Well I am starting my Xeloda treatment this evening. Had my normal dose of Herceptin this morning, heart scan result showed EF at 60% - higher than when I started LOL.
But I am a little confused. My chemo nurse said that I will be on Xeloda for 3 - 6 treatments, and I asked if I would be on it indefinitely, as I knew ladies that on it for quite a number of years. He seemed to think this very strange for some reason.
There is only one Xeloda isnt there, so how come he said that normally it is only for a set period. If anyone has any views love to hear them.
So wish me luck for tonight, got the sheet full of side effects, quite scary, takes me back to 2 years ago when had FEC and tax. Hopefully I will be ok and not suffer too much.
Hi Dawn,
I was really shocked when after six treatments I was told I was coming off it, as so many ladies on here have been on it continually for years.
The chemo nurse said some trusts allow it, but ours doesn`t, however my onc said if I had had a really good result he would have kept me on it but I had slight progression.
I start a new chemo, when I come back from holiday in three weeks time,but he said he may well put me back on Xeloda at a later date.
Good luck with it, for me it was so gentle compared with other chemos and I lived a very normal life.
Managed to get a few holidays abroad(within europe) as well while I was on it!!
Take care,
Love,
Janx
Hi Dawn and Jan, I’m on Xeloda continuously…it seems a bit of a post code issue…many do have breaks and return to the tablets and yet I know others that have had years of continuous Xeloda…Dawn if you feel good on the tablets and they’re working well could you push to stay on them? I don’t want to come off the tablets while they’re working.
Jan, hope you get another chance with Xeloda as it took a few cycles for my markers to plummet.
I’ve found it a really kind chemo Dawn, Good Luck.
xx
I’ve been on continuous Xeloda for almost six years, the last four years on a “half-dose” of 1000mg x twice a day, two weeks on and one week off. I’ve had great success with this treatment, with my liver mets pretty much gone now, and my bone mets mainly stable. I’m so sorry to hear that access to this treatment for longer than a few courses might be a post-code issue, as this chemotherapy has proved so much easier to live with than most of the other (IV) options for a lot of us – and with mets, we’re really looking for a good quality of life.
Dawn, I didn’t get any side effects at all on Xeloda until my third or fourth course, when my hands & feet started to be a bit hurty, and hope you have an easy time with it – also hope it zaps your mets, of course! Do remember to start using lovely hand & foot creams now, and you might want to talk to your onc about taking Vit B6, 50mg x three times a day, which also helps some of us with the hand/foot side effects.
Jan, have a great holiday, and good luck with your new treatment when you get back.
Hi Dawn,
Just wanted to wish you luck with the new regime - both any side effects, and the treatment effects too, of course. Hope it is indeed a lot easier than before
big love
Jacquie xx
Hi Dawn, I was on this drug 3 years ago then came off it as my tumour markers were drasmatically reduced from " tens of thousands" to 27! So was off them for about 2/3 years and restarted again in April this year. I visited my Oncologist after 6 cycles, she reviewed it again and recommended 3 more. I am almost at an end of this “3 more” and on Monday she said I could stop again. My markers have reduced again and I have been feeling a bit over-tired after all this. But this sort of chemo is a much “milder” sort of chemo than others that are around. Good luck with the treatment and feel free to ask questions as the treatment continues. It certainly has improved my life for the better. Much love Val XX