Avastin and Xeloda

I was on this combo twice - the 1st in 2005 was also with oxaliplatin.  In 2009 I had Xeloda and Avastin, followed by Avastin only for up to 2 years (Stage 4).

As far as I could tell, I had no Avastin side effects other than nasal congestion (which sucked, but as side effects go was pretty mild.).

As for the Xeloda pills, yes they are huge, and even though it's been 9 years since I had one, I can still smell / taste that slightly smokiness (to me).  To not forget, I would eat breakfast and then as soon as done set the timer for 20 minutes.  Then I took the pills.  Same for dinner.  Also I used a lot of water to wash them down - that helped.

Take care,

Betsy

Never had Avastin or Xeloda, however I can relate to your boatload of pills problem.  About 2 months into chemo I contracted Nocardia bacteria and was on IV antibiotics for 3 straight months.  Needle and tubing hanging out of my port 24/7.  I would pull the needle on Tuesday nights and the nurse would stop by 6am Wednesday to plug me back in so I'd be good for another week.  When the dr said there was a possibility of switching me over to oral antibiotics I jumped at the chance.  She was concerned that I wouldn't want to do it since I would be taking a bunch of pills each day for the next 9 months.  I told her I would take a whole bottle full of pills everyday if it meant getting unplugged from that IV line.

mountainhiker

took avastin only side effect was small jump in his blood pressure. They put him on hydorchlorathiazide (water pill basically) he was fine. He could not tolerate irinotecan only got one dose before it gave him pancreatitis. Good luck! 

Kazenmax said:

blood pressure

I've never had a problem with my blood pressure until recently. I think the chemo drove it up. I will ask the doc about this med.

thanks so much

k

On infusion day, my blood pressure would be something like 150 over 90 something. Two days later on disconnect from pump day, it would be normal. I was always so happy on disconnect day! Exhausted, but happy

Tunadog said:

I had Avastin infused and took Xeloda together more than a year

Infused with Avastin and then Xeloda pills. My Cancer is about gone, butt I have a nasty infection. My Rectal Surgeon told me that sometimes an infection is harder to deal with than cancer.

It sent me to the hospital. My WBC got low and I an getting Antibiotics now. It's about cleared up now. I have a tube draining my rectum to a bag. So the infection is on the wane. They indicated that l was going Septic (almost).

Looking for relief 

Was that from the drugs or because more susceptible with chemo?

Hated taking the pills because you need to take them with food and I'm not a breakfast person and forced myself to eat.  Had to really figure out when to eat even though really not wanting too.  They were big and didn't like looking at how many that were layed out for the day because they didn't go down well for me.  I've not done the Avastin.  Wishing you well on this new combination.

Kim

Trubrit said:

Pump over pills for me

I was hooked up to the pump (5FU) for six weeks straight, and it was way easier than I had imagined. The only problem I had, was the pump quit one night.  

Yeah, I'm a big pump advocate.

Tru

Pump for 6 weeks - that would be hard.  It was hard for me to sleep, take a shower, move with that.  Never had mine quit but it did run out before it was supposed to.  Must have gotten too much at one time.  The pump was only 3 days for me every other week.  That was after Xeloda pill though.  That was during my actual hard chemo and at the same time to go home with.  You've been through alot Tru.

Kim