Looks like I will be starting this medication in a week or so. Its an oral chemo drug. Was curious about side effect and any experiances any one may have.
Two rea size adenocarcinomas removed last week fron liver. They dont believe it was the primary. Looking at bile duct(s)
Thanks

Can't help with your med. But I can say do your due diligence research on the drug.

That said if the drug is fairly new, say within a decade or so, the literature might not show all the side effects. Happened to me with a second generation TK inhibitor oral chemo drug. I developed plural effusion, had to be on O2, and experienced four thoracentesis procedures to drain the fluid in my lungs until the pulmonologist convinced the oncologist that the TKI was causing this despite the then literature having no mention of this as a side effect. Fast forward to today and the lit now shows 16% of patients develop plural effusion with that drug. And yes I was switched to something else that I'm still on. It too has side effects but not as severe.

It is said that there is no free lunch with chemo.

Nothing helpful to offer but my prayers. You're not alone in this one. Are you going to UW Hepatology?

quote:

It is said that there is no free lunch with chemo

^^^^^^^^^
Yep. To make it simple ALL chemo drugs are poison designed to kill fast growing cells in the body. That is why hair frequently is lost. Cancer cells are fast growing. You just hope that the host does not die. Your oncologist does regular blood work to check out the side effects. The important question is whether the treatment is palliative or curative. The ultimate call is yours.

Did a little reading. The drug changes into fluorouracil in the body. fluorouracil is a standard chemo drug. Nausea and intractable diarhhea are probably side effects. Lomotil or imodium help. There are a bunch of antinausea drug. If needed you can get IV fluids.

Imodium? Shit I wish I had bought stock in that stuff as often as I have to take it. .
I hesitate to go out of the house these days for fear of an explosive episode. Tried taking half a dose of imodium just as I start a meal but even that gives no assurance.

You can take much more than the suggested dose. Limotil is prescription and you can alternate between it and immodiium. There are also drugs for cramps and nausea.

It’s been around for a long time. Has its own Wikipedia page:
Wikipedia link

Thanks for the responses.
220 Smudge, I am fortunate enough to be close to and getting care at UW/Fred Hutch. Still 50 miles away, but thats ok.

I was prescribed this back in 2005 while I was being treated for colon cancer. After my surgery the pathology report on the removed samples came back saying that they got all of it. The oncologist still wanted to do a "precautionary" chemo round. I told him "only if there's an oral drug, I'm really tired of IVs." And this is what he came up with. I was on it for 6 months. The only side effect I had was what he called "hand/foot syndrome" (or words to that effect). The joints in my fingers and toes became very dry and started cracking, to the point that some of them bled slightly. Not a hemorrhage by any means, just enough to be annoying. It's a cumulative thing, the first several doses don't appear to do anything, but over time it gets worse. The only thing I found that actually seemed to help with the cracking was Cornhusker's Lotion. It's a OTC thing, any decent pharmacy should have it.

The chemo drug itself is really expensive, on the order (then) of $4000 every two weeks. Fortunately I had really good insurance, I wound up paying like $20 for each refill.

I took it for my colon cancer as well. Wait 6 months and the standard treatment changes. The good news is that is generally getting better and better. When I did it 3 years ago I did it in conjunction with radiation treatment. I did not lose my hair. I had general fatigue and tries as I might I couldn’t do much more than walking. They prescribed nausea medicine but mostly I didn’t take it.

Certainly not the best time of my life but the IV was worse.

Feel free to email me if you want to talk specifics or just talk. You will get through this.