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Chemo dosages

Emwings
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Hi there, 

This is my first post. I don't know a huge deal around chemotherapy and would just like any input or other people's experiences. 

My dad was diagnosed with early stage bowel cancer in May. An mri showed there to be no tumours elsewhere in the body and he had successful surgery last month to remove the part of the bowel with the cancer. After a biopsy there were some cancer cells leftover and it was recommended to have a course of chemo more as a precautionary measure. 

My dad has been told it will be 6 months through tablet form. two weeks on and one week off with it being 12 tablets a day of capetitabine

Each tablet is around 500mg so in total this is nearly 12000mg per day.  My dad is really worried about the dosage as he's never had the best tolarance to medications and thought this seemed very high!  A couple of strong pain killers can make him loopy. He's worried thay this will make him really ill or worse. 

Is this the standard treatment for a precaution? I don't really know much about this and would appricate if anyone has got similar expeicices.  

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    Hi there emwings,

    Sorry about your dad's diagnosis, I often think it's harder for our loved ones in some way than it is for us.

    Like your dad I am (well was) very tablet averse but I needed to start antidepressants years ago to keep me alive, then blood pressure medication to keep me alive, and now chemo to keep me alive.  It sucks, I hate being pumped full of drugs, but they are necessary and I hope reminding himself of that will make it easier for your dad.  When it comes to the possibility of staying alive 12 tablets a day is 'nothing' really.

    I don't know if you'll find this helpful (please don't look if it's going to concern you) but this link is for the NICE guidelines for Colorectal cancer https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/cg131 it does mention capecitabine although I couldn't find any idea of the dose.  However the does will likely depend partly on your dad's size.  Just to note that 12 tablets (500mg) a day is only 6000mg and from some drugs websites I've looked at that dose looks standard for a given size of person but hopefully one of the nurses might comment and put your mind at rest.  There is also this link https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/cancer-in-general/treatment/cancer-drugs/drugs/capecitabine and it includes links to other sites with more information.

    Chemotherapy does affect us all in different ways and while there might be some common symptoms with capecitabine your dad's experience will be unique and will be affected too by his overall health.  I am happy to say that I've had quite an 'easy' time of it with chemotherapy (a different type) but others on the same as me have had an awful time.  So it's just too difficult to say how your dad will be and he'll just need to take it as it comes.  I also react horribly to strong pain killers (I have 6 months of my life for which I have no memory having been on strong pain killers at the time).

    I dare say a positive attitude and using mind over matter really can make a difference in the day to day battle with chemotherapy side effects.  But obviously with cancer many people struggle to keep a positive attitude and this is where family can really help.

    Going to head off just now but just wanted to give you some links that might help, hope they do.

    LJx

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