Xeloda

PinkRibbon611
PinkRibbon611 Member Posts: 2
edited March 2014 in Breast Cancer #1
Hello-
I am new here, and I am actually here to find out information for my mom.
She was diagnosed with Stage IV BC 7 years ago...met to lymph nodes and liver.
She has been doing great, until now. Apparently her liver is starting to deteriorate from the cancer and from the treatments and could fail (which would lead to her death). She is starting Xeloda today or tomorrow and I was just wondering if anyone else has been on it, what results you found, and what side effects you may have experienced and also how to minimize/prevent those side effects.
Any help would be greatly appreciated, I really love my mom, and want to help her in every way that I can. God Bless all of you.
Ashley

Comments

  • pansylover
    pansylover Member Posts: 80
    #2
    Hi Ashley.
    sorry to hear what your Mom is goign thru now. She has a wonderful daughter to be with her.
    Try going to WEBMD.COM and put Xeloda in the search engine. that will give you some ideas on side effects and such.
    and again, there probably is someone who has th experience of this drug.
    Prayers to all of you. hugsssss too.
    Cindie
  • jmears
    jmears Member Posts: 266
    #3
    Hello - I take Xeloda ...since September of 2006. My first DX was only a stage II back in 2000. It came back to my bones (spine and hip) in 2005. After going through a lot of biological meds my Dr put me on Xeloda. I had fought going on a chemo drug because of the misery I remembered from my first treatments back in 2000. However, the Xeloda is a different story entirely. I like that it is pill form and I don't have to go to the office for infusions all the time. The side effects that have been the most bothersome have been diarrhea and sore hands and feet. I found that if I take an iron pill everyday and watch the amount of fiber I eat I can manage the diarrhea. The Hand and Foot Syndrome is a bit tricky. When I first started the meds I was on 10 pills a day, 14 days on and 7 days off. 11 days into my first round I had walked all day cheering on my husband during a 1/2 marathon. Suddenly on the way back to the car I was unable to walk. My feet felt like they were on fire. That night I had to crawl around my feet felt so bad and I was crying ... I thought I would never be able to walk again. BUT ...I can...my Dr backed the dosage down a little and it makes the feet managable. The internet has information on Hand and Foot Syndrome ... why it happens and how to minimize it. I have found that the very soft cotton socks that are made for diabetics are wonderful. The feet can get very dry and the skin hard so try to keep them moist. A Podiatrist told me to use Bag Balm and cotton socks each night. Bag Balm is what farmers use for dairy cows but it is also great for all kinds of stuff. I found it to be the best thing I have tried. Other minor things happen toward the end of the 14 days... I sometimes get a few blisters in my mouth, my hands are very dry and more sensitive to friction and heat. But my big suggestion is don't let the feet get out of hand ... I sorta let them get dry and cracked and didn't were comfortable socks and shoes and now I'm getting them back to normal. And, try to find what works for your Mom to control diarrhea. Look at a low fiber/low residual diet on the internet. I took the Xeloda with Herceptin and for two sets of scans (8 months worth) I had no active cancer. Unfortunetly, I did have a couple spots on my last scan and my Dr started me on a very new biological called TyKerb. Tykerb is actually designed to be taken with Xeloda. I am HER2/nue positive so I am not sure if Tykerb is used for everyone or just the HER2/Nue (super agressive) cancers. So ... I have to say I am very encouraged about the Xeloda. It has worked well for me with very minimal side effects ... never lost hair ...never felt sick. Best of luck to your Mom and bless you for being there for her. Let us know how she is doing from time to time. Jamie
  • 3cbrca
    3cbrca Member Posts: 206
    #4
    If she does develop Hand/Foot Syndrome-(I had it severely from the AC chemo regimine) I've tried everything to keep the skin soft-the best thing that I found was at Walgreens in the hand cream section: Zim's Crack Creme-Liquid Skin Care. It comes in a cream and the small bottle is a spray on oil. It smells like Ham and Cloves, but it is really soothing and works well overnight. My best to you and your mom.
  • glo2000
    glo2000 Member Posts: 3
    #5
    I am also on Xeloda and Avastin/placibo, a trial drug.

    I was diagnosed in 2000 with stage 4 breast cancer. In Sept. of 2006 I went to the emergency room with back pain, after my Dr. told me I had arthritis. The MRI showed mets to my hips, spine and lungs.
    The Xeloda has been pretty easy to tolerate. Once the Dr. got the foot/hand thing under control the most discomfort was the sore in the mouth. Mine seem to start about the 9th day and are gone by the 14th.

    I hope everything goes well for your mother.

    Gloria

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