Here I go again. Xelox this time

Xelox
Hi Tara,

I had the oxiplatin but not the xeloda. I think I have heard on this board that it is the pill form of 5FU which if you did folfox that was the 2 day drip in the fanny pack. I'm sure others will chime in but lots of people here say it is easier then the 5FU on the body. Sorry you have to take the oxiplatin again. That is what gave me the neuropathy in my feet that hasn't gone away. HUGS and will be sending you good vibes.

Lisa F

You can do it...
Tara: The main effects I had with Xeloda is that my feet turned black. I'm not sure where you live, but if fall is on the way, you can take care of that with socks and some soothing foot baths. I am positive that you are tiring those pesky cancer cells and they will leave you alone once and for all. Monica

I had XELOX
Hi Tara!

I did XELOX on the same program you will have. Gosh, you've been through so much and I'm so sorry you have to do the chemo thing again, but I'm glad, as you mentioned, that you do have the XELOX option.

You will find XELOX is great...minimal side effects and with the Xeloda you'll have far more freedom than with the FOLFOX treatment...only one day in the infusion center and no take home chemo/fanny pack.

The most common side effect with Xeloda is the hand/foot syndrome. Just keep your hands and feet well hydrated with a good moisturizer at all times and you can reduce the effects or avoid it all together. Spongebob gave me the Mary Kay Extra Emollient Night Cream, which was wonderful and smelled nice too...try it, you'll love it! If it gets bad, drop me note and I can offer more advice, but I'm hoping you won't have to struggle with any side effects at all.

You've already had Oxaliplatin so you know about the tingly hands and feet, and cold sensitivity...take your Vitamin B-Complex and stay well hydrated. Tell you chemo nurse to go slow with the Oxaliplatin infusions and ask for Emend for nausea.

You're a cancer warrior...you'll breeze right through this.

Let me know how I can help if you need it

Many blessings for good health, healing, comfort and happiness...

Hugs,
Katie

Well Wishes!
Hi Tara,

I am so sorry you are having to deal with chemo again, but like you, am grateful you have the opportunity to reduce the risk of recurrence with the Xelox regimen. I don't have any experience with Xeloda, but it sounds like you have tolerated oxaliplatin well in the past. I know you will enjoy being able to not be hospitalized this time around.

Please know we will be thinking of you as you wipe out any and all of those pesty cancer cells forever!!!!

Hugs,

Kay

taraHK said:

thanks
Thanks for these replies. When I was on FOLFOX, I had to be hospitalized for 2-3 days (no fanny pack for me). So I am REALLY looking forward to skipping that! I will look out for the foot problems -- thanks for the suggestions. I am NED now -- but I am looking for a "long term relationship", rather than short-term dating! ha ha.

Thanks again for the advice and good wishes. It means the world to me.

Tara

Hi Tara
I am newly diagnosed so this may seem like a stupid question. In your previous post you said you are currently NED- but you are doing chemo again. Is that common? Can you tell me more about that.
I had surgery and the drs. said they removed all they could see, but I had many nodes positive so I figured that is why I have to start chemo (two weeks probably).
I am glad to hear you have tolerated your treatment fairly well. I am confident you will handle the xeloda well also.
I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.
Peace
Jeri

Sending HUGS!!!!
Tara,

I cannot even imagine what you are going through. I am sending hugs and prayers to you. I am also sending NED to land on you for good. You are my hero and I wish you all the best as you begin treatment again.

PS How are your boys, Has your oldest son started college?

Please keep us posted.

Maureen

My husband is currently on the Xeloda and Oxaliplatin regime
Hi Tara,
My husband is currently on his 4th round of 6 to 8 total rounds of chemo, three week cycles of chemo: Xeloda 2 weeks on and 1 week off, with Oxaliplatin infusion at the beginning of each cycle. The 3rd round "kicked his butt" so we were very scared about what the next round would do. It seems he is doing better this time (last infusion was last Friday.) The only bad side-effect this time around is blurred and double-vision. (A little history: he was dia. StageIIIC rectal last Christmas; chemo/radiation, surgery, now adjuvant chemo because of all the lymph-node involvement.) His WBC was only 2.5, but the onc feels very strongly that my husband needs to finish at least 6 rounds. But, all in all, he is tolerating the treatment pretty well.
Hugs,
~Melanie

P.S. I am very happy to see that you were diagnosed in 2002 and are still fighting this...it gives me strength to believe that my husband can beat this and be around for many years to come.

bonzonie said:

XELOX Side Effects
Hi Melanie,

My husband is on same regime as your husband, XELOX, 21 day cycle but is to have a total of 12 cycles. His schedule is just a few days behind your husband's. He will have his 4th infusion, day 1 of his 4th 3 week cycle, next Monday. Round 3 certainly kicked his butt too and we have the same worries about Round 4. His history is a bit different, Stage IV at diagnosis first of May, simultaneous hemicolectomy and liver resection of 1 of 2 liver mets and radio frequency ablation of the other liver met the first of June then began chemo (Xelox) July 7.

I noticed that it seems that when he experienced neuropathic symptoms or pain, that we were told to expect, that his nausea seemed to get worse. Just out of curiosity did you guys have any kind of similar experience?

He had a rough round 1. Arm pain led to a bone scan that turned out negative and then thought to be Xeloda dose related did improve after a dose reduction, but didn't resolve permantely. It repeated at about the same time in the cycle rounds 2 and 3 but to a far lesser degree and only for a few minutes once or twice. Also we did not have very good contol of his nausea until just a couple of days before his rest week.

Rounds 2 and 3 the typical cold sensitivity, tingling a pain in fingers, toes and lips was worse and lasted longer than round 1. This is when I noticed his nausea, at least from observation, is related at some level to his level of neuropathy.

I hope I haven't rambled too much. I just think that if we could better control his neuropathy we could get better control over the nausea and ultimately get through as many cycles as possible, hopefully all 12.

My best to you and your husband.

Bonnie

Every small battle won is one step closer to winning the war!

Xelox treatment
Hi Bonnie,
Thanks for sharing your experiences. My guy has only complained of aches in his hands, but says his feet are fine. The nausea was pretty bad for each round, but is more controlled this time. He was given 2 types of medication to take and once I reminded him to take it, he felt better. (He was hesitant to take medicine to alleviate his symptoms until the last minute and I usually had to remind (nag) him.)

My husband is familiar with taking Xeloda. It is what he took prior to the surgery, along with radiation doses, for 25 treatments (only on weekdays.) He tolerated it very well and really didn't have any side effects that we can definitely attribute to the Xeloda. The radiation is what caused a lot of pain for him (for obvious reasons.) He also had a lot of diahrrea, which can also be attributed to the radiation and the Xeloda. Additionally, the amount of medication was the same and the amount he is taking each day for the adjuvant chemo.

At the beginning of round 2, he had a severe headache later that night and had severe diahrrea, so the onc prescribed 6 hours of IV fluids, which prevented him from becoming dehydrated. Round #3 was particularly bad because he felt very sick and didn't get up very much for a week and a half. He thought he had an intestinal blockage, but the onc saw him and determined that wasn't so. The onc did change his pattern of receiving the 3 week regime. He now has the infusion on day 1 and then starts the 14 days of Xeloda the day after. He mainly complains about his eyes feeling very dry and occasional double vision and, of course, nausea, but takes the proscribed meds without my nagging. Today, so that we are better prepared at our next onc appt (which we have the day before each round,) I finally sat down with him and started a journal for him regarding his symptoms. I want to be able to report details at our next onc appt. I read in several places that is was a good idea to have one. He won't do it himself, so I finally am doing it for him.

Well, I almost forgot to address the cold-tolerance; he has the sensitivity we were warned about, but is doing well at avoiding cold things. We even bundled him up and covered his face for going outside and enjoying a 4th of July celebration, eventhough it wasn't very cold. Mostly, the tingling recedes after about 3-4 days and he doesn't have to beware so much of the cold. Also, he uses an oven mitt to take things out of the fridge and then lets it sit until its not as cold (he can't stand warm water, etc., which makes drinking enough liquids pretty tricky.) He does try to drink a lot of warm tea, though.

Here's to tolerating the complete recommended rounds! I wish you guys the best and hope we all of terrific results. :0)

~Melanie