All about Xeloda

It's interesting that I still feel perfectly fine, even though the scan didn't look good and my tumor markers have gone up a bit.  If I hadn't been so insistent on checking tumor markers, I'd be blissfully living life thinking all is good and I am NED.  Those will get re-tested next Wednesday when I see my local MO.  I'm still waiting for the final scan report...I'm ready to trek off to the hospital and request a copy.  Maybe there will be some good news somewhere in the midst of all this.

Woohoo Dormouse!  Glad to hear that X is working so well for you!  And six weeks uninterrupted - awesome!  Enjoy!

Unfortunately, my news is not so good.  i got the final report and X hasn't really worked at all, I had lots of progression and the hunt is on for the right clinical trial.  I haven't had a platinum drug, either, so I may go on a trial that involves one of those.  I have an appointment next Wednesday and hopefully my team of oncologists will have a plan in place.

Good luck to everyone!  Enjoy those planned vacations, enjoy every minute!!!

LuvRVing....bummer....I don't understand these drugs.  You'd think if a drug is a good drug it would work for everyone the same.  You're right with your advice to enjoy every minute.  I'm trying to plan a little fall trip.  Just close around home somewhere.

So sorry X wasn't the fix. I also wish we could know upfront whether something would work for us or not.



I've been on a two week break to get my feet and hands to settle down. Tomorrow morning it's time to stare at the pills again. So far I'm stable and hope that I'll at least stay that way until after my trip in late October. In fact I think I'll push to avoid any scan until after the cruise. Lovely trip down de-Nile.

Hope the next one works better, Michelle.

seamstress and cynthia , congrats on the good scans.  i so hope i can join you in good results for a long time to come.  aug 23 i have pet scan.   michelle keep in touch.  i hope yourext tx is a big success and you are able to stay w it for a long long time.    this is so tough.   let's keep our faith

Now that's a new one. I'm on 1500mg x 2. 7 days on, 7 days off.

Well, I am officially "off" Xeloda and the next treatment is TBD.  I saw my local MO today and she is deferring to my MO at Dana Farber in Boston.  I'm hoping for this clinical trial:

http://www.dana-farber.org/research/clinical-trials/clinical-trial.aspx?tid=2410

Hopefully, I will qualify and it will be a good drug for me.  Otherwise, I think carboplatin with gemzar stacks up as "plan b". 

Good luck, everyone!  And thank you all for your love and support!

Whichever gets chosen, hope it works for you, Michelle.  Good luck.

Hi ladies, I started Xeloda from January. It works so well. The trouble is my bilirubin was out of range from April, and it keeps going up each cycle. My doctor doesn't concern much because it is not too high. This time it is 28 (0-20) normal. Is anbody has this problem? 

Good luck with the new treatment Michelle.

This is my first post on this site as wasn't sure how long I'd last on this drug. I'm on my 3rd cycle of Xeloda. I have skin mets plus still have primary BC tumours as the skin mets developed while I was undergoing treatment to shrink the primary BC. I've not seen any improvement in the skin yet but it does seem to have stopped them growing (they were getting to be like a runaway train before I started chemo). Onc is happy to keep going with it just now and says it's slow growing so shouldn't expect any dramatic shrinkage yet.

Struggling a bit with the nausea/acid reflux, still trying to find the right drug for that one and sometimes a bit tired. Hands and feet just really starting to bother me a bit more, thought I was going to get off lightly but onc expects it to get worse as I go on.

 I was hoping to avoid the hair thinning as hadn't noticed anything obvious yet, although hard to tell when hair still so short from previous chemo, but you have me a bit worried about it now seamstress if it's going to be more gradual.

LuvRVing - glad to hear there another oral drug for you.  That's great!  I hope you have gret results.

Hello gail5...I had a terrible time with nausea and vomiting until I had a dose reduction because of bad hand/foot syndrome.  All the nausea meds made my vision blurry.

I don't think my thin hair is noticable to other people.  When I gather it in the back like I'm trying to make a pony tail, it's as thin as a pencil.  But my hair is curly/wavy from original chemo in 2009 so it always looks fuller than it really is.

Good luck with the trial drug, Michelle - hope it is painless and effective (the two things we all want!)