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Nadi's avatar
Nadi
Member
10 years ago

How will I get through this? - Question about portacaths, fevers during chemo and the need to go to

Upfront just wanted to say sorry for the rant.

Just returned home from yet another visit to the Emergency Department (ED) - my fourth visit in 3 weeks following my second round of TCH chemo - after spiking another fever, this time 39.7. I think I should be getting frequent flyer points or something.

Was given the usual treatment when someone on chemo presents with a fever, isolation room, antibiotics by IV, blood work, and panadol. Was SOOOOO cheesed off that no one in ED was trained to take blood or give IV through my newly inserted portacath so once again had to go through the pain of multiple attempts of getting a cannula in. I feel like I have blown a heap of money getting the portacath which hardly anyone can use. Not to mention having the portacath inserted hurt more than my lumpectomy - one week on from that and I am still in a lot of pain with headaches and muscle soreness. Have others experienced this? Will the discomfit settle down?  

Ended up I was not neutropenic thanks to my neulasta injection and no obvious sign of infection with the doctor suggesting that, like my last visit, the fever was probably due to something viral; so at least I was allowed home. But I am so hating this side of chemo. I hate how unwell I feel when I get the fevers but I hate even more the pain from multiple attempts of inserting cannulas - so much so that I seriously don't think I can get through more chemo if this has to keep happening. Logically I know this is ridiculous it's not the worst pain of having breast cancer  but for some reason it completely undoes me and is really hard to bear. I am in tears every single time which is so NOT like me. Really trying to suck it up but don't seem to be able to.

So I am thinking, do I really need to go to emergency when I get a fever and put myself through all that? Does anyone on chemo get fevers and not go to the hospital? 

 

 

chemotherapy
side-effects

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  • Brenda5's avatar
    Brenda5
    Member
    10 years ago

    Gosh you are having a hard time of it atm. I have permission to take Centrum 50+ multivitamins with my chemo. I think it would help as a pick me up to your infections.

    If my mouths not in the ulcer stages I suck a Strepsils antibacterial every time I go out in public. If my mouth is bad, I wear a surgical mask. I feel silly doing it but if it stops me picking up bugs I am all for it. If I get visitors, they are asked to suck a Strepsils as well.

    Apart from that, take it easy. If that means watching movies or reading a book all day then so be it. My husband is even doing the basic clothes washing for me and the washing up. I do the main meal in cooking but its nothing glamorous, just good normal stuff. I eat a smaller portion if my belly is a bit out of sink but I do keep eating to keep my strength up.

    I check my temp pretty often and its never up by anything much at all unless I have just had the chemo then it sits a little higher for a day or two. Don't mess about, if your temp is 39C get back to the hospital. They are trying to keep you well enough to keep on your chemo treatments as that's the whole idea of making sure that cancer doesn't win.