Capecitabine for further treatment - what to do - any advice

Going through breast cancer treatment Chemotherapy
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Hi all,

So I’ve completed 4 months of chemo, just recently had mastectomy with immediate reconstruction and got pathology results back last week of good clear margins and no node involvement which is good news. Seen oncologist today (which wasn’t my regular Dr that I’m under) for what further treatment is for me and was suggested I have Capecitabine for a further 5 or 6 sessions and also take biphosphonate too for bones. I had TNBC and I’ve been told also read that it could be of benefit to me with having this type of cancer. Anybody else on this forum had this treatment - what side effects had you suffered, any opinions feedback on these drugs would be really helpful. It was suggested also that radiotherapy was an option.

Thanks in anticipation xx

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Feel like I tick all of the boxes for this question: TNBC, capecitabine, and bisphosphonates all!

I’ve been on bisphosphonates for almost 2 years now. Won’t lie, the first dose was awful for me - real flu-like symptoms. But in the grand scheme of things, a couple of days of feeling rubbish wasn’t the end of the world. And each dose since (ever 6 months for 3 years is my treatment plan) has been almost unnoticeable. I’m clearly no expert, but the bisphosph feels like an easy recommend: minimal side-effects, lots of good benefits.

I’ve been taking capecitabine since February, as my primary treatment after I had too many issues from docetaxel last year. It is far easier on my system, I have to say - I’m living a vaguely normal life through this one. It’s a bit backwards from infusion chemos, in that the dose builds up, so I feel more fatigued at the end of my 2 weeks ‘on’ rather than at the start.

Side-effects have been minimal, at least in comparison. My hair’s not affected (growing back like a weed!). As I said, some low-key fatigue, but hasn’t floored me at all. Two biggest are probably digestion effects - nothing major, just, effects that are a bit meh - and I’ve been developing hand/foot syndrome. This took 4-5 sessions to start, really, and while I dislike it’s more weird than awful: feel like I have plastic over my fingers from loss of sensation and I am going through moisturiser at quite the rate!

Don’t feel I can really advise a yes/no on that one. I’ve had non-TBNC breast cancer before, but this is the one that’s really scared me, so I’m glad of all the treatment I can have, in a way. I was on tamoxifen for years for the previous one, and I suppose there’s something in 15-16 weeks of side effects compared to 10 years of tamoxifen.

Not going to comment on radiotherapy, as mine was quite a while ago and others will have more useful advice.

Sending you good vibes on it all, and the ‘argh’ of decision-making!