← Return to Capecitabine side effects are really tough: What helps?

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@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.

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Replies to "@tomrennie Thank you! We're still waiting on the doc determining the dosage. My mom wants to..."

@pizmo In my experience, age isn't always the primary factor. The general overall health, weight, and the severity of the disease of the patient are also considerations. Here is a link from Mayo's website on Capecitabine. If you scroll down, it gives you an idea of dosage recommendations. It is just a guide. I hope you find it helpful?
https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements/capecitabine-oral-route/description/drg-20062501

@pizmo Has the doctor mentioned DPD testing for your mother before recommending a dosage? I had this testing done and it showed that I was a intermediate metabolizer, meaning my body breaks down Xeloda at a slower rate. My doctor has me on a low dosage, 1000mg daily, 500mg in the morning, and 500mg in the evening. There are three categories of how well a body metabolizes Xeloda, normal, intermediate and poor. I would ask the doctor about this testing. Below is information about this testing.
DPD (dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase) testing is a genetic test that checks for variants in the DPYD gene prior to starting Xeloda (capecitabine) chemotherapy. It is a critical safety measure, as individuals with DPD deficiency cannot efficiently break down the drug, which can lead to severe or fatal toxic side effects.