Critical assessment

I am glad you went Eden it is always better to get it checked out.  This happened to me and ended up in hospital with neutropenia , I think I caught a cold.  But I am glad that you are now home.  Hopefully with the antibiotics you will feel better soon.  When is your next treatment?  Big hugs

Lee x 

Hi Eden - I too had a temp spike 38.8 last week - 6 days after my first cycle of docotaxel. my neutrophil went down to 0.7. I was admitted - and ended up on an IV drip over three days, two nights stay. I was told I would be moved from a & e to a side room - infection risk... but a room never became available - so I was in a bay behind a curtain, in a bed, in a & e - the dept never sleeps of course, so I didnt. I did not have washing facilities - just a horrible toilet that was used by all the visitors of people in a & e... so the rationale about a ward being too busy did not make any sense.... I too was discharged with anti biotic - and the horrible phosphate fizzy tablets ...  Hopefully the antibiotic wont have the same effect on you that it has on me - the co-amoxiclav meant I had diahorhea for 5 days whilst taking - so stock up on diarolyte. It sounds like your hospital is much more efficient than mine and saw you quickly. is this after your first chemo cycle?    jo xx

That sounds awful. You would expect so much more. 
yes. I’m on day 11. I spoke with my cancer nurse and she feels given my journey so far that I may have been given too high a dose. 

Let’s hope so. 
my next treatment is on the 18th. My cancer nurse feels my dosage may have been too high. 
it’s the stupid things for me. I’m needle phobic and they can never get blood from me so got myself all worked up over that. After 3 attempts they finally got some only to be told I’ve got to have more on Friday!  Where the hell are they going to get that from?! 
im not sure all this is really worth it. 

Eden it is worth it.  Can you not have a pic line or port fitted.  I am not sure what the difference is or if I have got it right.  But once you have that they can just hook you up  or draw blood from there.  I am sure someone on here will know more about it than me.  Have they mention either of these to you.  Big hugs.

Lee x

Yeah they did at the beginning but no one has followed through. 
Thank you for your advice. 

Hello....

Like you I have terrible problems with blood.

I had a port for chemo and a picc for a later op. The port is certainly the better option.

For my bloods the local nurses who know my problem always use a babies needle and they take the blood from inside the elbow. It seems to work. I don't look and for the neurologist every three months, they need 9 vials! I expect your nursrs have tried both those tricks but just in case they haven't....ask them. I joke with my local nurses 11 out of 10 for no pain because sometimes at hospitals, they have tried eight times unsuccessfully...hence the picc....

I hope all goes well on Friday.

Thank you so much

Hi I’ve just got out of hospital too this week as had 38.1 temp they gave me co amoxiclav I had amoxicillin and another , they did bloods they did CTPA ct head I was on oxygen for a night ,they don’t really know what it was as blood cultures were ok , went for chemo Tuesday but wasn’t allowed as I had another spike Monday night of 38 .. and told to keep eye on my temp which I have become fixated on which isn’t doing me any favours , just do t know what to do or think hope your feeling ok .. this chemo is just so very hard take care x

YesPollyperk ....it can be hard and it seems the people who have difficulties get all of the same problems like yourself  and Eden . Unfortunately it seems one severe reaction leads into another. But you are all doing the right things. If you don't think things with your body are quite right.....contact someone asap. I didn't do that. Ten years ago, I thought it was normal. There was less information about adverse reactions....more concentration on the treatment being successful in overcoming the cancer. I got the high temperatures but had severe sickness so didn't want to make a fuss. Then my feet started burning and skinning (these are the signs of peripheral neuropathy but again I imagined everyone had this.) It was too late to prevent permanent nerve damage by the next time I saw an oncologist. My fault. I should have contacted someone earlier but I kept reading it goes away quickly. Mine didn't and couldn't because of the damage.

So, keep contacting those doctors if you have any symptoms that feel wrong. Take no notice of advice from others who say ' change meds....do this....do that....'. I believe now you will instinctively know if things aren't right and can act on it.

If it reassures though.....chemo does finish and treatment is usually successful.  My cancer was diagnosed in 2015. It has been clear since my lumpectomy removed the tumour. Ten years....

Take care of yourselves.