Xeloda / Capecitabine - Your Top Tips, please?

Hi everyone, just a quick hello…I’m Amanda, aged 47 with 2 teens & hubby. Had primary BC over 8 years ago (chemo, 2 x mastx, radio). A few weeks back found lump under arm (on same side as original cancer)…the cancer was back. I start Capecitabine tomorrow. Rather nervous as I did not deal with chemo at all well the first time round. Ax

Welcome to our gang, Jo and A! Sorry you’ve had to join us, but fingers and everything else crossed that you’ll get all of the benefits with minimum SEs… I’m half-way through my 3rd cycle and the main SEs for me are fatigue, nausea and sore, chemo mouth. I’m creaming my hands and feet twice a day, but no HFS so far… It’s a very do-able chemo for most of us. Take care and good luck, Angelfalls xx

Thanks Angelfalls…that sounds reasurring x

Hi a welcome to our gang im on my 3rd cycle and at moe no real se on d on 14 th night other than that nothing my scan is 6th march so hoping its doing it job kp posting gd luck x

Hello everyone,

Mind if I pull up a comfy seat? I’m in the Waiting Room here 'til Tues when I should get the results of today’s CT scan and find out whether the Capecitabine is working or not…

I’ve got extra supplies of chocs, biscuits, cupcakes and some ginger beer - completely off wine at the moment, but that’s a good thing - all the more for the rest of you! ;0)

Hope you’re all doing OK.

Angelfalls xx

Good luck with your scan results Angelfalls. I went to the hospital yesterday to collect my 10th cycle but because I have a dental appointment tomorrow it has been delayed for a week. I also asked about colouring hair and was told it was probably Ok to use 100% herbal colourants but am still nervous to use them, anyone else tried?

Jan

Hi can I join the gang as well? I started capecitabine today after loss of control of vertebral mets on exsemestane. I’ve been lurking on the thread prior to starting and so my udderly cream courtesy of amazon arrived today! Hoping I’m going to be lucky with s/es whilst chemo works well for a long long time as we all do!
good luck to those waiting for scans…and to those who have recently started capcitabine. Pam

Hi a f gd luck mine next wk we need some great news on here Hi to all the new plp joining us I hope the se a minimal mine have been so far xx

Thanks, Janice and Laura! I’m feeling quite calm about the results at the moment, but know I’ll be freaking out by Tuesday :o(

Enjoy the extra week off, Janice. I still haven’t done anything about colouring my hair. I thought I’d wait for my results first, then treat myself to a hair appt if I’m staying on Cape… No point spending good money if I have to change to a chemo that’s going to leave me bald! But I look like Suzie Quatro at the moment - not a good look!!!

Welcome to the club, Pam! Fingers crossed for all of the benefits and none of the SEs. Keep us posted.

Laura, good luck to you for next week. Do you know when you’ll get your results? Here’s hoping we’ll both be celebrating soon…

Have a great weekend, everyone! Big hugs, Angelfalls xx

Well, ladies, the results are in and, after a short but sweet flirtation with Capecitabine, I’m switching chemos. There has been a tiny bit of growth in the 2 tumours behind the sternum, so my onc said straight away that the response isn’t good enough and we need to look for an alternative. After discussing the options, we’ve decided to go for weekly Taxol. If anybody has any tips or experiences to share, I’d love to hear them. Although this is obviously disappointing, the good news is that “all the important bits are still clear” (my onc’s words!!)… Onwards and upwards!!!
Hope you are all doing well and get a good response for a long time to come.

Hugs, Angelfalls xx

Hi a f sorry it wasn’t the news u wanted I’ve had taxol but with another chemo and worked v well for me but it wasn’t weekly but I know a few on here who have had gd results so fingers crossed love Laura x

Thanks, Laura! When do you get your results? I’ve got everything crossed for you! xx

Af next tues so just the waiting game but it’s hard to be positive as I know a few plp it not worked on so heres hoping x

Hi af,

I had weekly taxol as my first choice. Worked very well for me. I had it on a Wed, SE kicks in on Thur and feels better on Sat. Used cold cap to keep hair. Anything else u’d like to know, feel free to PM me.

Sorry to hear that Xeloda didn’t work for you. I might be joining you with some disappointment next Monday when I see my onc. Have been feeling awful, tired, in a lot of pain, felt a swollen lymph node yesterday, but disappeared today, TM has gone up for 2 months in a row now. On top of all that, had what seems like a nasty reaction to Xeloda this cycle - nausea, stomach cramps, headache, high temp (!)- and yes, rang up onc and chemo was stopped for a day just in case I had an infection, but blood test came back negative. Come on, this is cycle 10, I should be used to it by now! Sorry for the little rant.

Feeling much better today, just can’t wait for Monday to come now and put me out of this waiting misery.

Laura: good luck with result.

M xx

Thanks, M. I’m ok at the moment, but may well PM you once the questions start to pop into my head… You know what it’s like!
Sorry that you’re playing the Waiting Game, too. As I said to Laura on the other thread, I reckon by the Law of Averages that if it hasn’t worked for me, it must be doing its stuff for you… Sounds like you’ve had a tough cycle this time, but I hope that’s just a blip and that you’ll continue to get good results with minimal SEs for a long time to come.
Fingers and everything else crossed for you and all the Xeloda Princesses!
Take care, Angelfalls xx

Hi Angel,

I’m so sorry that you had some progression capectibine. There are a few threads on taxol that might helped you.

Wishing you well with the new treatment and let me know how you get on.

M1yu - I’ve had 5 cycles of cap now and every cycle I’ve had I’vffe had different se. I’ve had all the cramps and the dreaded hand/foot dry mouth, fatigue strange rashes and it goes on. This month it seems to be nausea. I think as long as it keeps working I can cope - I’ve had a lot of pain in the pleura which is were I had secs. I’ve been to the pain climic and had my pain meds upped twice in the past two weeks had a good night’s sleep and the pain is a lot better today.

I Wish you well for Monday I’ll be thinking of you and I’m sending you positive vibes.

Take care lovely ladies.

Love
Chris xxx

Thanks, Chris! xx

Hi all well just got back from hos my ct shows xeloda is working and mets are shrinking so pleased its been a hard few days gd luck to all new plp and gd luck Laura

Excellent news, Laura! I’m so glad to hear this and hope it continues to do the trick for a looooooong time! I’m just catching up as I’ve been away for a week before starting Taxol this coming Wednesday… Hope that this’ll be my magic bullet! Take care xx

Hi Laura,

Wow what great news I’m do pleased that you have shrinkage a lovely word isn’t it?

Angelfalls how you doing? Do you have a treatment plan in place for the Taxol yet? Sorry if its on a nother thread just a bit out of it as I’ve had to have my pain relief upped and suffering the se from that.

Take care lovely ladies and I hope your all doing well on Capecitabine.

Love
Chris xxxx