An Overview of Capecitabine Side Effects and its Management

Capecitabine is an antineoplastic (Anti-cancer) medication that is used to treat breast, colon or rectum cancer that has spread to other parts of the body. The drug works by stopping the growth of cancer cells in the body. After the intake of the drug, the body changes capecitabine into a common chemotherapy drug called fluorouracil.

General Precautions

Before having a Capecitabine, inform your doctor about the allergies you have. Capecitabine contains inactive ingredients which might cause allergic reactions. Hence, it is very important that your doctor knows about your medical history especially if you had any blood disorder, heart problems or problems in your kidney or liver.

Avoid taking a double dose in case you forget to consume the medicine once. You should stick to your regular schedule and let your doctor know about the same. Some other precautions include:

 Keep the tablets in their original packaging and avoid exposure to heat or direct sunlight
 Keep them out of the reach of children
 If you get sick after taking the tablet, consider contacting your doctor. You should also avoid consuming medicine until then.

Capecitabine medication makes you more sensitive to the sun; hence you must limit your time in the sun. Prefer using sunscreens and put on protective clothing when stepping out. Moreover, the drug might make you quite dizzy; therefore, you should avoid driving and other activities that require your attention or alertness. Since the drug can be absorbed through the skin and lungs, and might also harm an unborn baby, pregnant women should not take this medication at all.

Capecitabine Side Effects

Some of the common Capecitabine side effects include vomiting, nausea, loss of appetite, headache, weakness, dizziness, trouble in sleeping, or even changes in taste. However, side effects like vomiting and nausea can be severe. In such cases, the doctor might prescribe you medication to relieve you from nausea or vomiting. But having several small meals and avoiding food before the treatment might help minimize some of these side effects of Capecitabine.

Diarrhea is one of the most common side effects of Capecitabine medication. Hence it is advised to drink plenty of fluids. In case of diarrhea, your doctor might prescribe you lope amide to lower the effect of diarrhea. Moreover, you might also experience temporary hair loss and normal hair growth resumes once the treatment is done. You might face some skin problems as well. In case you experience any of these side effects, you should consult your doctor immediately.