How Much Does Xeloda Cost?
Xeloda, a chemotherapy drug, slows down the growth of cancer cells and is commonly used to help treat breast, colon or rectal cancer.
The cost of Xeloda
The cost of Xeloda, as with any prescription-based medicine, will depend on the pharmacy you use, your health insurance plan, the dosage and the quantity. Combining our averages in the table created below, a 150mg generic pill (capecitabine) averages $4.66 per pill, while a 400mg generic pill averages about $6.98 a pill without insurance. For the actual brand name Xeloda capsule, the costs average about $12 per 400mg strength tablet.
For those with insurance, GoodRX.com notes that Medicare will not cover this drug, and the average co-pay range, according to the website, was $2,005.
Refer to our table below to see the costs we gathered online:
| Dosage | Price (without insurance) |
|---|---|
| 150mg | - 42 tablets: $196 - 60 tablets: $259 - 80 tablets: $361 |
| 500mg | - 56 tablets: $391 - 84 tablets: $650 - 98 tablets: $750 - 112 tablets: $800 - 140 tablets: $1,650 |
NOTE: Be sure to compare at least three pharmacies in your area as the costs can vary by as much as $300 to $500 from the research we did when talking with local pharmacies. As long as you have the prescription in hand, a pharmacy will be able to offer you a quote over the phone.
What is Xeloda?
Xeloda is used to help treat patients with Dukes’ C colon cancer, colorectal cancer or used together with docetaxel to help treat metastatic breast cancer with patients who didn’t respond to other medicine or for those who can not receive cancer-based medicines anymore. Belonging to a group known as antineoplastics (cancer medicine), it will interfere with the growth of cancer cells, which are eventually destroyed by the body. As the growth of normal cells is also affected by this medicine, side effects may occur. This medicine, as noted earlier, will only be available via prescription only.
Drug usage
As this medicine, like most cancer medicine, is very strong, a lot of side effects may occur, so it’s so important to talk with your doctor to know what you may experience and what you should do in case of an emergency. It’s important to take this medicine as prescribed by your doctor and always be sure to read the label for directions. Never take more of it, less of it or skip a dosage as it can greatly increase your chances of side effects. When prescribed, the medicine bottle will come with an instruction book, so make sure you read it in its entirety.
Per the directions, it should be taken with food or within 30 minutes after eating. Do not crush, break, chew or cut into the tablet unless done so by a pharmacist. Always swallow whole with a glass of water.
Xeloda dosage
The dosage will be different for all patients, and your doctor, before he or she prescribes, will always let you know how much you will take during the day and how long the doses will last. The amount of the dosage, in the end, will depend on the strength of the medicine, other medicine you’re taking, your body size and the problem you’re facing. The recommended dosage, according to Drugs.com, is 1250 mg/m2 administered orally twice daily (morning and evening; equivalent to 2500 mg/m2 total daily dose) for 2 weeks followed by a 1-week rest period given as 3-week cycles. Visit that link to view the official dosage chart for more information.
Xeloda side effects
As per Drugs.com, there are hundreds of unwanted side effects, with some requiring medical attention; however, the most common side effects related to the medication, as per the large list on the website, include stomach pain, diarrhea, nausea, the loss of fingerprints, numbness, pain, unusual tiredness, vomiting, pain/blistering/redness/swelling on the bottoms of the feet and/or pain/blistering/redness/swelling on your lips. Refer to the large list to see the less common, rare and serious side effects which demand immediate medical attention.
Tips to know
Store in a closed container in a dry area away from any heat, moisture and the direct sunlight. Keep out of reach from children, pets and dispose of any medicine past its best by date or if not needed anymore. If you’re unsure of how to dispose of, talk with your local doctor or pharmacist for more information.
There are three patient assistance programs that may be able to help you with the costs of this medicine, including the Good Days Program, Patient Access Network Foundation and the HealthWell Foundation Copay Program. Each of these programs do have eligibility requirements, but if you do meet them, they can help cover coinsurance, copays, healthcare premiums and/or deductibles.
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Average Reported Cost: $0
