Xeloda

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Specializes in LTC.

I work at a personal care home with med techs. Resident was sent home with Xeloda one week on one week off. Only precautions is to use gloves and give within 30 minutes after breakfast and dinner. I am very nervous about this. Do Pts get sent home on this to take by themselves? Any advise?

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Specializes in Cardiac/Progressive Care.

Short answer? Yes. When I was a pharmacy tech (retail pharmacy), we dispensed it to several patients.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Onc.

Yes, it is made for patients to take at home and most do very well. There may be some nausea or other GI symptoms associated with it. Get an anti-emetic ordered if the patient has nausea and use Immodium for diarrhea.

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Xeloda is very common and there is a wide range of doses and schedules. In addition the GI symptoms mappers mentioned, it can also cause dermatological side effects, known as "hand-foot syndrome;" you can find photos with a quick Google search. We dose-reduce Xeloda for severe hand-foot syndrome.

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Specializes in Med/Surg/Tele/Onc.

We do that as well (dose reduce for H-F syndrome). OT, Xeloda just sent me this fancy shmancy box with a plastic thumb drive in it to my home. A coworker got one also. The thumb drive has patient information stuff on it. Of course the drug reps constantly bring us that stuff too. What a huge waste of resources.

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