Chemo worries

Sorry EDIT** the carboplatin is 3 weekly NOT the pendrolizumab. I will have that weekly alongside the paclaxital x

Hi MissK

Your oncologist is the best person to advise you on how your treatment will change your infection risk. On the basis they don’t usually need you to have Filgastrim injections alongside those drugs, I am guessing most people’s neutrophils stay up during treatment. Obviously avoid people who have signs of infection and take care around food hygiene but I wouldn’t expect you to be limited from seeing your grandchildren. 

I can’t advise on a PICC as I opted for a port. I didn’t have carboplatin. I have had Paclitaxel twice. First in the primary setting and then along with Pembrolizumab when they discovered I had liver mets to add to the lot of TNBC. It’s worth keeping a symptom diary so you can see the patterns. I found the relentless weekly nature of Paclitaxel a bit of a bind. Pembrolizumab doesn’t cause many symptoms unless and until it triggers an immunotherapy adverse event, which it did for me. I lived to tell the tale!

Hi,hope you are doing good,'m late to reply so maybe no help to you,but just wanted to say dn't be stressing too much about getting infections.I had the same treatments as yourself and never picked up infections just an odd cold here n there nothing different to any other year.however,listen to your oncology doctors if they say your white blood cells are low you should be cautious but I have been around all my nieces n nephews n newborns throughout n no issues.just wash hands n if your grandchild has cold stay away from them till there better.best of luck hopefully you'll get on good now.

Hi! Thanks for your reply. I am week 2 into cycle 3/8 and I think I am finding my feet a little. I have to have filgrastim injections as my WBC are too low, although I am a little bit neurotic about being out and about, I'm nowhere as bad as i thought i would be. My partner managed to talk me into going for food at the weekend and as the server was seating us, he coughed on me! So that has put me off for a while now haha!

Aww ,that's a pity to hear your white blood cells are low hopefully will settle down with the injections.go easy on yourself nway and try to go out n do things as would have normally done.i went to different occasions and concerts too so large crowds and no wile problems.but I do understand where your coming from aswell.you dn't want to risk getting treatment as well if wbc are too low.

Thankyou. I'm supposed to be at Lytham festival in July with my friend and although we are in VIP area I'm so worried about going but also don't want to waste the £300 ticket I bought as a treat to myself haha! I'm sure it will get easier as time goes on. Isn't it funny how we put so much pressure on ourselves when we're already full!! Xx 

Omg class!go surely if you feel up to it.yous will have a great time.I think it's so important to have something to look forward to throughout treatment it keeps you somewhat sane