Side Effects???

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HI all,

I'm new to this, as this is my first discussion. I started Chemo on Wednesday, and was told to expect all kinds of side effects, but up until today, the only side effect I have experienced is pins and needles in my fingertips when I touch something very cold. I know it has only been a few days, but has anyone else not had the side effects straight away. Should I expect to hit a wall at some point when I will start to feel ill? I am on the XELOC or CAPOX treatment.

I'd be interested to know other peoples experiences from when they started to know what to expect.

Many thanks

Jools63 over 1 year ago

Hi Dubbs I was on capox recently and I got the pins and needles touching anything even vaguely cold. Even my toothpaste tube! That was immediate, but some of the other side effects came hours and days later. Facial cramps when I went outside early, back when it was colder outside. I did get heartburn, headaches and nausea a lot too. I’m not sure all of it was due to the medication to be honest. Not everyone suffers many effects, and some have said as they stop another one starts. This is not always the case, so stop waiting for them, and try and enjoy your time away from the hospital. Wishing you all the best.

Dubbs over 1 year ago in reply to Jools63

Thanks for that, it's good to know. It's not that I'm waiting for any side effects, it's just that I wondered if it was normal not to have them straight away. I really am making the most of feeling fine, and enjoying the sunshine just now, but thanks for info. Take care.

Jools63 over 1 year ago in reply to Dubbs

Sorry Dubbs. I’ve just re-read my post and it sounds like I was telling you off! That was not my intention.

Dubbs over 1 year ago in reply to Jools63

Don't worry, it wasn't taken that way. :-)

Birchtree over 1 year ago

Hiya

when i started on capecitabine (am just on the one drug, as a result of a trial I’m on) it was in the second week I started getting side effects ie noticing my feet felt different. Apart from tiredness my main ones have been hand feet syndrome. My feet started first. If it’s any help sharing my experience on this, the work arounds I’ve found for things like toothpaste tubes and things with flip top lids etc include flipping them open with my toothbrush or very blunt knife, getting a stylus to use on my phone and iPad instead of using my fingers, wearing gloves to reduce friction and pressure, wearing gloves inside rubber gloves (and letting the water cool)to wash up for the friction and heat, getting visiting friends to open jars I know I’ll want to use soon but can’t open, oven glove for opening bottles with rough tops like milk and fizzy drinks. Probably worth saying, though you probably know anyway, the hand feet syndrome also eases off a bit in your weeks off.

All the best with it,

Birchtree