Low blood pressure due to CAPOX ?

[Scilla]

My mom has finally started her first round of CAPOX (Wed May 3rd). She's been feeling dizzy on and off the past couple of months, but yesterday she fainted, probably due to very low blood pressure, so now they've stopped the treatment. I'm worried about this as chemo is the only treatment she's getting and I want her to get better. She's been experiencing sudden drops in blood pressure on and off of chemo.

Is it well-known that CAPOX can give sudden drops in blood pressure?

[Lee]

Is it well-known that CAPOX can give sudden drops in blood pressure?

Not that I am aware of. What is her Onc saying.? Has she had blood work done recently. If not, probably s good idea.

All the best,

Lee

[Scilla]

Onc is saying she cannot continue with CAPOX, the treatment has been stopped. Now they want to switch to radiation but she has a rectal and a sigmoid tumor plus liver mets and maybe even lung mets. From what I understand, only the rectal tumor will be treated with radiation, but I don't know what they'll do about all the other cancer... I didn't discuss this with her doctors, my mom referred what she had been told.

I'm very worried!

[Lee]

If possible, talk to her Dr. I took FOLFOX which is Oxaliplatin and 5FU. Your mother got Oxaliplatin with pill XELOX. Maybe she could try the FOLFOX. Do you know if she was getting Avastin which is a drug they use with stage IV folks.

Can you set up an appointment with her Dr, you and your Mom? Have questions in hand.

Good luck,

Lee

[Scilla]

Thanks for your reply Lee! I don't think she got any Avastin, I could check with her doctor. I will definitely also book a meeting with her doctor to discuss the treatment plan. It's different here, though, we see different doctors every time, it's not just one onc who's in charge of my mom's treatment. The one I talk to may not be the one who makes the decision...

I've been wondering why so many people on this board get FOLFOX and not CAPOX. Is it a geographical thing, or is one better than the other?

[Lee]

When I was diagnosed, FOLFOX was experimental and only available to stage IV folks. My Onc was able to get me on board through a trial group as they knew it was going to be available for stage III folks in the near future. I was her first and for many months, her only patient on FOLFOX. She picked me because of my youth and over all good health. XELOX was not available when I started chemo.

CAPOX and XELOX are the same pill. FOLFOX is an IV of Oxaliplatin, followed by a pump worn for 48 hrs that includes 5-flourouracil (5-fu) and leucovorin. This cycle is repeated every 2 weeks. I believe your mom got Oxaliplatin, butt rather than the pump, she took Xelox (capox) pills for 3 weeks. Why some chose one over the other is due to side effects or some not wanting to be bothered with a pump. Butt sometimes there is a shortage of 5-fu as the company that makes it only does every few years. Guess there no profit for them in making 5-fu. So when the shortage hit, everyone is on XELOX until further notice.

Hope this helps and yes find out about Avastin.

Lee