Due to start Chemo, should I still work?

User

Posted 13 Apr 2025 at 11:23

OK, so I was diagnosed in early March with Stage 4, have started hormone treatment 2 weeks ago, starting Chemo on the 13th May. I'm 57.
Reading through all the literature I know you get susceptible to infections etc as your white blood cell count has dropped.
I'm not sure what to do about work because I work in a prison, I'm a tutor. So I teach 7 different groups of people per week with new people being added to the class and others leaving the class every week. Also, a lot of them have issues - drug addiction, alcoholism etc so tehy are often unwell. Some of them, due to their mental health, have personal hygiene issues.
So I'm reluctant to continue working after I start the chemo. What does everyone else think?

Al

User

Posted 13 Apr 2025 at 12:27

I carried on working during my chemo, but that was in an ordinary office of 10 people or so (in hindsight, I was stupid, I should've taken more time off).

In the working environment you've described, personally I'd avoid going into work for exactly the reasons you've described. No point exposing yourself to further unnecessary risks of infection etc, especially given the fact that there will always be new people coming in to your classes.

Your workplace should have absolutely no issues with this, at the end of the day, you're having aggressive treatment for a serious disease.

All the very best with the treatment, too.

User

Posted 14 Apr 2025 at 12:21

Hi ,my hubby worked all the way through ,but he works in the fresh air and was able to keep away from others . He felt he needed to work to keep his mind focused. Maybe try staying home to see how you cope physically and mentally,if not can you do a different role within your job ? Go with what your mind and body tells you . Best wishes Debby .

User

Posted 14 Apr 2025 at 20:40

Put yourself first, don't be a martyr to your employer, you're just a cog in the machine, and if the machine breaks because you're not there it isn't your fault, it's a badly designed machine. Of course I'm assuming you will get sufficient sick pay to be able to live comfortably, if not then putting yourself first might mean going to work to earn enough to buy food, and risking catching a disease is the price. You then choose the lesser of two evils, but if your not forced into that choice, take the time off.

Dave

User

Posted 18 May 2025 at 23:17

Hi Al,

Given your work environment and the increased risk of infection I wouldn’t risk it. I was still running 10ks and going to work initially during chemo but caught a cold from one of nmy kids and ended up with neutropenic sepsis.

You can’t restart the chemo until the antibiotics have cleared the infection which adds delay to the 6 sessions in 18 weeks. Also you have to start injecting yourself with GCSF to boost your white cells. It’s a palava when you’re already on 2 types of steroid and the chemo +/- the hormone therapy.

Stay off work mate but keep yourself active and busy as able to distract yourself. Could you remote work?

All the very best with it.

‘Try not to dwell on the diagnosis, keep it in the background, do weights and and keep your heart and lungs as fit as you can’

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