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Very low-stakes question about capecitabine (Xeloda) and hair loss
Hello. I'll soon start IMRT (intensity-modulated radiation therapy) plus capecitabine (oral chemo) for my pancreatic cancer. (Earlier this year I had 8 infusions of FOLFIRINOX before surgery, and then a Whipple that didn't quite get all the cancer.)
My question is about hair loss from capecitabine: Does anyone have a sense of how likely it is? I know that everyone has a different response to every chemo drug, but there might be stats about what % of patients on capecitabine lose hair, and maybe stats on how extensive that hair loss is.
. . . . . . . As noted, this is a low-stakes question, but it would help me to know whether more hair loss is coming -- if it is, then I'll get a pixie cut now. (I'd rather not wear a wig, and I look awful in most headgear for women with cancer bc I have a bottom-heavy face. I lost at least 50% of my hair during IV chemo; what remained was long enough for me to pull back into a tiny bun and clip it in place, and I won't be able to do that if I lose more.)
Also: If anyone wants to share other experiences with this combo (IMRT + capecitabine), I'd be grateful. (I'll post a slightly different version of this question in the pancreatic cancer forum, given that this combo is, I think, tailored to p.c. patients.)
Apologies if this seems tone-deaf when so many are dealing with truly life-changing side effects, and thanks.
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I take 330g twice a day.
I have about a million worries. I really struggle to wrap my head around seeing the radiation as helpful and not just focusing on how it is destroying the rest of my body. Makes attending daily sessions very hard
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3 Reactions@x10 I understand your concerns about radiation. Why did your doctors prescribe it as treatment? How is it supposed to help?
@x10
Hi, I've just had my 14th treatment and it's okay so far. I use a lot of cream and take camomile baths which makes it all bearable.
Hope you are coping?
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1 Reaction@tomrennie
Hi - thank you for your message.
They have stopped the Cepecitabine last week because of low count white blood cells & platelets levels. I'm now doing regular blood tests to see if it improves.
Do you not have any side effects from Capecitabine?
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1 Reaction@piach I have had lots of side effects with Capecitabine. Initially, it was hard to attribute side effects specifically to Capecitabine, because I was very sick and also took Temozolomide for the first 13 cycles. But, I had nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, body aches and pains, lack of appetite, weight loss and fatigue before starting any treatment. I still have some nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain, body aches and pains, and fatigue. In addition, I have low platelets, mouth sores, itching, and neuropathy. That is all that I can think of at the moment.