Tykerb and Xeloda side-effects

When I started on Tykerb, the pharmacist warned me not to take grapefruit.  I have never liked grapefruit so it did not bother me and I didn't ask why.

I had experienced some side-effects when I was on Tykerb and Xeloda.  I had dry cough, shortness of breath (I actually had shortness of breath even before I started on Tykerb and it was due to pleural effusion), nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, darkening of the skin on the fingers and toes as well as on my elbows and knees.  I used to rest my elbows on my knees while vomiting or coughing, or resting in a sitting position as my back ached.

I noticed that all the conventional treatment has made my throat dry and sensitive.  If I am not careful with swallowing liquid, even saliva, I would choke and start coughing.  Even a sudden intake of air would trigger a coughing spasm.

The skin around my nails were dry.  The skin on the soles of my feet could be peeled off in chunks, which caused my oncologist to reduce my Tykerb dosage.  I had actually reduced the dosage earlier without informing my doctor, and yet the side-effects were so bad.

I was perspiring a lot and I had noticed that my perspiration and urine stank of chemical smell.  A friend was visiting and she thought I had not showered.

Tykerb can also cause hepatoxicity and I wondered if that is the reason I felt pain in the liver area.

Blood test after Xeloda 3rd cycle

13 Apr 2012, took blood test before the start of Xeloda 4th cycle.

Cancer marker now is 97.6, down from 153 taken on 21 Mar 2012, which was before the start of Xeloda 3rd cycle.

I was prescribed 1250mg of Tykerb.  

I saw my doctor on 16 Apr 2012 and she reduced it to 1000mg as the skin on the soles of my feet were peeling off.  It was not in flakes, but whole thick chunks of it.  Actually, I had on my own, been cutting down the dosage and yet this happened.  I can't imagine how much more damage would have occurred had I been taking the full prescription all along.

Chemo drugs are normally prescribed according to a patient's weight which is why the weight is taken before the chemo can be administered.  The prescribed amount stays the same if the weight does not vary by more than 3kg.


Unfortunately, Tykerb is prescribed at 1250mg per dose regardless of the weight of a patient.  I was only weighing about 45kg then.  Was it possible then that I was overdosed?