So worried about my mum. Had her first chemo session of FEC-T (FEC part) 10 days ago and she’d been feeling more lethargic the past few days and feeling shivery and unable to warm up . Today she was coughing up a little clear fluid and then became very breathless even when walking a few steps. Temp 38. She does have moderate COPD but only bothers her if going up hill so this was completely out of character. Anyway I took her to hospital and she’s been admitted. Her neutrophils were 0.6 (5.7 pre chemo). Her red cells are fine so they suspect infection and she’s on IV antibiotics and fluids.
Hi Daisy
Sorry to hear about your Mum. You are having a worrying time.
Good that you got your Mum to hospital and hopefully now that the IV antibiotics are being given she should get better quite quickly.
I am on anti biotics and I haven’t got as far as chemo yet!
Keep us posted.
Maggie x
C - did you have to stay in? My mum is still in and they are reviewing her monday. Still neutropenic (now only 0.7) and its chest infection that they suspect. Still spiking a temp but consultant microbiologist that I work with said takes 48hrs for intravenous antibiotics to show improvement and that some people continue to spike a temp until neutrophils back up. I think they need to be 1.0-1.5 for her to be able to have next chemo which is due 23 dec. think it may be tweaked so it’s not as harsh on her.
Why are you in antibiotics Maggie?
Oh no Maggie, that is unfortunate and must be frustrating. I’m thinking my mums next chemo will be delayed as her neutrophils may not rise in time. I guess we all hope the process will be fairly smooth but there are so many potential complications. My mum hasn’t had any ops yet. I worked that out to be around April, but if chemo delayed at different stages then this won’t be the case.
I’ll keep you updated. She knows I post on here and I often mention the advice shared.
Hope you heal soon M.
Hi Daisy, hope your mum feeling better. No I didnt stay in overnight. Went back to hospital due to various side effects. Nurses have mentioned possibly reducing my next dose, also the 23rd Dec, as Ive had a particularly bad reaction. This is day 13 for me since last chemo & although I feel much better still far from myself & scared of picking up infection. Chemo very harsh treatment & I’m really not looking forward my second one.
Tell your mum I will be thinking of her on the 23rd. Love C x
I became neutopaenic with pneumonia after first cycle of tax.my neutrophils were zero.took few days for temp to settle and bloods to recover. I am never ill so great shock for me but seemed quite normal as far as hospital concerned.since then have had reduced doses , antibiotics day 4 to 10 and no more admissions.HOPE mum is feeling better and home soon.gill
Thank you all - I know it’s not nice but there is some reassurance in how this is not a rare effect on my mum. She is still in hospital 7 days later. Her neutrophils continued declining until today (0.2 yesterday). They are now 2.0 I think but as she spiked a temp of 37.7 she is still in for the night. Still has chest infection so they suspect thats the cause.
She was told her chemo may be delayed a week but this was before neutrophils rose so I guess it’s now dependant on her chest infection clearing.
Daisy
Hi Daisy, I hope your mum is back on track very soon. Lots of us have had chemo delayed for various reasons, the oncologists seem to adjust the drugs to make up for it, mind said he may add in an extra FEC to make sure. Most important thing is to get back up to strength so her body can handle it. X
My mum is out of hospital now. Came out on Friday after 9 nights in there. She is still
Breathless as it seems now the neutrophils are back, they are responding to the infection she had and causing congestion. She is improving though and consultant appt is 1 week later than planned, so hoping same for the chemo. Her had had begun coming out so I cut and shaved it for her whilst we had a glass of prosecco to celebrate her being out of hospital.
Hope all going smoothly for the rest of you.
My mum seemed to develop vein issues when in hospital, mainly due to how some of the doctors were taking the bloods and they had to keep moving her cannula. She was all battered and bruised on her arms.
She is improving daily and although not 100%, she is getting about and going places now so improving much. Ger second chemo session is booked in for 30 Dec, all being well with the consultant and my mums bloods/chest, although her bloods were fine when she left hospital. Only issue is that they grew a fungus from her sputum. The microbiology consultants an her consultant agree it’s probably colonisation ( living harmlessly) and not true infection ( invading lungs) but are doing a further test to confirm this. I work in this area, so I understand and am not stressing too much.
Unsure if they are tweaking her dose or giving her the neutrophil boosting infections next session.
Fingers crossed for the smooth drain removal.
Hey Daisy,sorry to hear about your Mum.Although its very scary for you, to the hospital its a very common problem with chemo. I fell ill and ended up in hospital every cycle. One time i was in with pneumonia and flu at the same time as being neutopenic! Its not pleasant at all . I hope your Mum does not get unwell every cycle but my family was scared for me the first couple of times and then we just expected it and it just became the norm untill chemo finished… Lovely that your there for your Mum, knowing that my family and close friends cared got me through it all . All the best hun .
Thanks Debs. I think my mum is scared of that because she has underlying chest problems (COPD). Hoping they manage to prevent it next time (Tuesday should be next chemo although she atill has productive chest today). Did they tweak anything for you or give you injections/antibiotics prior to cycle? Do you have underlying chest problems?