Starting Xeloda Tomorrow
So after the Panitumumab/Vectibix failure and feeling much better than I have in ages my onc has decided to try Xeloda. I take it twice a day for two weeks at half dose and if that goes okay she'll up the dose. It's oral and I'm really happy about that because my boss is getting impatient with the time I take off for doctor appointments and is now being snarky about the three weeks I missed on the Panitumumab/Vectibix. It's illegal for him to let me go based on my medical situation but if he's going to be like that about it I don't want to be somewhere that my boss is angry with me. I've totally cleaned up the mess his previous receptionist made and brought his outstanding accounts down from over $100,000 to $33,000 which is where it will stay because I work at a dentist office and we'll always have an under 30 day amount while we wait for payment from the insurance companies. The previous receptionist took a day or two off every month and said it was her right to do so. Twice she posted pics of her family at an amusement park after she'd called in sick but okay, I guess he's got a short memory. He also lost some patients because of her not getting back to people over and over. And I'm told she had quite an attitude. My boss- the dentist- is young enough to be my son but I'm never disrespectful or attitudy, that's just not me. I've tried very hard to do the best job I can and I resent him being a jerk about this. I thought I'd beaten it when he hired me, I never thought I'd be missing a bunch of time because of it. Anyway, I have enough on my plate without worrying about my job when I've done nothing purposefully to endanger it.
Freaking cancer, it just goes on and on. I'm so sick of it, so very sick of it. But I'm grateful to be alive. I just want to live without the noose hanging over my head and be able to make a decision about the future. It's hard to stay positive and upbeat all the time. I'm tired of it.
Anyway, hugs to you all! I say that because now I'm a hugger. Before cancer I wasn't, it creeped me out to have someone hug me. Now I feel like everyone in my inner circle needs to know that I care. So if or when something happens to me like almost happened with the blood clot, they'll know they mattered when I'm gone. That I appreciated them. And I appreciate all of you. You're survivors and warriors and have fought the toughest battle both physically and mentally that you'll likely ever face but you've all come through with grace and a positve attitude and caring for others or you wouldn't be here.
Jan
Comments
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The xeloda really helped me.
The xeloda really helped me. Hope it does the same for you Jan. Don't forget to put lots of lotion on your hands and feet. Good luck!
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Thank you! I bought some goodCanadian Sandy said:The xeloda really helped me.
The xeloda really helped me. Hope it does the same for you Jan. Don't forget to put lots of lotion on your hands and feet. Good luck!
Thank you! I bought some good stuff on the way home last night. Was yours oral? I don;t know if Xeloda is always oral.
Jan
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Xeloda
I was on xeloda for 25 days, pills, took them at the end of meal, so no stomach issuess.
Baking soda mouth wash to avoid mouth sores.
xeloda po and 5-fu iv are the same drug, difference is , one is given by mouth, other by intra venous. My feet were cracking, with good cream that got resolved. Feeling tired is part of package, specially about 1 hour taking it.
It was good drug for me, combined with radiation rectal cancer is no longer there.
Wish you good luck Jan!
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Jan,
Jan,
I've taken Xeloda since July 2016. I had extreme stomach pain several times. I didn't call the doctor right away, and waited until the next appointment - which was 3 weeks later. He prescribed antacids which helped to eliminate the stomach pain. A couple months later, I was told that the one I was prescribed can cancel out the xeloda. So I stopped taking it, and then was really careful about what I ate. I think you can take Tums, or similar antacids. But best to ask your doctor which antacids you can take.
I had the dry feet, and also brittle nails. I use a good lotion and California mango balm (which smells really good), or coconut oil on my feet. Also, I use a good nail & cuticle oil (California mango) almost every day to help keep my nails from breaking.
I get tired but that seems to have improved over time.
Good luck!
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Diarhea
I didnt have diarhea, each time that I noticed loose stool, took small piece of dark chochalte, it worked perfect for me.
Learned that while back when was on one of the carebean islands, one of the kids had loose/diarhea stool, gave him chocholate, problem resolved.
good luck
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Just made dinner and I
Just made dinner and I thought of a question. I'm supposed to take it at or within half an hour of a meal, ideally breakfast and dinner/supper. I sometimes skip meals because my appetite is not that good. I guess when I'm on this I'll have to make sure to eat a meal? Ugh, sometimes I can't think of anything that I want and everything makes me feel a bit queezy, like being pregnant. I don't get nauseous or throw up, I just don't have any interest in food. I often have just vegetable juice for lunch.
Jan
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Poor appetite
Jan - After about my 8th chemo, my nausea is much better, and appetite has improved a bit - trying to keep my weight on, as I lost 5 lbs when I had colonoscopy and port put in same week, then started chemo treatments. So playing "catch-up". Not sure if it is helping to take pantolac 40 mg (heartburn med) first thing in a.m. (was taking in middle of day) and I suck on ginger chews or some type of ginger, as I'm sure nausea was affecting my appetite. My appetite seems better in the earlier part of day, and gets a little worse later. But has definitely gotten better over time. Although my stomach always feels a bit off, weird, and food ofen doesn't taste right. I'm trying soda water before meals, as I use baking soda to brush tongue, etc and a mixture called Koolstat to keep mouthsores at bay. Always a sore mouth.
I try to eat high calorie foods - although I know they are not always the best nutrition, but I look frail (especially when I don't have my wig on, and my hair is pretty much gone). I feel I Don't look like myself with my hair loss - really believe in "look good, feel better" - lol. I Want to look like my "old" self, as much as I Can, so I am trying to put on the weight I lost, and wear my wig tomgo out (which is as similar as I could find to my hair). Hope my "break" improves my appetite also. My home nurse really encourages Ensure, if my appetite is not good, and my dietician mentioned a new one "enlive by ensure", but a little hard to find, as it is new to market - added muscle builder and protein, which I need - too much sugar, but l look at the other benefits of the added calories, protein, etc. Good luck and hope your appetite improves.
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Yes it's always pills. InJanJan63 said:Thank you! I bought some good
Thank you! I bought some good stuff on the way home last night. Was yours oral? I don;t know if Xeloda is always oral.
Jan
Yes it's always pills. In Canada it's called Capecetabine.
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Thank you Bellen. I'm sorryBellen said:Poor appetite
Jan - After about my 8th chemo, my nausea is much better, and appetite has improved a bit - trying to keep my weight on, as I lost 5 lbs when I had colonoscopy and port put in same week, then started chemo treatments. So playing "catch-up". Not sure if it is helping to take pantolac 40 mg (heartburn med) first thing in a.m. (was taking in middle of day) and I suck on ginger chews or some type of ginger, as I'm sure nausea was affecting my appetite. My appetite seems better in the earlier part of day, and gets a little worse later. But has definitely gotten better over time. Although my stomach always feels a bit off, weird, and food ofen doesn't taste right. I'm trying soda water before meals, as I use baking soda to brush tongue, etc and a mixture called Koolstat to keep mouthsores at bay. Always a sore mouth.
I try to eat high calorie foods - although I know they are not always the best nutrition, but I look frail (especially when I don't have my wig on, and my hair is pretty much gone). I feel I Don't look like myself with my hair loss - really believe in "look good, feel better" - lol. I Want to look like my "old" self, as much as I Can, so I am trying to put on the weight I lost, and wear my wig tomgo out (which is as similar as I could find to my hair). Hope my "break" improves my appetite also. My home nurse really encourages Ensure, if my appetite is not good, and my dietician mentioned a new one "enlive by ensure", but a little hard to find, as it is new to market - added muscle builder and protein, which I need - too much sugar, but l look at the other benefits of the added calories, protein, etc. Good luck and hope your appetite improves.
Thank you Bellen. I'm sorry you're going through all that. It sounds horrible and depressing. I just started the Xeloda yesterday morning so my lack of appetite isn't from anything, it's just how I am. You'd never know, it's not like I'm underweight or anything, that's for sure. Losy metabolism I guess. So the Xeloda isn't bothering me yet. I just am often not interested in food. On a good day I have a hard time coming up with something I want to eat. And I'm usually so tired after work that I don't feel like cooking. I'd think that just having a sandwich or a bowl of soup would be enough to take the pills with. But even that is something I'd have to push myself to do.
Jan
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I usually just had a coupleJanJan63 said:Thank you Bellen. I'm sorry
Thank you Bellen. I'm sorry you're going through all that. It sounds horrible and depressing. I just started the Xeloda yesterday morning so my lack of appetite isn't from anything, it's just how I am. You'd never know, it's not like I'm underweight or anything, that's for sure. Losy metabolism I guess. So the Xeloda isn't bothering me yet. I just am often not interested in food. On a good day I have a hard time coming up with something I want to eat. And I'm usually so tired after work that I don't feel like cooking. I'd think that just having a sandwich or a bowl of soup would be enough to take the pills with. But even that is something I'd have to push myself to do.
Jan
I usually just had a couple pieces of toast. My onc said that was okay. Took them in the morning and at night so no big meals then. Never had any nausea. Had diarreha once then took some Imodium which got rid of it.
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Thank you for the help Sandy
Thank you for the help Sandy and nj55! Now I'm wondering how long before I have to really worry about the hand and foot issues. I started on the Xeloda on Friday morning and started using heavy moisturizer the next day. They said it's easier to prevent it than to get rid of it. Thanks for any help!
Jan
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