Hi,
I am currently staying with my mother and have come home to her complaining she felt hot. I made her take her temperature and have now had 4 readings; 2 of 38.2 and two of 38.1.
She is currently refusing to let me call for help as she says it doesn’t matter as she is not get in her low cell count days (it has been 4 days since her 3rd bout of chemo).
Am I right in worrying?
If so how should I proceed? Is there anyone I should call or should I take her to A&E?
Thanks in Advance.
Hello SquirrelYates
Welcome to the forums, this must be a very difficult time for you but you have come to the right place for support from our experienced users who I’m sure will be along to support you soon.
Maybe you would like to talk things through with a member of our helpline staff who are there to offer emotional support as well as practical information. The free phone number is 0808 800 6000 and the lines are open again at 9.00 this morning and normal hours are Monday to Friday 9.00 to 5.00 and Saturday 10.00 to 2.00.
Best wishes
June, moderator
I see you posted this at midnight so really hope you’ve already sought professional advice. However, the information my chemo unit provided stated that if at any time my temperature rose, then I should call a dedicated number they provided me with and they would then advise if I was to attend hospital or not. Time is of the essence in these situations because our bodies do not have enough reserves to fight infections etc. The protocol in my area is to have IV antibiotices administered within 1 hour (while they investigate the cause of the problem). Somewhere else on this site I read that a temperature above 38 indicates an infection - though I don’t know if that’s correct or not. So, irrespective of whether or not she is in her ‘low cell days’, I would urge you to seek professional advice.
I hope this helps and wish your mother well during the rest of her treatment.
Definitely call the unit. I was admitted to hospital after having ignored a high temp over the weekend and I was not in ‘low’ period either. If you go to a&e you should tell them at reception that she is on chemo, she will then be fast tracked. In our area we have a red card to show staff. I was seen within 5-10 mins in a&e and was being treated within half an hour. I’m fine now by the way.
I would call the cancer centre number they gave you not a and e. Same happened to me last week. Temp just above 38 went in as they told me started on IV antibiotics and came home 2 days later at no point did I feel especially unwell, thats what they are tyring to prevent a proper invection taking hold. Just because yr not at the “risky” period does not mean yr white cells ? neutrophils are not low
Good luck
Mandy xx
I agree with others. Calling the cancer unit at the hospital is the best first step. I had a day-time number (the chemo unit) and then an out of hours one (the in-patient oncology ward) that I could ring.
I had to go in twice for blood tests when I had a temperature. The first time, my neutrophils were low, so I stayed in for a few days on IV ab’s. The second time, they were OK, so I was just sent home. That would have been a quick visit, if it weren’t for the fact that the dr who was supposed to talk to me went off duty and the night-dr never actually turned up. As it was, I was there for abotu 3 hours.