#69528 02-08-2008 01:30 PM | Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 138 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 138 | I have a prescription for Salagen. The pills are very tiny and coated so they are easy for me to swallow. I am thinking of changing over to Evoxac with my doc's approval. However, I don't know what size the pills are for Evoxac. If any of you are taking Evoxac, can you tell me if the pill size is small like the Salagen? I cannot take large pills by mouth yet. I can take tiny pills ok though. Looking forward to hearing from someone. Thanks!
Nine years out. New normal with limitations, but surviving and living life to the fullest.
| | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) | "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 718 | The Evoxac that my husband takes is a capsule. It's not huge, but I'm sure it's bigger than what you are taking now. If you go to this web site you can see the actual size of the capsule:
http://www.walgreens.com/library/finddrug/druginfo1.html;jsessionid=D38C22C77A86AA9B5E42B45099D9A9FC.a_00?particularDrug=Evoxac&id=16331
My husband is very happy with the Evoxac.
Good luck with whatever you decide.
Margaret ---------- C/G: Husband, 48 (at time of dx) Dx 5/18/07 SCC, BOT, lymph node involvement. T1N2BM0. (Stage 4a, G2/3) Tx 6/18 - 8/3/07, IMRT x 33 Cisplatin x3 (stopped after 1st dose due to hearing issues). Weekly Erbitux started 6/27/07 completed 8/6/07.
| | | | Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 341 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 341 | Hi I just noticed your post on Salagen. My husband was given a scrip for that today. The doc advised to start taking it a few days before treatment. Is there a particular reason you are wanting to stop taking it? Anything we should watch out for? THANKS!!!!
Michelle, CG to husband (45), DX 2/08 Stage IVa Adenocarcinoma Salivary Gland (T2N2bMO) Parotidectomy & ND 2/08, Tumor margins not clear, 4 of 30 nodes positve for cancer, TX IMRT 39x, cisplatin 7x (completed 5/1/08), PEG (4/22 - 7/9), No port. Currently in remission!
| | | | Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: Feb 2005 Posts: 2,019 | Michelle, I have taken salagen for 2 and 1/2 years. It helps the little salivary function I have produce more saliva. The only problem is I kind of get a burst of saliva after taking it and sometimes have to much (spit a little when I talk--hate that) but then I get very dry again before it's time to take another.
Salagen can have some serious side effects for some people-sweats, blurred vision and other stuff but I have never had any of those effects and I take the maximum dose(once ina while if I take it on a completely empty stonmach first thing in the morning I will feel a little sweaty for about 5-10 minutes once it gets in my system, not a big deal).
I am now curious whether Evoxac is only in a capsule form. If that's true, I can't swtich to it since I have to grind up my medications. I guess I should be glad the salagen works!
Nelie
SCC(T2N0M0) part.glossectomy & neck dissect 2/9/05 & 2/25/05.33 IMRT(66 Gy),2 Cisplatin ended 06/03/05.Stage I breast cancer treated 2/05-11/05.Surgery to remove esophageal stricture 07/06, still having dilatations to keep esophagus open.Dysphagia. "When you're going through hell, keep going"
| | | | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | I took Salagen for 2 1/2 years starting when I started radiation. I believe it worked because I have fair amount of saliva despite having had one of my major slaiva glands removed. The only side effect I experienced was perspiring for about 5 minutes a half hour after I took it. The tablets were tiny and I took a very low dose 3 times a day. Was allowed up to 6 times a day. The only major problem I had came on a day when the humidity and the temp were both at 100. I had no A/C and was perspiring like crazy. Stopped the pill and problem went away. Since I didn't seem to lose any saliva, I never started taking it again. Try it. If he starts perspiring too much, cut back the dosage. It's worth it to maintain some saliva.
---------------------- Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
| | | | Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 341 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | Platinum Member (300+ posts) Joined: Feb 2008 Posts: 341 | Thanks Eileen - doc said in his experience his patients report the bad side effects are week one and then they level off. He did tell us about the sweating. He didn't mention the humidity factor and since we live in Alabama we have about 6 months of humidity never lower than 80% and often reaching 100%. I'll just have to keep the air going extra strong!!!
Michelle, CG to husband (45), DX 2/08 Stage IVa Adenocarcinoma Salivary Gland (T2N2bMO) Parotidectomy & ND 2/08, Tumor margins not clear, 4 of 30 nodes positve for cancer, TX IMRT 39x, cisplatin 7x (completed 5/1/08), PEG (4/22 - 7/9), No port. Currently in remission!
| | | | Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 138 Senior Member (100+ posts) | OP Senior Member (100+ posts) Joined: Dec 2007 Posts: 138 | michelle, it's just that i had heard that evoxac wasn't supposed to have as many side effects as the salagen. but i'm going to continue to take the salagen because i am not having any side effects from it except a little sweating once in a while. i think it works good.
Nine years out. New normal with limitations, but surviving and living life to the fullest.
| | | | Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 98 Senior Member (75+ posts) | Senior Member (75+ posts) Joined: Sep 2007 Posts: 98 | I finished up treatment in August 2007. I started taking salagen around November 2007 and have not had any side affects. I finally started getting some saliva back in late January 2008 - 5 months after treatment.
Tom SCC T4N1M0 left side tongue & 1 node Dx 05/21/07 42 yrs old 40 Tx IMRT @ 70 Gy started 06/25/07 Cysplatin & 5fu 1st & 4th wks treatment ended 08/23/07
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