My brother has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 oesophageal cancer and started a course of chemo. He also has type 2 diabetes. He is really struggling to keep warm and I just wondered if there were things I could do to help - apart from the obvious.
im wondering if a heat pad or heated foot warmer would be useful to buy for him
thanks for your time
Hello Lynyrd
Thanks for getting in touch and welcome to the Online Community. I’m Debbie, one of the Cancer Information Nurse Specialists on the Macmillan Support Line. I am sorry to hear that your brother has advanced oesophageal cancer and is currently having chemotherapy.
I am sorry to hear that he is currently feeling cold. There can be various reasons for feeling cold and some are not serious but sometimes this can be due to a raised temperature due to infection, that can get worse quickly in someone having chemotherapy.
It is important for your brother to be assessed physically, as soon as possible, by a doctor or nurse. He should have been given a 24-hour number for his chemotherapy treatment team at the hospital, and they are in the best position to advise you because they are directly involved in his care.
If you can’t contact the chemotherapy team, you can call NHS111 and they can give medical advice. If your brother starts to feel more unwell, or develops any signs of serious infection (sepsis), you need to call 999 for urgent medical assessment and advice.
Please do report any symptoms of concern to his chemotherapy team, even if you feel that they are already aware. It is also important to report symptoms that do not go away.
Some chemotherapy drugs can cause cold sensitivity and if your brother is having one of these drugs, you can find tips for managing cold sensitivity on this page from the MD Anderson Cancer Hospital in America. If your brother has any numbness in his feet caused by the chemotherapy, it is important to check with his treatment team that it is safe before using a foot warmer or heat pad, so there is no risk of burns in the area.
I hope that this information is helpful.
With best wishes
Debbie
Cancer Information Nurse Specialist
You can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or email us.
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