Capecitabine (Cont.)

When and How to Take Capecitabine

Some general considerations for when and how to take capecitabine include the following:
 
  • Capecitabine comes in tablet form and is taken by mouth twice a day for two weeks, followed by a one-week break.
  • Capecitabine should be taken within 30 minutes after a meal.
  • Capecitabine should be taken at the same times each day to maintain an even level of the medication in your blood.
  • For the medication to work properly, it must be taken as prescribed. Capecitabine will not work if you stop taking it.
     

Dosing Information for Capecitabine

The dose of capecitabine that your healthcare provider recommends will vary depending on a number of factors, including:
 
As is always the case, do not adjust your capecitabine dose unless your healthcare provider specifically instructs you to do so.
 
(Click Capecitabine Dosing for more information.)
 

Side Effects of Capecitabine

As with any medicine, side effects are possible with capecitabine. However, not everyone who takes the drug will experience side effects. In fact, most people tolerate it quite well. If side effects do occur, in most cases, they are minor and either require no treatment or can easily be treated by you or your healthcare provider. Serious side effects are less common.
 
Common side effects of capecitabine include, but are not limited to:
 
(Click Side Effects of Capecitabine to learn more, including potentially serious side effects that you should report immediately to your healthcare provider. You can also read about possible capecitabine side effects by going to:
 
(Capecitabine Continued: Page 4)

Pages:

Previous 1 2 3 4 5 Next

Add this article to your Favorites     Email this article     Print
Written by/reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD; Arthur Schoenstadt, MD
Last reviewed by: Kristi Monson, PharmD;