IV chemo vs oral

[JustmeMary]

Hello - I’m curious to know if your side effects were more tolerable on IV chemo vs the oral meds. I haven’t been on IV chemo…yet. I’ve read a couple times that some women did better with IV chemo when it came to side effects. I’m on Xeloda right now but thinking it’s my last option before IV.

Mary 🙂

[Bettybuckets]

well it took about 5 months to figure out that I prefer IV chemo… because it took that long for the bad HFS on xeloda to finally go away… I’m finally just now walking normally with some small amt of HFS… so now IV chemo seems more benign… but the first months I still had to deal with HFS so iv chemo wasn’t easier. But with that gone… it is easy to just take Doxil and have a day when I rest and then the rest of the month I am feeling fine. I do have to battle constipaton just after treatment from zofran pre meds they give me. Meanwhile I feel good between treatment and have joined a livestrong exercise class.

[JustmeMary in reply to Bettybuckets]

Thanks for responding Betty that helps. Best of luck!

[Lynn-in-California in reply to Bettybuckets]

What is HGS?

[JustmeMary in reply to Lynn-in-California]

HFS is hand-foot syndrome

[Praising in reply to Bettybuckets]

What is HFS?

[love2golfwell in reply to Bettybuckets]

Betty, so glad to hear you are doing well on IV Chemo. I know how active you like to be so I'm sure the HFS was very upsetting. Hope you continue to do well and be able to exercise. Sending you hugs and prayers.

[Bettybuckets in reply to love2golfwell]

Thank you my golfing friend! I just saw the cardio oncologist… and now have to go have my heart zapped… but he says that it may not be because of the doxil… it’s always something.

[love2golfwell in reply to Bettybuckets]

I'm so sorry. Hope that will work. I have read several articles that IV chemo can cause heart issues. It is upsetting that meds that are supposed to help us can cause some very unwanted side effects. Please take care of yourself. Sending hugs and prayers.

[GollyG]

I'm surprised to find Paclitaxol easier to cope with than Capecitebine (Xeloda I think? Oral chemo anyway). I was advised to take B complex supplement to keep neuropathy at bay and I use a cold cap. So far (second cycle) no hair loss, good energy, no sickness. It just takes so long at the hospital! Good luck with it,

Gill

[Hidden]

I was on weekly Taxol infusions for 12 weeks, unfortunately they didn't work, and I had progression. Currently on Xeloda. I haven't had any side effects with either, just occasional mild nausea with both, didn't lose my hair on Taxol, it only thinned. I found the weekly infusions disruptive, as I had to go to the hospital 2 days a week, 1 for a blood test, and one for the infusion, and because I had a tendency to pass out with the permeds I started dreading each infusion. I wish all the best you hope all goes well for you.

[LibraryGeek]

I was dreading IV chemotherapy but have found it pretty manageable now I am on it ( since November last year). I spent 6 months on Paclitaxel before progression and currently am on Eribulin. I agree with Autumn1 about the time at the hospital and being unable to make plans easily when the treatment is weekly, but it is nowhere as difficult as the FEC chemo I had with my primary in 2005/6. Wishing you the best with your treatments.

Jackie x

[Bettybuckets in reply to LibraryGeek]

I agree! I also had FEC and it was awful.

[Praising]

I thot there were lots of options before chemo?? But I’m being suggested cello after 2 line of Ibrance??

[JustmeMary in reply to Praising]

I’m on my fourth line of treatment. My oncologist was about to put me on iv chemo but decided to try Xeloda first.

[Praising in reply to JustmeMary]

What were the other 2. Where are your Mets? After xeldoa then???chemo

[JustmeMary in reply to Praising]

Mets to bones, brain, liver, bone marrow. I started with Exemestane then after MBC my onc added Ibrance. That failed after 3 years then moved on to pikray. That was a disaster and moved on to Truqap. More progression so moved to Xeloda.

[doulos21 in reply to JustmeMary]

FYI: My medical onc, and integrative onc both indicated the Xeloda/Capecitabine can indeed be given as an IV, and supposedly side effects are not as bad on IV.....I did oral Cape, and HFS was somewhat of an issue, but not dramatic, thankfully.

[Figletf]

I definitely feel that my Enhertu infusions are much easier than any of the pills I was given.The side effects of the pills were far worse.

[JustmeMary in reply to Figletf]

Thank you for that