Capecitabine side effects are really tough: What helps?

Hi there, my 90 year old mom just had colon cancer surgery in her ascending colon. They got it cleared in the colon bit after testing 4 out of 18 lymph nodes, they found cancer cells in lymph nodes and veins. According to oncologist, do nothing, 40% chance of recovery. He recommended taking Capecitabine for 14 days and 7 days off for 18 weeks. This would improve djs ce of survivor vsl from 40%to 60%.My question is can a 90 year old handle this? She's very alert and full of vigor!

@pizmo Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. Your question is impossible to answer. Sorry. Here's why. Capecitabine treats everyone differently. For example, I have been on capecitabine for almost four years. I take it two weeks on and two weeks off. That is my cycle. After four years, I can share this. Each cycle is different. My body tolerates it way better than it used to, but it can still be challenging. @115 and @gc4217 are currently taking capecitabine and doing radiation. Hopefully, they can share their current experiences? The daily milligram intake and the amount of time off can greatly impact the side effects. My pills come in 500mg. I take two in the morning and two at night so 2000mg daily. How many pills will she be taking daily? It is great that she is very alert and full of vigor, but how active is she after her surgery? Thanks.

@pizmo Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. Your question is impossible to answer. Sorry. Here's why. Capecitabine treats everyone differently. For example, I have been on capecitabine for almost four years. I take it two weeks on and two weeks off. That is my cycle. After four years, I can share this. Each cycle is different. My body tolerates it way better than it used to, but it can still be challenging. @115 and @gc4217 are currently taking capecitabine and doing radiation. Hopefully, they can share their current experiences? The daily milligram intake and the amount of time off can greatly impact the side effects. My pills come in 500mg. I take two in the morning and two at night so 2000mg daily. How many pills will she be taking daily? It is great that she is very alert and full of vigor, but how active is she after her surgery? Thanks.

@tomrennie i agree capecitabine at lower doses may be great but for me I was miserable taking 3900mg a day for 14 days was very hard on me that even when they lowered the dose to 3000 mg day it would have been fine but side effects from first dose haunted me for weeks

@tomrennie Hi Tom, I just finished my 6th week of Xeludo and radiation I have 2 treatments left next week. Through trial and error I’ve found that I’m lactose intolerant now so I’m taking Lactaid. It’s helped a lot.
My Drs want me to do 6 rounds of Folfox I am apprehensive.

@denise134 How are you feeling now?

@pizmo Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. Your question is impossible to answer. Sorry. Here's why. Capecitabine treats everyone differently. For example, I have been on capecitabine for almost four years. I take it two weeks on and two weeks off. That is my cycle. After four years, I can share this. Each cycle is different. My body tolerates it way better than it used to, but it can still be challenging. @115 and @gc4217 are currently taking capecitabine and doing radiation. Hopefully, they can share their current experiences? The daily milligram intake and the amount of time off can greatly impact the side effects. My pills come in 500mg. I take two in the morning and two at night so 2000mg daily. How many pills will she be taking daily? It is great that she is very alert and full of vigor, but how active is she after her surgery? Thanks.

@pizmo Hi and welcome to Mayo Connect. Your question is impossible to answer. Sorry. Here's why. Capecitabine treats everyone differently. For example, I have been on capecitabine for almost four years. I take it two weeks on and two weeks off. That is my cycle. After four years, I can share this. Each cycle is different. My body tolerates it way better than it used to, but it can still be challenging. @115 and @gc4217 are currently taking capecitabine and doing radiation. Hopefully, they can share their current experiences? The daily milligram intake and the amount of time off can greatly impact the side effects. My pills come in 500mg. I take two in the morning and two at night so 2000mg daily. How many pills will she be taking daily? It is great that she is very alert and full of vigor, but how active is she after her surgery? Thanks.

@tomrennie
Thank you! We're still waiting on the doc determining the dosage. My mom wants to just jump in and take but we're waiting for doc to decide what the actual RX is supposed to be. Sounds like too high can cause real problems. Any other stories where 90 year old had taken this med? If so at what dosage? I'm hoping it will be lower and longer but sounds like 2 weeks on a d 7 days off for 28-24 months. That seems intense for my mom.