Probably a Stupid Question About Xeloda...

JanJan63
JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
in Colorectal Cancer #1

I just saw my onc yesterday but hadn't thought about this so I can't ask her.

I got my new supply of Xeloda yesterday. They give it to me in a bunch of blister packs. I just sat and filled up some empty medicine bottle with the Xeloda tablets to make it easier to grab them when I need them and because I keep a basket on the kitchen table with all of my drugs so they're handy and the bottles take up less room.

Any idea if this is not a good thing? Like maybe they're kept separately for a reason or lose potency if they're not individually packaged or anything like that? I' of course. didn't think about it until I'd finished. And I suspect they're kept like that to make it easier and quicker for the pharmacy to count them out. But maybe I'm wrong?

Thanks you guys, once again, for help with something stupid for me.

Jan

Comments

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #2
    I think but I'm not sure

    When my friend showed me her Xeloda pills, she tipped them out of a medicine bottle. 

    Lets see what others say, to see if I'm right. 

    Tru

  • Tunadog
    Tunadog Member Posts: 235 Member
    #3
    Mine have always come in a bottle.

    They need to be kept @75f or lower. The bottle comes packed in a styrofoam shipper with ice packs.

    I don't think they lose their potency

  • Annabelle41415
    Annabelle41415 Member Posts: 6,742 Member
    #4
    Ask your Pharmacist

    Just for peace of mind ask your pharmacist.  I'm sure that they can tell you the difference.  Good luck.

    Kim

  • Chickspeed
    Chickspeed Member Posts: 7
    #5
    I had mine pre packaged in

    I had mine pre packaged in correct dosages from pharamacy

    each small compartment had 1650mg or 3 500's and 1 150

    3 week supply at a time so some of them would be side by side for 3 weeks

     

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #6
    My guess is purely environmental

    Check with your pharamcist, but likely fine in a bottle as long as not kept in a bathroom, or exposed to temp extremes.  Or ask your pharmacist for some dessicant packs to throw in the bottle with them.

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    #7
    Thanks everyone! I figured it

    Thanks everyone! I figured it probably wouldn't make a difference but just in case, it's good to know. I can't ask at the pharmacy because they come from the pharmacy at the cancer centre only, a regular pharmacy has nothing to do with them.

    I was just worried becaue some pills are sensitive. I have pills I take for my parathyrpid and they have to be taken with a glass of water and nothing else and then I wait for an hour before I can eat anything. They can't even be taken with bottled water, it has to be tap water, because bottled water has things in it that will make the pills less effective.

    Thanks! I won't worry. I figured I was being silly but wanted to be careful.

    Jan

  • Trubrit
    Trubrit Member Posts: 5,804 Member
    #8
    JanJan63 said:

    Thanks everyone! I figured it

    Thanks everyone! I figured it probably wouldn't make a difference but just in case, it's good to know. I can't ask at the pharmacy because they come from the pharmacy at the cancer centre only, a regular pharmacy has nothing to do with them.

    I was just worried becaue some pills are sensitive. I have pills I take for my parathyrpid and they have to be taken with a glass of water and nothing else and then I wait for an hour before I can eat anything. They can't even be taken with bottled water, it has to be tap water, because bottled water has things in it that will make the pills less effective.

    Thanks! I won't worry. I figured I was being silly but wanted to be careful.

    Jan

    Being careful is not being silly

    And just FYI, I'm betting the pharmy at the Cancer centre, has a telephone. You could call and double check. 

    Tru

  • Amanda09
    Amanda09 Member Posts: 2
    #9
    JanJan63 said:

    Thanks everyone! I figured it

    Thanks everyone! I figured it probably wouldn't make a difference but just in case, it's good to know. I can't ask at the pharmacy because they come from the pharmacy at the cancer centre only, a regular pharmacy has nothing to do with them.

    I was just worried becaue some pills are sensitive. I have pills I take for my parathyrpid and they have to be taken with a glass of water and nothing else and then I wait for an hour before I can eat anything. They can't even be taken with bottled water, it has to be tap water, because bottled water has things in it that will make the pills less effective.

    Thanks! I won't worry. I figured I was being silly but wanted to be careful.

    Jan

    The cancer center I go to has

    The cancer center I go to has a number I can call and leave a message and then a nurse calls me back with an answer to my question.

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited June 2017 #10
    Amanda09 said:

    The cancer center I go to has

    The cancer center I go to has a number I can call and leave a message and then a nurse calls me back with an answer to my question.

    They're not open until Monday

    They're not open until Monday. I'm going to assume that what I did is fine until then. Thanks!

  • SandiaBuddy
    SandiaBuddy Member Posts: 1,381 Member
    #11
    Packaging

    Mine came all together in a regular pill bottle. 

  • abrub
    abrub Member Posts: 2,174 Member
    #12
    JanJan63 said:

    They're not open until Monday

    They're not open until Monday. I'm going to assume that what I did is fine until then. Thanks!

    Any pharmacist will be able to tell you

    If I have a question about a medication in the middle of the night, I call a 24 hour pharmacy and ask.  You aren't limited too the pharmacy that filled the prescription. Regular pharmacists can look up info on drugs. 

  • Helen321
    Helen321 Member Posts: 1,460 Member
    #13
    Hey Jan, just a different

    Hey Jan, just a different manufacturer. They put pills in packs for convenience and to avoid overdose or when you need to take decreasing doses. Other than that it's all the same. I get those packs all the time for various meds and I stick my pills in bottles. 

  • JanJan63
    JanJan63 Member Posts: 2,478 Member
    edited June 2017 #14
    Helen321 said:

    Hey Jan, just a different

    Hey Jan, just a different manufacturer. They put pills in packs for convenience and to avoid overdose or when you need to take decreasing doses. Other than that it's all the same. I get those packs all the time for various meds and I stick my pills in bottles. 

    That makes sense Helen, thank

    That makes sense Helen, thank you!

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