Xeloda and folate/folic acid

joyceann619
joyceann619 Member Posts: 33 Member
edited March 2014 in Colorectal Cancer #1
I have been taking Xeloda ( one week on and one week off) since May. I recently have developed red hands and feet. My oncologist feels that it is enhanced by the folate/folic acid.
Does anyone know or take vitamins without folate/folic acid?

Thanks in advance for your help

Joyce

Comments

  • vinny3
    vinny3 Member Posts: 928 Member
    #2
    My oncologist had me take Vit B6, 100 mg 3 times a day to help with the problem. Otherwise your oncologist may need to lower the dose. I'm not sure if the folic acid makes it worse.
    ****
  • Betsydoglover
    Betsydoglover Member Posts: 1,248 Member
    #3
    Joyce -

    Before I started Xeloda/oxaliplatin/Avastin, I read something about folic acid and Xeloda. I asked my doctor if I should avoid multi-vitamins with folic acid (typically they have 400mcg). She pretty much said "Heavens no". You would have to take in a really excessive amount of folic acid to have any impact. So, I continued to take multi-vitamin and eat normally (well as normally as you can on chemo).

    That said, hand/foot syndrome is a typical Xeloda reaction. My feet started peeling slightly and were somewhat purplish after 3 cycles and we reduced my Xeloda for the remaining 3 cycles from 2000mg twice a day to 1500mg twice a day. That took care of the problem.

    Hope this helps.
    Betsy
  • LOUSWIFT
    LOUSWIFT Member Posts: 371 Member
    #4
    Hi Joyce I just completed my treatments with Xeloda 5 cycles 2 weeks on (5000mg per day after surgery) and one week off. There was some concern about folic acid affecting the way Xeloda works but it would take a large amount. A simple vitamin a day is okay. I got Hand and foot syndrome. The higher doses came after surgery only 2000 mg post surgery. It is serious chemo and I developed extreme hand and foot syndrome. Watch your dose press your doctor to stay on top of it about problems. B6 vitamins are given to help the hands during hand and foot syndrome it doesn't help the feet and doesn't affect Xeloda according to my doc.
  • VATCHE
    VATCHE Member Posts: 1
    #5
    hi joyceann i will start xeloda this week i was gonna ask you the side effect of it
    thank you vatche
  • shmurciakova
    shmurciakova Member Posts: 906 Member
    #6
    Hi Joyce,
    I hated Xeloda for this reason. I am an avid hiker/backpacker and I could not carry a heavy pack while on Xeloda because hand/foot syndrome was so bad. I have heard that anti-inflammatory drugs work well to keep the problem under control. Ask your doctor about putting you on Celebrex for a while (if you do not have a heart condition of course). I wish I had known about it when I was on that stuff.
    Anyway, I can sympathize with you!
    -Susan.

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