Been fighting breast cancer since September 2015 had it 3 times. After lumpectomy chemo. Lumpectomy radiotherapy. It’s back now in my chest wall palliative chemo starting soon taking capecitabine so dreading it with all side effects
Hello Angela
Welcome to our family and sorry you have not received any replies but its new year so a lot of our lovely ladies will be busy or nursing a hangover !!!
There is a very helpful thread for capecitabine where there are lovely ladies that know everything about the side effects to help you. It’s under " treatments" and its busy so always some help there if you post.
I’m afraid I’m as much help as a chocolate teapot as I’m only on letrozole at my stage so the chemo side effects I’m not good with.
Reading the cape thread sometimes …it seems to be sore feet and hands that get most ladies .
Anyway if you can …pop along there and see if you can find some helpful tips.
New year hugs xxxx
Thank you carolyn52. I’ve just come off letrozole as it didn’t work. I was told of sore hands and feet issues as well as other awful side effects.thank you for your message new years hugs to you too x
Hallo Angela and Happy New Year! Just thought I’d weigh in as I had a very positive experience of Capecitabine, my first treatment after being diagnosed with secondary breast cancer in July 2013. I found IV chemo, which I’d had twice before, really bad news so I was dreading another type but I found it very doable and it was effective for 2 1/2 years.
I was prepared with creams and anti sickness tablets but the dose can be lowered if the side effects feel too much, or you can take some extra time off. I was on a week on/ week off regime which worked for me. I hope that you get a long and easy run on it! xx
Thank you for positive comment about capecitabine.still scary knowing what chemo can do.will be on a 2 week on 1 week off regime. It’s the waiting and wondering.
I was on Cape for 18 months, came off it in March 2015. My feet and hands were sore however it was quite doable and kept me stable all that time. Hope all goes well for you - use lots of moisturiser!! I wore Skechers Go Walk shoes a lot (still do actually!)
hi Angela, i too have had cape and although it didnt work long for me i know others have had good results. The sdie effects are quite severe but are do-able and not as debilitarting as other chemo;s. One positive is you get to keep your hair. I’m abot to start on another chemo and will be losing mine for a 3rd time and tha t is bringing me down more than anything. Only other ‘problem’ was havibg to eat when you dont want to in order to take tablets but thats nothing in the grand scheme of things. I’m sure you’ll be fine. x
Hello Angelamaryf, welcome, but sorry you have had to join us. As Carolyn said, please join us on the Capecitabine/Xeloda thread - you will find much more specific info re Cape on that thread. Many peopke have had ywars on Cape. I myself have been on it for 2.5 years now, with a two breaks of about 8 weeks (currently on second now) and one break of several months.
As Stresshead andstillhere have said, it is a do-able chemo. Still a chemo, but the se’s are a little milder for most peopke. I have found that most Oncs like to start you on a high dose, and then lower it if you have problems. So do tell him/her of any trouble you are having (hopefully none!).
Hugs and good luck. Barton.x
Thank you George for that positive comment.i too lost all my hair. Body hair eyebrows eye lashes after my last chemo I felt so depressed. I was told on cape I won’t lose my hair.i will be prepared for the sore hand and feet which seem to be he most common side effect xx
Hi Angela Mary
Once you get in to a routine, as with all chemos, I am sure you will find it manageable. The reduced dose has meant side effects are few so don’t be afraid to ask for a reduction if you need to. I was on the higher dose for 6 cycles, but suffered with big D which is now under control ( sorry, TMI?). Seeing Onc tomorrow and , all being well, I will start cycle
8. Good luck with your treatment
George x
Hi Angelamaryf
I just wanted to check in and see how you are?
Lots of love & hugs xx
Hi Angela Mary
I just wanted to see how ou aare too - I was on Cape for two years and Like Barton says, I was put on the highest dose at first on the same weeks routine you are on…My first cycle wasnt very nice at all but when I told them…they altered it to one week on one week off…at my request! They also lowered the dose and it worked really well for almost two years.
i really miss being on Cape as it gave me freedom to come and go when I liked… Am now on Eribulin which is zapping the cancer really well, but am tied to a cannula xx
the other thing I wanted to say is…my hospital does t all us palliative…they call it ‘chronic cancer’ which is actually true and I find it helpful to think of it that way…hope that helpsxxx
yes the Capecitabin thread has all the tips on it and lots of friends on there!
Moijanxx???
Hi all, just wanted to add my support to what Moijan said…‘chronic’ does sound better than ‘palliative’. These plays on words seem trivial but can make all the difference. I remember one lady on here always said ‘i am not dying from cancer, i am living with it’…good mantra to remember. x
Absolutely Stresshead…very well putxx
Moijanxxx
Just finishing my 1 st cycle on capecitabine 2 weeks on 1800 mg twice a day. Was worried about it first week was worrying and really low.from day 7 the fatigue hit me can’t do anything, no taste so not eating much this week but I love lucozade. Ni sore hands or feet am moisturising a lot