Hi Julie
I get acid indigestion when on holiday usually because of eating too much fat/ sugar. Double action gavison usually sorts it. Once I get a flare it even sucking a strepsol can start it off again. Last time I was on chemo is was terrible so I went to my GP and got a PPI and started taking them before Xeloda. The problem with chemo is goes for the digestive tract because the cells there are replacing themselves ( I thinks it’s every 4 days).
My problem has been more with stomach cramps and diarrhoea, does anyone else get this.
Hi, I’m not too bad with gastric and other problems but Xeloda is well known for stomach, gastric problems…and diarrhoea (copying your spelling Sue…I never get it right) along with constipation. All are very common side effects, still debilitating though. I hope you all have a good l-o-n-g run with this chemo. I have a feeling me and the peachy pills will be parting company soonish but I’ve been on a constant 3 weekly cycle since April 2008…so it will be a very fond farewell to Xeloda when it finally happens.
Thanks for your quick replies! I did a bit of googling last night and see that the recommended approach to acid indigestion is to soak up the acid (bread etc) or neutralise it, so last night I had a piece of fruit bread and some watered down cider vinegar before bed. It speaks volumes about my yucky chemo mouth that the cider vinegar actually tasted quite pleasant!
I meant to say thank you to mrsblue too re the tip for patting in the cream - I shall certainly do this on my feet from now on. Unfortunately I have some peripheral neuropathy in my fingertips from the Abraxane, and the advice for that is to rub them! I shall feel like that old party trick, trying to rub my stomach and pat my head at the same time.
Anyone else feel worse on their week off, I seem to, my best week seems the first week I take them. Also anyone have blotches, I have a couple on my face and back of hands which look worse some days than others.
I know a lot of you take this long term, but not sure I could the way I feel, namely washed out most of the time. I am on my 5th cycle and was told I would have 6 at the beginning so made my mind up I would put up with whatever until then. Do you all carry on with the max dose?
I’ve lots very small spots and blotches on the bottom part my face and nose. The skin in those parts is very dry now the skin on my nose split on last Sunday. I’m now on my week off and it’s getting better although its very dry. I’m Lapatinib also, so I thought it might that but now it’s getting better I’m wondering if its the Xeloda. I think I will wash my hands after taking the chemo tabs next time.
I’m on it for 6 cycles, maybe 8 if I can cope with it.
You have set me thinking now Janice and Sue - I have noticed for the past couple of days that the backs of both hands, particularly towards the thumb side, is going red and dry. It doesn’t seem to be the same scarlet as the hand/foot syndrome, and that is better for me at the moment anyway, but blotchy and dry does seem a good way to describe this. I’m just using handcream at the moment - will be interesting to see how it develops. A split nose sounds horrid Sue - what are you using on that?
btw Heard from my oncologist today that although I am initially on Xeloda for 8 cycles, coupled with Abraxane, the long term plan is to continue with Xeloda indefinitely. Good job I got a mega tube of Flexitol plus more cavilon cream on prescription yesterday!
Mrs W - I haven’t suffered from sickness at all, I have only had one cycle, but did find that ‘my week off’ was the worst regarding symptoms, I had really bad stomach pains for most of my week off - hence starting this thread!
Sue -your nose splitting that is terrible. I must admit that I do have quite a few spots on my nose, not like teenage spots, more vivid red marks, I have been covering them with concealer. I also have brown spots on my palms which is weird!
Belinda, I was trying to learn the spelling of diarrhoea, but when I look at different websites, they often don’t get the spelling right either (unless the americans spell it differently!)
Last cycle I really suffered from bad indigestion and stomach aches, however this cycle, I haven’t really had any problem…yet!!! However something strange did happen, I have had a horrible cauliflower wart on my thumb for ages, however last week, it just disappeared…can only put it down to the chemo! so hopefully it will work internally as well.
Thank you to everybody for continuing to post your SEs, it is so useful to hear how everybody is getting on,
Well I think its my eyesight that I’m suffering with - I’ve just typed a post and realise now that I must have pressed “report this post” rather than “post a comment”! If the moderators are reading this, I didn’t mean to report the post!!! Sorry!
Anyway, what I was trying to say was that I did have quite bad nausea for several days during my last cycle, but it was at the end of week one/ beginning of week 2 and not in the week off. However, I’ve had no nausea at all either prior to that or on this current cycle.
I do find it strange how much the side effects differ each time - makes predicting how I’m going to be feeling very difficult.
Hope you manage to get some relief and it passes quickly MrsW - it’s horrid I know.
I’ve not been sick but feel sickly quite often especially when I get over tired which is often, I finding a little rest (something I’m good at) and small meals helps.
My nose has healed but the skin at the side of my nose and chin is very dry and peeling off. Makeup helps cover it but I wont be covering it when I go to hospital on Wed!
No hand and foot problems-strange.
The spelling of diarrhea, I couldn’t spell it and had it on a notepad by my pc, when I used my ipad (bought in retail therapy) it changed the spelling to diarrhoea but I think that must be american spelling.
I wanted to mention that I’d seen a some research on the net about when cancer becomes resistant to Xeloda changing the cycle to one week on one week off had started the chemo working again. I can’t find the research, I’ll keep searching for it and post the link if I find it (I’ve seen it in the last 2 weeks)I came across when looking for something else.
The cramps are better during my week off, still got diarrhea but not as bad. I’m taking 2 imoden every morning and I’m keeping a diary of everything as things seem to changed every day.
I have also read about the one week on, one week off regime, apparently Side effects are much reduced, without the effect of the treatment being reduced. you’d think that all the oncologists would be looking into this - just think how much money they’d save! I read about it on the breastcancer.org site, they have a few threads on the go about xeloda. I haven’t heard of anyone posting in the UK that has it like that though.
I’m glad your hands and feet are OK, my hands are Ok, but my fingertips look like I’ve been swimming - a bit shrivelled.
Something else I read somewhere, can’t remember where, is that sometimes xeloda can remove fingerprints! and there was a case of a man being denied access in the US because his fingerprints had gone! my fingertips have verticle grooves appearing - maybe this will happen to me, shame I’m so honest - would be handy if I led a life of crime!
My finger tips are shrivelled as well, looks like I have been in the bath too long. Off to the hospital to get my 5th cycle tomorrow, just when I am starting to feel almost normal off we go again.
Sue mentioned about washing hands after taking them, wondering about wearing gloves, I was thinking that after handling them then touching my face may have something to do with my blotches, worth trying anyway.
My fingers look like that, not sore just like been in the bath too long. I was thinking about gloves also. Cycle 2 should start on Wed. I’m taking lapatinib also, when I took it last night I picked the tabs up with a tissue.
Very interesting stories and research regarding Xeloda. I’ll certainly have a good look on the breastcancer.org website and have a chat with my onc!
Mrs W - nausea during off week? - yes, yes, yes!! Nearly had my onc prescribe me more anti-sickness tablets because I had it a lot during my 1st cycle. The 2nd cycle is a bit better. I find not eating too full and have little snacks in between helps. Plenty of fruit and veg and less meat and fatty food helps. Drink plenty of fluid like water helps and also have plenty of rest / nap helps.
My hands and feet - worst during my 2nd week this time, was a bit worried because I couldn’t walk very far without resting due to very sore heels. They’re now a lots better on my off week.
Good news: saw onc today and he said that the increase in my Tumour Marker is probably due to large amount of cancer cells dying, releasing more into the blood stream. There’ll be a slight time lag before it is reflected in the blood. Since all the other signs are good, he won’t worry about it too much. We’re expecting it to go down next time. So hope it behaves itself and does what’s being told by my onc!!
Been to hospital today to collect cycle 5, saw nurse who asked me questions about how I was coping, told her I had a few cramps in tummy followed by diarrhea once or twice, also tight feeling across chest and feeling very tired all the time.
I was told I would have 6 cycles originally but when she looked at my notes it said 6+ which to me means indefinitely. She trotted off to see onc. when she came back said it had been decided to go down the road of 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off to try and avoid side effects.
I was assured it would’nt affect the outcome. Anyone else on this, I feel a bit of a wimp although I only answered her questions.
My onc mentioned the 2 weeks on and 2 weeks off cycle, although I’m not on it myself. He does prefer the 2x 1 week on and 1 week off though, so if I get a reduced dose, it would be the later.
A quick question: Anyone else finding the hot weather (heatwave) is making their hand and feet worse? Or it is just because it’s my 2nd week off??
I would think it’s probably the week off M.
Hope everyone’s okay…hope it’s helpful to let you know I’ve just heard my latest CT shows all is stable…so Capecitabine is still doing it’s good work for me…can’t believe it’s now been working for 3 and a half years. So grateful. I hope you all have a long spell with the tablets. x
PS…I’m having my flu jab today, such a small window to receive it between cycles.
That’s great news Belinda! it will keep us all going, tolerating all the SEs. I have had NO ‘tummy’ SE’s for the whole 2 weeks on and have felt great. My skin peeled off my right foot, a couple of days ago. It really surprised me how it happened I thought that it would be surface skin flaking off, so I was very surprised to find a huge circular ‘blister like’ area that exposed very new pink skin underneath. I guess it ‘peels’ from within rather than on the surface.
However Today - day 1 of my ‘week off’ I have woken with tummy pains and a little diarrhoea!
A week off should be a week off side effects too!
I hope you all have a good l-o-n-g run with this chemo. I have a feeling me and the peachy pills will be parting company soonish but I’ve been on a constant 3 weekly cycle since April 2008…so it will be a very fond farewell to Xeloda when it finally happens.