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User
Posted 13 Mar 2018 at 18:21
Hi guys,

Dad's first chemo a week ago yesterday and was doing ok. Today has been tired and had aches and bit of a sore throat. I told mum to ring the hospital. Temperature was 37.8. If dad had his way he probably would have tried to ride it out but mum rang the hospital who told him to go in. He's getting bloods done and an ecg at present. Back to uncontrollable worry 😔

Miffy
User
Posted 13 Mar 2018 at 23:13

You & Mum were totally right Miffy. On no account try to ride it out. He is in hospital straightaway so while it’s understandable that you are worried an infection he may have has been caught and treated early which is what is needed. It’s around this time in the cycle that dad’s white blood cell count drops which means his own immune system is less able to cope with any potential infections. I know it’s a huge cliche - but he really is in the best place.

Take care and look after yourself as well.

Dave

User
Posted 14 Mar 2018 at 01:47
Try not to worry too much. As I said in a previous reply my OH was admitted to hospital with a temperature of 37.7 and he had no other symptoms at all. He was admitted on Thursday and they kept him in until Monday, he was on intravenous antibiotics immediately, they can only give those in hospital. The main thing they are scared of is Sepsis, that can only be stopped by immediate treatment with antibiotics, it is easily missed by people and can be fatal within days if left untreated, the initial symptoms can easily be mistaken for flu so people tend to leave it or try to 'ride it out'.

Don't be scared if your dad is in an isolation room, my OH was (with his own bathroom!) It is just a precaution.

You did totally the right thing in ringing the hospital, it has allowed them to nip it in the bud when things can easily be rectified.

From the way the staff were with my other half it would appear to be quite a common occurrence with people on chemo.

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User
Posted 13 Mar 2018 at 23:13

You & Mum were totally right Miffy. On no account try to ride it out. He is in hospital straightaway so while it’s understandable that you are worried an infection he may have has been caught and treated early which is what is needed. It’s around this time in the cycle that dad’s white blood cell count drops which means his own immune system is less able to cope with any potential infections. I know it’s a huge cliche - but he really is in the best place.

Take care and look after yourself as well.

Dave

User
Posted 14 Mar 2018 at 01:47
Try not to worry too much. As I said in a previous reply my OH was admitted to hospital with a temperature of 37.7 and he had no other symptoms at all. He was admitted on Thursday and they kept him in until Monday, he was on intravenous antibiotics immediately, they can only give those in hospital. The main thing they are scared of is Sepsis, that can only be stopped by immediate treatment with antibiotics, it is easily missed by people and can be fatal within days if left untreated, the initial symptoms can easily be mistaken for flu so people tend to leave it or try to 'ride it out'.

Don't be scared if your dad is in an isolation room, my OH was (with his own bathroom!) It is just a precaution.

You did totally the right thing in ringing the hospital, it has allowed them to nip it in the bud when things can easily be rectified.

From the way the staff were with my other half it would appear to be quite a common occurrence with people on chemo.

User
Posted 14 Mar 2018 at 12:57
Thanks guys,

Well he got chest x ray and it came back clear which is good. Blood count still low and he's dehydrated but feeling better. No infection they said. Although he's still got some aches could this just be the chemo taking it's toll?

Miffy
User
Posted 14 Mar 2018 at 14:31

Great there is no infection. But better safe than sorry with a raised temperature. Low white blood cell count is to be expected at this stage of the cycle. It will pick up again only to decrease once more during the next and subsequent cycles.

Dave

User
Posted 14 Mar 2018 at 15:08
If he was to feel this way again after the next cycle do we do the same thing again? It's hard to tell what's a normal side effect and when it's time to worry. Does anyone have any experience of aches as a side effect of chemo or has this more likely been a white blood cell problem? I thought it was down to an infection but obviously if there is none that's not the case. He's been told he will be in until Friday to carry on the antibiotics.
Miffy
User
Posted 14 Mar 2018 at 18:33

I was put on antibiotics due to a sore throat and ulcerated tongue during my first cycle but not hospitalised. I didn’t have a temperature but the treatment helpline advised I see an out of hours doc to be on the safe side. It also turned out there was no infection either. I would think everyone is going to be pretty jumpy during the early stages of chemotherapy. My advice would be if in doubt phone the treatment helpline. That was drummed into me at the treatment unit - phone about anything I was concerned about as they couldn’t help me if they didn’t know about it. Don’t take a chance!

As for the aches - it could be chemotherapy but remember that your dad’s muscles could be starting to weaken due to the lack of testosterone. 20 months since treatment started I still ache a lot. But keeping up exercise is important to help combat this. It might not make the aches diminish but will help with muscle strength. I kept up road cycling and turbo training thoughout chemotherapy. I was out for a run yesterday and completed a 40 minute cardio workout just a few minutes ago. So if your dad was reasonably fit and active before treatment started all is not lost. 😀

Dave

Edited by member 14 Mar 2018 at 18:34  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 15 Mar 2018 at 15:18
Yea we won't take any chances. He's got oral thrush as well and they're keeping an eye on bloods. Oncologist said white blood count was down to 0.2. It's up now to 1.2 so hopefully up more tomorrow and he can go home. I've no idea what 0.2 and 1.2 is or how good or bad that is though.
Miffy
User
Posted 17 Mar 2018 at 12:42

Has your dad been given anything for the oral thrush Miffy? Although mine wasn’t thrush I was prescribed Gelclair and Caphosol by both my GP and the cancer centre. One is a mouthwash and the other coats the inside of the mouth to help healing and ease oral pain.

Dave

User
Posted 17 Mar 2018 at 16:38
Originally Posted by: Online Community Member

Has your dad been given anything for the oral thrush Miffy? Although mine wasn’t thrush I was prescribed Gelclair and Caphosol by both my GP and the cancer centre. One is a mouthwash and the other coats the inside of the mouth to help healing and ease oral pain.

Dave

Yea Dave they gave him some nystatin and some biotene mouthwash. Don't even think he knew that's what it was to be honest he just said had a sore throat. But that should clear it up. He got out yesterday so happy days. Thinks it's scared him into taking it a bit easier after the next cycle.

Miffy
User
Posted 17 Mar 2018 at 19:11
Hi Miffy I am so glad to hear Dad is home. My own Dad did too much after his first chemo (sorry can’t remember if I’ve already discussed this with you!) and has taken it much easier today after chemo number 2 yesterday. He’s been keeping a diary and he was able to look back to the first chemo and see if he felt similar today. Weirdly he gets crazy hic ups after he’s had it - the consultant said he’d not heard of that as a side effect before! Fatigue is high up on the list of side effects plus he gets a very red face. He did take lollies in to both chemos - pineapple ones yesterday. The consultant prescribed a mouthwash when we saw him. I’m keeping everything crossed for your Dad. When is his next chemo? X
User
Posted 18 Mar 2018 at 21:10
Originally Posted by: Online Community Member
Hi Miffy I am so glad to hear Dad is home. My own Dad did too much after his first chemo (sorry can’t remember if I’ve already discussed this with you!) and has taken it much easier today after chemo number 2 yesterday. He’s been keeping a diary and he was able to look back to the first chemo and see if he felt similar today. Weirdly he gets crazy hic ups after he’s had it - the consultant said he’d not heard of that as a side effect before! Fatigue is high up on the list of side effects plus he gets a very red face. He did take lollies in to both chemos - pineapple ones yesterday. The consultant prescribed a mouthwash when we saw him. I’m keeping everything crossed for your Dad. When is his next chemo? X

They really do need to learn to slow down and take it easy! Thank you so much his next one should be 26th March but they said they may need to put it back a week. Will all depends on bloods and how he's feeling then I suppose. How is your dad finding things after his latest one? Hope it's going smoothly for him.

Miffy
User
Posted 19 Mar 2018 at 10:53
Quote:
Quote:
They really do need to learn to slow down and take it easy!

We don’t though! My problem was not realising I’d overdone it until it was obvious that I had. My doc did admit that I was unlikely to do myself much harm.

Dave

Don’t quite know how I’ve manage to quote myself with an original post!

Edited by member 19 Mar 2018 at 10:56  | Reason: Not specified

User
Posted 19 Mar 2018 at 19:56
Hi Miffy he’s doing reasonably ok after the second one so far but I’m not sure if it’s ‘kicked in’ yet as it was only Friday he had it. He did manage a short drive in the car with Mum today (to deliver cake to me at work!). I know if said this before on posts of mine but the nurses at the unit where he goes are just marvellous. X
User
Posted 19 Mar 2018 at 21:40
To deliver cake, how lovely 😊 seems your dad is on a very similar path to mine x
Miffy
User
Posted 03 Jul 2018 at 08:02

Dear Miffy, Bone pain is normal after chemo but high fever can cause from infection pls consult with your oncologist and they will give him proper medications. 

User
Posted 04 Jul 2018 at 17:10
Bose, bone pain is NOT normal after docetaxel. Where did you get such an idea? If bone pain occurs, consult your oncologist during the treatment cycle.

AC

 
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