Neutropenic Sepsis, what next?

Flic 1 day ago

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Hi there

My dad is on cycle 3 of 4 chemotherapy (Cisplatin and Etoposide) with a 3 week radiotherapy which ended 3.5 weeks ago. Last Wednesday he got admitted with neutropenic sepsis (between 2 and 3 he also got admitted with a severe infection and was in for 3 days but this has been much worse). His 4th chemo was originally due 20th March, but got put back due to 1st infection, so was then 27th March but that has now been cancelled and we think it's very likely he will be in hospital for rest of the week before coming home on antibiotics, so chances are it won't happen next week either. He's really fed up and we're all concerned as to how serious this was, on the back of having an infection last time around too. We're due to have an apt with his oncologist hopefully next week to discuss options, but just wondered what peoples experiences have been? Has anyone had neutropenic sepsis then continued with treatment? Anyone stopped or shortened their chemo for this or other reasons? What questions should we ask? We're really worried that next time it could be fatal and looking to the oncologist to tell us the risks vs benefits etc of this last one, considering it will be at least 3 weeks delayed by the time it can happen.

Would really like to hear anyone's experiences

Thanks x

Missy219 1 day ago

Hello,

it’s not great when you get admitted.
I got admitted last year after my 5th cycle - a couple of days after my birthday with suspected neutropenic sepsis. It was scary. Spec the rest of the chemo - I was so paranoid.
Chemo still went ahead and I got a throat infection on the 6th one (I’d already done 12 weeks of another 2 chemos before changing) - I didn’t get admitted.

I finished all my chemo and I know others who have been hospitalised and finished theirs too.
It may be that the oncologist reduces the dose possibly?
They may omit the last one?

I had 2 omitted in my first batch of chemo cos of liver enzymes…

I hope dad is okay and home soon!xx

swift_dc 1 day ago

Hi - Is you dad getting any prophylactics with the treatment? My treatment made me neutropenic every cycle so I was taking aciclovir, fluconazole and co-trimoxazole on a daily basis. I didn't get any infections during treatment and that potentially helped.

Obviously each case is different and liver and kidneys are already working overtime so adding three more drugs is not always helpful... But might be worth checking with the clinical team if they haven't already given him these.

Allworthit 55 minutes ago

Hi I have just come out of hospital after four weeks. Had sepsis and DRESS, they think it’s from immunotherapy but could be chemo so I can no longer have either.

hoping to get off the steroids soon so can go straight for surgery, it’s all very scary but they see it a lot and know what they are doing. I had a scan and the chemo Iv already had has shrunk it a lot so I’m trying to be positive.
I wish your dad well

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Neutropenic Sepsis, what next?