As I said last time I visited the site… it was day 13 after first FEC and it going well… little did I know a few hours later my fever would go up about 38. I called the hospital and they said come on up for blood test. My neutraphils was 0.2 and I had a high CRP showing there was an infection going on. I had a sore throat and terrible terrible ulcers were developing. The hospital didn’t have beds!!! So I had to sit for hours for the ambulance to take me to a near hospital and luckily I was put in hemotology ward where I did have a single room as everyone in there had low immunity. I am now home after 5 days. I didn’t see my oncologist not one time… so I don’t know what he is going to do as Thursday it is time for my chemo again. I am sooooo upset and down… I feel weak as a kitten and upset that this is how I am going to react. I mean I felt really good after the first four days after my 1st chemo and continued to feel really well. Was so shock for this to happen all of a sudden. On the bright side tho… my lung xrays were good and I had a CT and it just showed in breast and under arm which i am guessing the node they found on the ultra sound so that is good nothing showed up in other areas so I am thankful of that… well unless they didn’t tell me everything as they kept saying we do not work in that area… I don’t know… I am just depressed and was just starting to get my head around being diagnosed and feeling that I was going to be ok.
Anyway girls… if any of u have gone thru this I would love some advice or info or whatever u can offer.
I do hope in my absence that u all have had good weeks and feeling well.
Sorry I have not been through this, but just wanted to offer my support and hope that you are slowly recovering. Must have been awful, as I know that I dread this happening, as was warned about it, and it was the one think I had not heard of and was terrified by it.
I am glad your xrays and CT scan were OK though, that is really really good news for you. And I bet you are pleased. Least not something else you have to worry about.
Am sure others will post and help you that have been through this reaction too, and hopefully will be able to offer good advice to help you through it.
Take care and let us know how you are when you can.
So sorry to hear you had to go into hospital. Think it is bad that your oncologist didn’t see you but I don’t know whether they do or don’t in these circumstances. Do you know when you will know about Thursday. Hope you get the go ahead as hope that will help to get you back on track. But sure it must be ok as sure they would have said by now if not, but please don’t take my work for it. On the other hand it’s wonderful news about your scans as don’t know about you but found the waiting to see if spread the hardest.
Sorry I don’t have first hand advice to give you, just lots of hugs and support.
Really sorry that you ended up in hospital, i think its what we all dread. Hope you are feeling better now and that you get the info you need when you see the onc. Good news about the scans, that must be a big relief, try and keep positive.
Hang in there Lee. Its so great that you can see the good things so soon after such a horrible experience. Know that people here are thinking about you and hoping that things go well on Thursday.
All the best to you.
Jo
x
Don;t know what to say. My greatest dread is ending up in hospital with infection. At least you are home and it doesn’t mean that anything will happen next time. Myabe you were already starting with infection but didn’t know. Stay as positive as you can. Keep posting messages and you will get support from the replies I am sure. Good luck for next one.
Jewjew
Lee - what a terrible adventure! yuk. It sounds like you picked up a a nasty little infection somewhere - did the doctors tell you what it was?
This in not the way YOU react… this is your body putting up defenses against infection, and because of chemo reacting less well as would be advisable… next cycle should be much better!!! you cannot be that unlucky each time!!!
Hi everybody - I was due for my 3rd lot of FEC today and rang to check my bloods and was told I couldn’t have it as my neutrophils were 0. something. I wasn’t looking forward to the chemo but upset that my bloods are low. Like Lee I’ve had ulcers and a terrible sore throat for a week. Hospital has told me to keep an eye on my temp so I now I’ll be paranoid and most prob sit here with thermometer in my mouth. Just hope things are okay for next week.
I haven’t had bad side effects to the chemo. Just mild ones compared to a lot.Nausea, metal mouth, indigestion, wind !! Was much more tired after the 2nd lot.
I haven’t gone through any of this first hand but am having chemo in 2 weeks. I wanted just to offer support and encouragement that you will get the strength from somewhere to get through this.
The onc advised me yesterday that if neutrophils drop and infection is present they can give you something to boost them but unfortunately they can’t give it to you until they drop but I don’t know if that is just here in this area. Also apparently it is mega expensive stuff but it is worth enquiring into because they told me that they could give it and carry it on once they’d dropped but not b4.
Thanks for your support Wendy. The nurse who rang just said you’ll most probably be okay next week. I think something was mentioned on another thread on here that they can give you something. Didn’t think it would happen to me. I didn’t know whether to go to the docs with the sore throat but thought I would be up at the hospital today and I would ask. I suppose the nurse would have told me to go get something if she thought I needed it. I am going to ring them back to see if I need to avoid anything - such as public places etc. Scared of getting anything else.
I would have finished treatment on 14th November and would have been okay for my daughter’s 21st on 25th November so it puts me back and I wanted to feel okay for her party.
Hi Lee,
Sorry to hear you have been having such a rough time. There is an injection they can give you if your white cells keep dropping - thus leading to a delay in chemo or resulting in linfections I think it is called pegfilgrastin. I know it is v expensive and can cause flu like side affects (I think) certainly worth asking about though. Also for the mouth ulcers I use some stuff called aloclear - a gargle which worked well for me - not sure if you need to check with the BC nurse to see if you are allowed to take it.
cheers
caroline
Gosh you poor thing, sounds like you have had a bit of a rough time - I do hope you start to pick up soon.
I had the same 10 days after my first FEC last year, rushed in with temp of 39.4 & neuts of 0.1, and was found to have 3 really nasty infections (chest, systemically in blood & stomach!), I narrowly missed being admitted to ITU and spent a week in isolation. They reduced my dose of FEC for the next 3 cycles, but would not give me the GSF injections. I was ok for 2 & 3 and then got re-admitted with a chest infection after no 4. They then cancelled any further cycles of chemo as I was too ill to cope - it took nearly 9 weeks for my chest to get back to normal! Gosh, I hope I don’t need any other chemo in my lifetime as my body could not cope - my body reacts very strangely to many drugs!
Thank you so much for ur kinds words… I do feel better today… have to go in a couple hours for bloods taken for tomorrow’s oncologist appt and possibly chemo??? I am really scared of what he is going to do… and disappointed that I did not see him or any other part of an oncologist doctor. I think when they give u Neulasta which helps with white blood cells they do it a couple days before chemo… so does that mean he wont give me the chemo tomorrow… is he going to wait and see what happens…
The most dreadful part of having BC is the unknown…cos I am an idiot when it comes to worry. My dog is coughing today and I am thinking oh sweet Molly are you going to make me sick? My hubby is going to take her to vet this afternoon. Is it something everyday to worry about??? *insert a loud scream here*
OK girls wish me luck… hope they can hit a vein… I had about 6 cannulas (sp???) over my 5 days at hospital cos of my dufus veins… oh and couple attempts at not getting blood out of arm for blood tests… they mention picc line…but after reading about the trouble ppl have with these I am scared of that… oh enuf rambling
Lee
Sorry to hear of your terrible drama. I have had 3 chemo and each time I get Neulasta on the day following chemo to kick start the white cells. So its chemo Fri and injection on Sat.
So far my bloods have been ok - but I know all that can change in a heartbeat - good luck.
Hi Lee,
Neulasta is given as an injection the day AFTER chemo (I give it to myself, that is how easy it is, in a pre-filled syringe). If they offer it to you, go for it, it will definitely help your blood work and your body should be more fit to fight infections…