Low blood count, treatment delayed…

Hello Lizzieg,

I was on FOLFOX (2 week cycles) and was given Filgrastim to inject myself with for 5 days after the infusion finished (this is to help increase white blood cells). However, my 2nd cycle was delayed by 4 weeks due to low neutrophil count. After this the oncologist reduced the Oxaliplatin to 80% for future cycles which certainly helped. I was told by the oncologist there was nothing I could specifically do to increase my white blood count.

It’s upsetting when your treatment is delayed, especially when you feel well, but you don’t want to be having chemotherapy if your body isn’t ready to cope with it. Fingers crossed your husbands white cell count improves quickly.

Best wishes

Net77

Hi Net77, Thanks for replying and for sharing your experience. It’s really kind of you. I wish they had given him the injections before he started. I’m just hoping now that he can recover and will be well enough to continue the chemotherapy. As you rightly said, he needs to be well enough to have it. I feel like everywhere corner we turn leads to another obstacle… Life shouldn’t be this hard. Thank you again, and i wish you all the best xx. 

I am sorry to hear this. Same thing happening to me. Had first round of CAPOX then week off, due to start second round on 11th October but still waiting for my neutrophils to go up. Last checked on Thursday when they were 0.7 -still far too low as they need to be 1.5. Nurse said she'd emailing my consultant but pretty sure the dose will be lowered to 80% going forward. Acceptance and patience required - neither of which are my strongpoints. I've not had injections mentioned so far and I have been told many times by nurses there's nothing I can do to boost them. Just needs time for my bone marrow to properly kick in again and start producing them again. I think a one week delay is very common, longer delays a bit less so, so hopefully your husband will be ready to go again soon. Fingers crossed.

Hi, thank you for taking the time to respond and sorry to hear you’re having to delay treatment too. I have no patience, just want everything to go right for him. After so much bad news over the last few months, be nice to get a break! Good luck to you, i really hope you can have your treatment soon. x 

Unfortunately chemo delayed again as neutrophils still too low

So sorry to hear this Lizzieg. It’s hard isn’t it? Mine were too low on Monday again too. That’s 5 attempts now and neutrophils only up to 0.79 so I’m on my 3rd week of delay. Not sure what next step is so just called chemo ward for info and waiting for a call back.

Sorry to hear that your chemo is delayed again too. There must be something that can help increase the neutrophils! My husband has had a few days off work to rest a bit in the hope that will help. Hard with two young children at home though! Good luck, hope the chemo ward come back to you soon with some positive answers. x

Hi again. Unfortunately my consultant is on holiday this week so plan is to get bloods checked again Monday with a view to chemo on Wednesday. I’m not confident they’ll be up though as it’s been painfully slow so far. 
I really don’t think there is anything we can do, it’s the bone marrow that’s been suppressed and it needs to recover so I don’t think any specific food that helps. Rest maybe helps  but I’ve focussed on doing everything I can to avoid getting an infection. Really don’t want to be rushed in to hospital for that. Hope the rest helps your husband and he can get going again soon x

Hi, How did your bloods go on monday? Hopefully neutrophils increased enough for treatment tomorrow.  My husband’s has increased enough for chemo this week. I can’t tell you how relieved I am! I really didn’t think he’d recover. Hope you have good news too x 

Hiya Lizzieg, so glad your husband is back up and running with his treatment again. Unfortunately mine are still pretty much the same. Gone up from 0.76 to 0.79 in a week. Not good. Spoke to cancer nurse and I have an appointment to see my consultant on Thursday but she's already said she's stopping the chemo. I'm not surprised really as I can't see them going on like this indefinitely. My consultant thinks I'm relatively low risk - about a one in five chance of it coming back - I was stage two but with a couple of higher risk features)which is why I decided to go for chemo in the first place.  I'm assuming the risk from the chemo is more to or equal to the risk of the cancer coming back. I'll ask all these questions on Thursday. However my reaction is one of relief and I'm pretty okay with stopping it. If it does come back I know I've given it mt best shot - but obviously hoping it doesn't! Hope all goes well for your husband going forward - and for you too. It's tough being the supporter too. xx