Hello… am looking for tips and advice with regards to these chemo tablets. I foolishly thought that these would be an easier option this time around but am struggling. I have been given these to treat my bone metasteses.
My main problem is extremely sore feet that developed after one week of being on them, it took me by suprise! I am counteracting the effects with pyridoxine tablets but still they are so raw. Hospital are threatening to make me stop them, I want to continue to avoid anything more drastic. I am then slapping on rich moisturisers, antispetic creams …
* If you have been on them, how were you affected?
* Have you any tips for the sore feet? Recommended lotions/potions…?
Sorry to hear you’re having such a sudden reaction. Have you only just started the pyridoxine? Perhaps it takes a while to build up? I’m on my 6th cycle and haven’t noticed anything major other than some harder skin and tingles. I use Udderly Smooth cream which is supposed to help due to the lactic acid.
The other remedy I’ve heard works is to apply henna topically. Apparently it really draws the heat out and calms it down. If you search for Monique Doyle Spencer’s blog she explains how to apply it and which henna to buy. I saw a study conducted in Turkey where patients with varying degrees of hand-foot syndrome had improvements with henna and they didn’t need to reduce the dose. It may be worth a try.
Hi Lottie,
I am sure I posted a reply to this last night. Is it the new site or me?
I was on capecitabine for 2 years had really good shrinkage for 18 months and then it stopped working so I have been on taxol since then.
My husband Ian would rub my feet with e45 every evening in fact he still does he was doing it last night when I thought I replied to this.
I was on 2300mg twice a day and as Ripley says you can have the dose reduced. Sorry you are having a struggle with it, for me it was by far the easiest chemo.
Good luck
Love Debsxxx
Sorry to hear that your feet have been so sore on xeloda. I have been on them since May last year and like you was taken by surprise really over what a mess my feet (and hands) were at one stage - think it was my 2nd cycle, certainly wasn’t the 1st one for me.
I’ve used a variety of creams and think it is a matter of finding out what suits you - udderly smooth certainly seems to work well for me (as well as ripley). What I have found helps most though is absolutely lashing it on at bedtime and then putting cotton socks on on top (have tried on my hands as well but can’t sleep with gloves on!!). If I don’t do this every night, my feet very quickly start blistering and cracking (and if bad, whole lumps of skin falling off!). I also use creams again at least twice in the day - and on my hands every time I wash them.
I’ve had to have my chemo postponed because of the feet and also have over time had the dose reduced - am now only on 1000mg x 2 daily. Don’t know what dosage you are on but that is quite a common thing of xeloda. It seems to work pretty well at lower dosages - it has worked extremely well for me (have been NED on scans since Sept) and am really hoping that the lower dosage will keep it under control.
Hope that helps - it is absolutely miserable having such sore feet.
I too had problems wioth my feet, in particular my big toes. They were continually getting infected and bled at the sides of the nails. Almost impossible to find shoes to wear.
My dose was reduced and this helped a little but eventually, after nearly a year, it stopped working for me and this coincided with my feet being too bad for me to continue on it. I must admit that the Vit b and creams did nothing to help my toes.
Thank you all for your tips, I shall investigate the creams and Henna. I have resorted to Sudocrem Healing Cream which is lovely and thick and hs healled cracks, salt foot baths and slapping anything going. They’ve erupted in blisters today too. All I want to do is be able to walk my little boy to school and pick him up and can’t do that at the moment.
i swear by udder cream, yesterday i totally overdid it and was unable to walk by the end of the day. I’ve applied udder cream about 6 times through the night and this morning and i’m back walking again. i had blisters and lots of pain.
it does the jobbie for me
Hello I’ve never posted on this before but I wanted to say that on I am on second cycle of Capecitabine and from cycle one I could see I was going to have problems with my feet. I looked at this forum and started using udderly smooth it’s great BUT the thing that is keeping it at bay I think(my feet are very red and sore and they have lines in them that would be cracks if i didn’t do my regieme) I use pre injection swabs on my feet if i haven’t showered to make sure they are sterile as infection can get in easily if they are cracked. I then put Germolene ointment not the cream on them all over them it’s very moist then I put udderly smooth then I put trainer socks over them proper socks give me odema. It’s worked so far at keeping it at bay I do it about three times a day my feet are pretty much moist from the cream most of the day. Anyway i just wanted to share that with you and hope you have had some improvement.
I am due to start in two weeks time. I am a little concerned that I must take the drugs 12 hours apart. As it has to be taken within half an hour of food how do you manage. I was thinking to have something to eat at 9.am, have my evening meal at usual time and then have say a slice of toast or a cake at 9pm. Would that work. Any suggestions most welcome. Thankyou all so much - your advice is invaluable - keep well all of you. Margaret