Xeloda -- foot care

@Chantellep
 thanks for sharing this will be good information for those on Xeloda

I'm not on Xeloda but hot (well, warm)  parrafin wax treatments on my neuropathied feet are terrific. 

I was on xeloda a couple of years ago, and have heard since how well it wotks.  Wish I knew at the time as my feet became cracked and bleeding.  It was one of the reasons I had to come off Xeloda.  I have let others know since I have heard of its success. Good for you being on it for so long. 

Hi thanks for the tip, I have been on xeloda for 20 months and it has been a VERY challenging time,so very happy to hear from someone who has been on this drug for 5 years, good on you!! I have tried various creams and potions but have finally found one that is a one stop treatment, its called DERMAVEEN bath and shower oil with colloidal oatmeal and is the best thing for me, I put about 20ml into a running bath and then just soak in it,like you I have trouble with what type of shoe I can wear due to friction, so anything fashionable is out the window, my hands have actually caused me the most angst, I have to wear white cotton gloves to drive and I have a cleaner once a fortnight to do the vacuuming and washing the floors, gardening also is out, however all is not lost, the drug is doing its job and my tumour markers remain low and 4 of the 6 tumours in my liver have "disappeared", so I will keep on xeloda until things change, but again so very very happy to hear from a 5 year user of this drug, you are the first person I have had the opportunity to "chat" to, perhaps you could let me know about your diagnosis,

wendy55 

Hi Wendy55. Glad you've found something that works for your feet too. Yes, I have problems with my hands too, but I've coped, like you. I have cleaners, and a dishwasher. I do gardening, but only in two pairs of gloves -- cotton ones inside industrial ones -- and not too often. Indeed, I avoid most things with my hands so I can have them working to do some handicrafts. And even then I have to be conservative as my finger tips and nail beds get very tender; some cracking but not as bad as my feet. I had liver spots too but mine have all cleared with Xeloda, which is fantastic. (I'd had an initial breast lump -- surgery, radio and chemo -- then a local recurrence and mastectomy, then lung -- more chemo -- then liver and Xeloda. It has been almost twenty years!) I find Xeloda tiring -- some days I don't do anything at all -- and unpredictable in that I don't know when I will feel well or will have a 'bed' day. But while ever it works to keep my cancer at bay I'm a fan! How do you find the day-to-day? 

On a day to day basis, yes its challenging, so long as I get a good nights sleep I can manage reasonably well,but you have put into words exactly how it is for me as well,its the fatigue which is hard to deal with on any given day, and like you its only when I wake up then I know if its going to be a pyjama day or a down but not out day, but the xeloda is doing its job and I will keep on perservering, it was extremely hard at first, initially I was on 3 tablets morning and night but after 11 days found myself in an ambulance off to emergency and 8 days in hospital on a drip, the next 7 days were cruel I may as well have put a mattress in the toilet my poor body just did not know what hit it, so now I am on 2 tablets morning and night I am on a 12 days on 9 days off after the hospital episode,in the beginning both my hands and feet split cracked and I was shedding skin so bad that every morning my bed and the floor was covered in skin bits, that has settled down a bit and now I just have to deal with very tight stretched skin on my hands and limited movement, things like opening cans and tops off containers is very hard, I have to wear gloves to peel vegetables, BUT you do get "used" to it, like you any given day can see me laying on my beautiful electric remote controlled bed, its where I am most comfortable, like you I have a dishwasher and a a partner who is my rock, he has had to deal with the fallout for the last 4 and a half years, my initial diagnosis was stage 4 advanced breast cancer, with tumours in my spine and 6 in my liver, after hitting me hard with chemo I have been on femara, affinitor aromisin and had a very short 6 week spell on tamoxifen, I have been online and found a support group in the UK they call themselves the Cape Crusaders, because of xelodas proper name, its a drug that seems to have had a resurgence and is a popular choice for oncologists with our type of cancer, however as you would know its not for everyone,some ladies have lasted only a few days or weeks, because of the horrible side effects, however its something that my partner and I have chosen to live with and as long the xeloda continues to work I will stay on it, I see my oncologist every 6 weeks, I have a xgeva injection every 6 weeks and my bloods are done every 21 days, its a 5 hour round trip to my oncologist as we live in country south australia,however its worth the trip, I love where I live and I have every faith in my oncologist,it gives my partner and I a lot of hope to find someone who has been doing this for so long, where abouts are you in this big country of ours.If you go to the bcna metastatic personal stories section you will see a series of videos that were done in late Aug this year and I was lucky enough to be asked to participate.
So, thank you for sharing with me, I am a very determined person and I am sure that this is what has kept me going, or you could call it bloodymindedness!! I will not give in, and as long as I have my partner behind me I too am a fan of xeloda,
Wendy 

@wendy55
Here's to bloodymindedness!  I'd say let's raise a glass and drink to that but I don't drink!  Wishing you many many more good days and hey there's nothing wrong with a pyjama day - they are good for the soul as well as! 
Take care from Christine x

thanks Christine, love the sign, first time I have seen anything like that, I don't drink much now either a glass of bubbles a couple of times a year, one of which will be with the family at Christmas,wendyxx

Hi again Wendy. I'll never complain about my 45 minute trip to hospital again! I don't even know where Copper Triangle is. I live in a Sydney suburb so my six-weekly check-up is nothing compared with your marathon. It must be a very tiring day, and you do it so often. If Xeloda keeps doing its good work, hopefully your schedule will relax. You sound very determined and strong, a great encouragement. Keep gazing at your beautiful locale; our big sky can be very peaceful. :)

Hey @wendy55 Is your treatment at the RAH? Perhaps one day we will meet up at the Cancer Council Lodge if you stay there. (If we haven't already and not realised ) I only come down for breast surgeon appointments now.