Since my last chemo (tax no 4), until yesterday I wasn’t able to get out of bed. Thinking this was just a really bad SE, the weakness, sleeping loads, feeling sick I didn’t think much of it although I haven’t suffered so bad with the others before.
Anyway, my breast which has the cancer started oozing from the scar of the biopsy op I had back in June, and after 2 days the breast had doubled in size, was extremely painful, red all around it and just generally not at all right.
An infection was diagnosed so I was put on some strong AB (3000 mg per day), which after 4 days don’t seem to be helping.
The redness is spreading now and has almost reached under my armpit. I am seeing my Dr tomorrow for a swab of the weeping, and she has made me an appointment for next week with a different oncologist.
I know the AB are going to make me feel pretty rough anyway, but I wondered if anyone has suffered this type of reaction with an infection?
OMG peacock - that sounds nasty - just what you needed I don’t think!
I haven’t had it but had to write anyway for some support
as you say anit-biotics not great for the morale - I had a comparatively minor tooth abcess last week and apart from the lowness of the anti-biotics you just want to scream GIVE ME A BREAK!!!
if it’s any consolation I am sure my anti-biotics took a bit longer to kick-in than normal - think it’s because our systems are a bit low (what an understatement!)
I hope someone comes on soon who has recovered from a similar thing which will help you mentally
you’ve done what you can for now - you have made appointments to see all the right people so try and relax and get some rest so your body has a chance to focus on fighting the infection
good luck and try and have a good night’s sleep
love FB xx
Hi Peacock,
My affected breast is now covered in a rash which is itchy and painful,
I have had 4xA.C. and 3xTax, so my medical team have brought my surgery forward and I am having my operation tomorrow. I feel a bit confused because I went to see my onc about it just before my third Tax and he said there was nothing to worry about, I also had previously telephoned the triage (spelling?) nurse and he said also nothing to worry about just to see my G.P. for piriton if it became itchy.
After my third tax my onc arranged an examination with himself and my surgeon and she decided to move quickly and operate.
Also as FizBix said, if its infection antibiotics take much longer to work, I recently had a tooth infection and normally antibiotics work almost immediately for me , this time they took much longer
Good luck I hope it clears up very soon!
Love,
Jan x
Hi Peacock, sorry to hear you are so poorly. Do you have iopen access to the chemo unit ??? If so I would get myself there pretty quickly, you dont want this infection to get worse by waiting for swab results to get back to your GP. If you dont have open access try ringing your BC nurse first thing in the morning
HTH
Hi Peacock,
I personally would be ringing the out of hours doc or going to A & E right NOW. My daughter had a red line leading from a tiny cut, which started travelling up her arm and I was told you have to act quickly. It is the toxins trying to find a way in and than it becomes blood poisoning, which is very dangerous for anyone, but especially us. I would really ask you to phone someone to check at least in case you need another antibiotic urgently.
No-one is going to say you are wasting their time tonight
Be brave and good luck. Action now might stop you getting taken into hospital
Lily x
Hi Peacock
sorry to hear you are having nasty problems. Do you have a special ward at your hospital related to chemo problems?
I would take the advice that Lily gave we are so vulnerable when on chemo.
Hope you get it sorted asap.
In France, at least where I go for treatment at present you can only ring the Oncology unit during normal working hours, not weekends or evenings.
I don’t have a BCN, I just have to rely on my wonderful GP which of course is only working hours again.
Anyway, I feel better in myself today BUT my breast is still swollen, very red (although no worse than yesterday) and extremely painful. My GP has taken a swab (its not oozing pus anymore though, now its just bleeding again) and spoke to a specialist in infections for advice. As a result I am on an antibiotic injection, 1 per day for 3 days and a different oral antibiotic.
She’s fixed me up with an appointment at Toulouse which is supposed to be the best specialist cancer care hospital in this part of our country, but that isn’t until next week.
She’s phoning me on Thursday to see if it is better, and if not advises that I see the infection specialist. I just wonder how much bigger my breast is going to get it is so uncomfortable.
Anyway, enough about me - sorry about your tennis elbow Bahons, hope some pain relief sorts it out again soon.
Going to take my morphine pill now to try and get some sleep.
Hi Peacock,
forgot you are not in the UK and amazed that we have better access to docs, so sorry for suggesting all that which you could not do. It sounds a lot more under control which must be reassuring. Things always seem a little better in the light of day,except piles!! They are bad to wake up to.
Hope the jabs are not too bad and i think it will go down so slowly that you will suddenly just think oh I can do … and it does not hurt so much. It might be a Godsend if it gets you to a top hospital and you can stay with them. There is one of the world’s finest BC hospitals in France, mais my memory is lost in 5FU at present!!
Lots of luck on a bog (sorry meant big, piles on the brain, a new illnesss!!!) improvement from the jabs
Lily x
What a terrible time you’re having - I do hope you’re feeling better soon. Hopefully the hopsital in Toulouse (do you know which one it is, by the way?) will be able to help more.
I have an out-of-hours number in my chemo booklet that I can ring - do you not have one of those? Also, my GP’s mobile number is on his prescriptions - just a thought.
Hello all
Found out today that my breast infection is a staph infection, so I am not sure if this is something like MRSA or not. Am still on injection ABs, but my breast is still very sore and the skin is peeling off now like a burned blister. It’s still red, and I am seeing my GP again tomorrow but I know that the AB they are giving me now are the right kind. Still feeling really weak, get tired very easily and only a week to go to next chemo.
Hi Bahons, how are you? The hospital is the Claudius Regaus (not sure of the spelling). Everyone keeps telling me it has a brilliant reputation as a cancer specialist hospital. I’m going on Tuesday afternoon.
Hope everyone is ok and not suffering too badly from their latest chemos.
Hi
I think you probably have staphylococcus aureas, which lives on the skin all the time. I got an abscess and it was that bug. It took a while to get rid of it until they swabbed it and got the right antibiotic but no-one ever worried like they would with MRSA or Cdiff. Hopefully yours will improve very soon. The new hospital sounds like a good move.
Good luck
Lily x
Glad to hear you are off to the cancer centre in Toulouse v soon, Peacock. I’m sure you will be well looked after there (good luck with the peripherique!). Nice to know we have such a well-thought of institution more or less on our doorstep, isn’t it?
Had 3rd Tax yesterday, so my descent into La-La land is well under way, I imagine. Very cunningly used my chilled mitts to ice down my tennis elbow whilst having the treatment and have been relentless with the anti-inflammatories, too, Am going to see my GP this morning, as I think a combo of Taxaotere and tennis elbow has aggravated my lymphoedema and the onc said yesterday it was OK to get some treatment for the LE whilst on chemo.
Hope you make a BIG improvement before the next chemo - let us know how you get on, won’t you?
Just realised (chemo brain!) I’m in Toulouse Tuesday afternoon, too!
La-La Land or no La -La Land, we are taking my son to Toulouse-Blagnac airport - (he is with us for a long weekend and his flight goes at about 1400) - will you be anywhere near there?
Hope you are not feeling too bad after your Tax? Probably high on steroids still so not feeling the bad effects yet. Hope you have had/having a great time with your son. Our eldest daughter and grandaughter is with us too at the moment.
I’ll be at Claudius R hospital all afternoon Tuesday, as I’m taking the taxi ambulance I won’t have access to travel around anywhere, what a shame, it sounds like it might have been a good opp for a coffee!
Its a scorcher here today, you must be feeling it after just having had chemo?
I saw my GP this morning as she’s keeping an eye on this infection. It has got to the point now where the skin can only be cleaned when I have a shower, I can’t have plasters on the skin as its ripping off what skin is still there and I am oozing from the pores around the breast, not even just from the scar now!
Anyway, thats my lot for moaning today - off now to get some dinner on the go.
What a shame - would have loved to meet up for coffee! Another time maybe. Still on a steroid high at the moment and feeling better than last time, actually (could be something to do with not turning up with a hangover this time for chemo - it was only a slight fat head really, but I don’t think it helped AT ALL) - still it could be the calm before the storm.
Don’t mind the heat at all actually - never have. I have Raynaud’s syndrome, so I’m basically very happy with the climate here. Fingers crossed the thrush will stay under control this time round, though.
All the best for Tues - this PC is playing up again, so if there’s silence from me for a while it could be either the Taxotere or the hard drive! I’ll be thinking of you.
Am enjoying my son’s visit - hope it’s the same for you with your rellies, even tho’ you aren’t at your peak.