Dealing with the inevitable family colds when on chemo

I continued to work throughout my chemo, albeit 2/3 days a week instead of 5. There was always someone with a cold. My advice would be as follows - 

1- have the flu jab

2- tell family members if they are full of a cold to keep their distance

3 - for those that live with you, don’t get too close and use antibacterial gel a lot while their colds are at their worst

4 - keep checking your temp as long as it’s below 37.5 take a daily Beechams or lemsip to hold any germs at bay.

this worked for me, you do have some defences, just not as strong as before. Good luck - you will get through this quicker than you think xxx

Eileen xxx

Hello Robin 59

colds are a virus ,so although anti bacterial gel might be generally helpful , it is a lot better to wash your hands. The virus lives a long time on hard surfaces, places where you and the infected person might interact , door handles , light switches , computer keyboard etc etc , you can have fun thinking about new places .!! I don’t think lemsip is antibacterial , check with your oncologist before taking regular over the counter medicines . Remember that a low temperature reading matters too ,have you got a booklet etc from your hospital telling what to watch out for ? Best wishes ...me x

Hi Ruth

I caught a cold 9 days after AC not sure where I got it from which goes to show it is hard to avoid...but while it scared me initially I was fine and stuck to gargling with salt water to sooth my throat, drinking lots of ginger/lemon/honey in hot water and using saline nasal spray. Considering the amount of drugs with chemo I try to stick to natural remedies when I can, and they worked amazingly well! I checked my temperature too and it stayed stable throughout, and I was able to get my 3rd AC yesterday despite cold still lingering a bit. Hope this helps 

Hi ,

House wise use detoll wiped frequently to clean door handles, toilet flushes,taps, lightswitches, phones and tv remotes etc that everyone touches frequently. Dettoll also do a spray in a cylinder shape tube you can just spray on surfaces and not wipe of.Throw open windows to let fresh air in if not to cold.

For you regular handwasj and moisturizer, try use a separate towel to everyone else. My oncologist said vicks first defense is ok to use if you get a sniffles. I had a sore throat and earache on first ec, and they said not to panic (I was convinced sepsis was imminment!!!) Take paracetamol but only 6 hourly as it can mask a abnormal temp if taken 4 hourly.

I've been drinking lots of OJ because it tastes good. But I believe you have to avoid multivitamins etc.

Goid luck avoiding the germs and do ring your emergency number if you are at all worried  xxxx