About to start Capecitabine - after nine years on anti-oestrogens! Tips please and positive stories please!!!

Hello

I started Capecitabine in December and apart from the first week feeling rough and not wanting to meet much, I have coped very well on it. They told me allmthenside effects and apart from tiredness I feel well on it. You do have to be disciplined with it. I take my first tablets at 7.00am with some flavoured milk and a banana as that's all i can manage at that time of the morning and then after my evening meal at 5.30pm. You have to leave at least 10 to 12 hours between doses. You take the tablets within half an hour of eating. I have just gotten my scan results, my Consultant rang me to say she had good news and that the lesions on my liver were hardly noticeable and the larger tumour had shrunk and that it was also working well on my bone cancer.  It does take a bit of getting used to but it can work very well and you get none of the really nasty side effects of the intravenous chemo.

I hope you do well on this.

Ellie x

Aww thank you Ellie,

that’s great to hear.  So pleased it’s shrunk your liver mets.

I’m a bit of an early to bed late to get up kind of person so banana and milk in bed at 7 is a good idea!

my liver met was only picked up after I requested a pet ct scan (my TMs were trending up). A normal CT didn’t pick it up at all.  Onc said she’d be looking at TMs to see if Cape is doing its stuff.  I said I’d self-fund a pet scan (as NHS won’t) to double check!

Take care and here’s to more shrinkage xx

Anne-Marie xx

I've also tolerated well, managing ok with fatigue being the worst side effect really.  

My tip would be moisture moisture and moisture!!! Hands and feet suffer quite badly on this drug but it isn't straight away.  I started this one in Sept and they have become quite dry recently.

Thank you!  Have started this with some Udderly cream on hands and feet and elbows too! xx

Hello

Try Aveeno as an alternative. That is the one my nurse recommended.

Ellie x

Hi, I have been on Cape since January and have hardly any side effects! A bit of fatigue in the middle of the cycle, but it doesn’t stop me doing things. My hands and feet have been peeling a bit! No fingertip recognition for me on my phone now! I use Udderly Smooth and it helps a lot, I don’t get any discomfort only peeling. Good luck with your treatment!

I forgot to mention the most important bit! I had the results of my first CT scan since starting the treatment and everything has responded. So it is doing its job well!