifted again, and I am beginning to feel more human again!
I was really interested to hear what you said about boyfriends, Moira, as I do have a belief that the cancer stuff has really mucked up things with me and my partner (we are still together…he’s having therapy now and we’re trying to sort out the mess)…but I wonder how much I/we blame things on the cancer. And there is a part of me that thinks I am damaged goods now, and noone else would want to be with me…and that I wouldn’t have the energy to date…so THANKS for your inspiration!! For now I’ll try to work things out with him, but if they don’t work, maybe I’ll go off onto the dating field again!!
and lastely, I never wrote my cancer details in the profile as I just get so bored of stating the details…but I should have, because I think it wasn’t clear in my last mail. I have actually had mets for 2.5 years now, bones and lung…had cancer 5 years ago…got the BRCA2 gene…double mastectomy…1 year ago had chemo for 2nd time as mets had spread to liver, and I was devestated. Chemo worked well, It went entirely from my liver in November. Then in Feb they said again it’s come back, but more so…which is why I’ve just started new chemo. I was really upset hbecause I didn’t expect it to come back so quickly, and especially because i was feeling so well…so anyway, that’s my BC history…guess i should fill in my profile now!
and lastely, want to say hi to you Joy, lovely to hear from you, hope you’re doing ok,
lots of love,
Jo
pps. kitkat…good luck with your bloods. It’s always nerve wracking having them done.
Hi Jo
Been meaning to respond to your post - but last week was just so crazy at work - anyway it still is but I have a small window of opportunity to drop you a line.
I think its hard to differentiate between pre-existing problems in your relationship and those that arose from the cancer. And in some cases its easier to blame cancer than address the real issues. But the bottom line is anyone i’m with - I want them to be with me 110% of the way. I think cancer or any life threatening illnes has the effect of bringing people closer together or tearing them apart.
But if things are bad - I don’t want you to think you have to stay with that person because you are “damaged” goods and no one else will want you - as I think you will be surprised at how much men can cope with.
I dated a lot - being a modern woman in a strange town I internet dated - I didn’t ell all my dates what had happened - but those I remain in touch with and friends with I did disclose my medical history and not one said it put them off. My current boyfriend is a lot of a boob man - and he stil says it doesn’t bother him and I am still the sexiest woman he’s been with.
I won’t lie - its not an easy thing to have to disclose - but I got lots of help through the BCC peer support - they put me i touch with a younger woman who’d had a mastectomy and gone through these issues with new boyfriends and she was absolutely great in getting me through the disclosure part.
So I hope this helps to see possdiblities beyond staying in a relationship that may not be working.
take care
Anyhing more I can do lt me know.
cheers
Moira
for Moira Hi Moira,
thanks for your reply…it was sooooo encouraging to read…I’d like to write more to you about relationship stuff but feel a bit funny about it being “public” on the internet…there used to be a way of emailing people on this website, but I can’t figure out how to do it now.
Anyway, you are an inspiration, and thanks for your reply, ope things are going ok for you,
xx
Hi Jo
Thought I posted to you on friday -but seems the post has gone missing.
You are correct - used to be able to individually post to people on this site but that feature was taken off when they updated.
Anyway - you can contact me on the other site if you like.
Otherwise - can continue communicating on this site if you can locate me elewhere.
cheers
Moira