Cough and cold

Hi Topic

I am sorry to hear that you have caught a cough and cold while on chemo. 

I would be inclined to give your hospital 24 hour number a call. Infections can develop quickly whilst on chemo. 

I caught an infection while on chemo and I was admitted and they did full checks on everything before discharging me the following day after IV antibiotics. It may be that the antibiotics still need time to work or that a different type may be needed. They also did chest x ray. 

Give them a call this am. I am sorry that you are feeling so rough and hope that you are feeling better soon.

Jane

Hi Jane, 

Thank you for your reply. Was yours a cough / cold. 

I have called helpline a few times. They were very nice but didn't seem as concerned as I thought they would. My temperature was high to start on Wednesday and they said to monitor it every hour. It has settled now. I rang Friday to say cough still bad at the point of chocking, they said contact gp. I did and they listened to chest and said it sounded really clear. Gave me antibiotics. Yesterday evening I was coughing up blood and again chocking really bad. I didn't fancy our a&e on a Saturday night!!

It does seem much better during the day so I think it's improving then evening all starts again!!

I see my oncologist tomorrow so hopefully she can help if still bad. 

Sounds a nasty bug. It is good that you are seeing your oncologist tomorrow and I hope by then it settles. If you do feel rough again today then do call them again- I know what a&e can be like, but we have a minor injuries/urgent care unit that is good and much less time to wait. Maybe steam would help with the coughing- I know it has helped me before.

I called my help line because I had temperature and felt rough/shaky. I wasn't quite with it. Like the feeling you are coming down with something. I called help line, they asked a few questions and was told to come in straight away. I was told to bring sepsis card and was admitted straight to a ward. I was put on a drip and given variety of medications and the penicillin alternative that's on the sepsis card- can't remember the name. I had full checks- ECG, chest x ray, covid tests. I was given fluids. They ruled out a pneumonia developing. They ruled out sepsis. I was neutropenic and some other issues with blood. In the end they felt it was UTI developing. I was in overnight. Given UTI antibiotic drink in the am and the consultant discharged me at lunchtime. I felt rough at home for a couple of days and then picked up again in time for next chemo. 

Jane