Xeloda Vs Generic brand side effect differences

[Here_now]

Hello fellow thrivers and fighters,

My current line of treatment is Capecitabine, I've been on it for about three months and after a shaky start I'm getting used to it. My onc already reduced the dosage once due to painful hand and foot syndrome, but it's still a real issue for me. However this cycle the pharmacy ordered in the Xeloda brand (the previous three cycles I had the generic version) and I am finding my hands and feet remarkably less painful! The difference is quite astounding.

I'm curious if anyone else has experienced differences between the original 'brand' and generic versions?

Do you think I can insist to my oncologist that I be prescribed the Xeloda brand?

Wishing you all well,

(and a lovely day)

Faye

[Silver126]

interesting! I always got Capecitabine Accord ad had no side effects.. But obviously I can’t make comparisons

[Jessie55]

I have read other women having brand issues with various drugs so definitely mention it. Good luck

[LadyKatarina]

Many of us have had brand issues with Tamoxifen, Anastrozole, Letrozole, and Fulvestrant. I would think there would be with all drugs. There has to be some reason they can produce the generics so much more cheaply than the brand name, don't you think? When my onc wants me to try something new, now I request the brand name. I've had too many problems with generics--so why try something new if you don't try the best formula for it? Best to you.

[MyMiracle13]

I used Xeloda not generic brands for 22 months and have had no side effects. I believe the branded meds are better than generic ones because some generic medicines don’t list some of their excipients or ingredients and some of us may react to these.

[kearnan in reply to MyMiracle13]

Does your insurance not have an issue with paying for brand if there is a generic version? I am in the US.

[MyMiracle13 in reply to kearnan]

I live in the Philippines so we do not have insurance to pay for our meds not like in the US. But the government has put price caps on certain cancer meds, branded or generic. Xeloda, fortunately, is one of those meds with a price cap.

[Here_now]

Thank you ladies, for your encouragement and feedback on this. It's hard to find information and sometimes I lack confidence so it's great to have your experiences too. I have noticed such an improvement with side effects this cycle on the Xeloda brand. I'll definitely push it with my oncologist.

[kearnan]

May I ask what dosage you are on ? I am in my fifth year and it is spreading in my liver rapidly so she gave me the highest dose of Capecitabine at 8 pills per day, 500 mg. I took the first dose and it knocked the heck out of me. I was in bed for about 3 hours and just cried bc I have not been like that and then I had arm and muscle spasms so I never took the second dose. It was going to be a week on and then a week off.

But I remember when I was stupid about cancer and she had first put me on 125 of Ibrance. The week off was a horror. I was sick the entire week. Three months and my week off was like not living. I never knew and she never tried me on a lower dose. So I was already scared of this med bc of having to have a week off.

And wondering how my liver is functioning fine with three large tumors.

[Here_now in reply to kearnan]

Hello there,

Oh my, that sounds awful! And actually really similar to my first reaction to Capecitabine. I couldn't do anything, I felt so violently sick and dizzy all I could do was sleep. Same as you, I stopped taking it for almost a week after, I felt so scared of its effect on me, but then I spoke to a nurse who suggested starting again and building up slowly.

My onc started me on 1,500mg twice a day (so three tablets of 500mg each time). When I told her of the side effects she didn't particularly seem reactive, but when I said my feet were so painful I found walking hard she cut the dose down to 1150mg twice a day.

I lost a lot of weight when I was diagnosed (I'm still a little underweight) so I think my dosage is quite low. But still I really feel the effects of Capecitabine. I have days when I can hardly do anything.

Incidentally, a doctor told me that the dosage can be safely cut down by half and still be effective. He sent me a paper about this. I'll have a look for it and see if I can send it to you.

[Here_now in reply to kearnan]

That's great you have good liver function! Maybe your liver is in great shape, aside the tumours? Our bodies are amazing, how hard they work for us. It's only now I truly appreciate.

If you're interested I can send you the paper about capecitabine and dosage a little later? I can't seem to do it from my phone right now.

[Timtam56 in reply to Here_now]

I am having trouble with my markers going up and up and up. So my onc said that she wants to do a genetics test and then she might be changing me from Ibrance and Anastrozole to Xeloda. So I would love this info it you have it please.

[Here_now in reply to Timtam56]

Hello,Yes of course I can send it to you. Could you give me your email? I don't know how to post it on here directly.

The paper was sent to me by an oncologist, it's basically information about the drug. I've been on it for 5 months now, the main issues have been sore hands and feet, but as the paper says, you can have the dosage reduced by up to 50% (makes you wonder why they start dosage so high).

I hope you are doing well. Send me your email and I'll email it to you directly.

Faye