Xeloda (capecitabine)

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

- Painful redness, swelling, blistering or ulceration of the palms and soles (hand-foot syndrome or palmar-plantar erythrodysesthesia).
- Disturbances of the gut such as diarrhoea, nausea, vomiting, constipation or abdominal pain.
- Inflammation of the lining of the mouth (stomatitis).
- Fatigue.
- Weakness or loss of strength (asthenia).
- Loss of appetite.
- Skin reactions such as rash, itching, dry skin, red skin.
- Hair loss (alopecia).
- Fever (pyrexia).
- Headache.
- Dizziness.
- Pins and needles sensations (paraesthesia).
- Change in taste.
- Watery eyes.
- Swollen ankles due to fluid retention.
- Difficulty in breathing (dyspnoea).
- Dehydration.
- Decreased production of blood cells by the bone marrow (bone marrow suppression).
- Pain in the muscles or joints.
- Chest pain (angina).

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

This medicine may increase the blood level of blood thinning (anticoagulant) medicines such as warfarin and phenprocoumon, and this may increase the risk of bleeding. People taking this medicine with anticoagulants should have their blood clotting time (INR) monitored.

This medicine may increase blood levels of phenytoin. People taking this medicine with phenytoin should have their phenytoin blood level monitored.

The maximum tolerated dose of this medicine is lower if folinic acid or interferon alfa is taken at the same time.

Allopurinol may decrease the effectiveness of this medicine and should be avoided.

This medicine must not be administered with sorivudine or brivudine.

Chemotherapy decreases the body's immune response. This means that vaccines may be less effective if given during treatment, and live vaccines may cause serious infections. Live vaccines include: measles, mumps, rubella, MMR, oral polio, oral typhoid and yellow fever. If live vaccines are needed they should be postponed until at least six months after finishing chemotherapy.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredient

There are currently no other medicines available in the UK that contain capecitabine as the active ingredient.

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