Blood infection???

[MelanieLR]

I've been off the chemo for 3 weeks now & keep waiting to feel better. As the days go on, I just keep feeling worse. I've done 2 weeks of antibiotics to no avail. Today I called my oncologist & told him that in addition to the coughing, which is severe enough that I have bruises on my abdomen & back, I'm now running a fever of 101. He said it sounds like I might have an infection in my blood. I went for blood tests & a chest x-ray today. Can't wait to get the results from this one. As if I haven't already been through enough. I swear, if they tell me I'm fine & send me home with anti-depressants, I know I'm going to totally lose my mind (any of you who read "My Story" will be laughing right about now).

Well anyway, I'll keep you posted of what they find. Thanks to all for your support & encouragement.

Melanie

[karen335]

Melanie,

Praying that you heal quickly and the antibiotics kick in and start working.

Please keep us posted.

God Bless and Prayers,

Karen

[Ry]

I hope the blood tests were blood cultures to grow the bacteria. You would know because you would have had to have your blood drawn every 15 minutes. They may inconculsive if you are already on antibiotics, I hope they narrow it down quickly and find the right antibiotic. Stay on therm, this is nothinig to mess with.

[Justakid]

Melanie-

I'm so sorry! If you don't get satisfactory answers go to the emergency room for help. I learned how to get someone to listen to me when they just kinda of blew things off.

I truely know what you are going through, I had side affect and reaction to treatment....I'm Murphy's Law.

Hang in there and if you can't handle it anymore, call in a friend or family member to fight for you. I always used my Mother because she didn't care who you were....she would take off any doctors head if she was mad.

I'll have to read your story since you made reference to it.........

Hang in there!

[cindi o'h]

Melanie.

I am with my compadres up above me. The temp that you have is nothing to mess with. Many doctors would find it necessary for immediate admittance when you have just completed chemo. How were your blood levels looking...your counts? That would be a concern of mine. I hope that your doctor checked them and got the results and gave them to you.

Some of the phrases that I used to hear were.."It's just the chemo"....to me, in hindsight, this is not an acceptable answer. I am with Beth, that when you are feeling crappy, you need to have an advocate on your side.

I am hoping that others will chime in with their ideas to help. I am so glad that you are here!

Cindi o'h

[KarHart]

Melanie,

My husband ran a fever after his second cycle of chemo. The doctors told me if it went over 100.5 he had to be seen. We are going to a cancer center that is 3 hrs away. We do not have a local onc. His temp went to 101.3 on his fourth day of temps going up and down. I took him to our local ER and they took it very seriously, said I absolutely did the right thing to bring him in. He was admitted and put on a broad spectrum of anti-biotics. He was released a day and half later. Blood counts low, temp gone. We are new to all this and this is the only bad reaction he has had so far (other than losing his hair, of course). I hope your doctors take this seriously, I was very comforted by the attention we got at our local hospital. Hope you feel better soon.

[Frank Lamb]

Melanie,I agree with the others as well.Could be any number of things

but shouldn't be taken for granted or fooled around with.

Hope they get it fixed quicly for you.

[pammie]

Melanie, keep pressing your doctor for information. Have him go over the possibilites of what could be the problem so that you will know what might be happening. Praying for you to find something to help you feel better. pammie