going shopping during chemo

janaes

Did you wondwerful ladies that did chemo go shopping? They tell me to avoid large crowds.  Is that really possible?

Editgrl

Go in off hours

I tried to shop in the "off" hours, early mornings and evenings.  But, truth be told, I wasn't very good about that.  I did avoid crowded clubs, restaurants, etc.

Lou Ann M

Shopping

i did go shopping quite a bit. Also taught school germ factory USA for 2 years while on chemo with no problems. I did get the Nualasta shot all the time.  Church was the hardest. Grownups come sick. I started wearing a mask.  Lou Ann

janaes

I dont know for sure if I am

I dont know for sure if I am going back to work, but If I do I work as a cook at the school.  For sure a germ factory.  Thanks for sharing Ann. 

EZLiving66

I didn't go shopping, to the

I didn't go shopping, to the movies or any other place there were people for months.  I had one Neulasta shot and it caused me so much pain, I just stayed home and my husband disinfected everything.  It was a pain in the butt, but I didn't get any infections.

Love,

Eldri

TeddyandBears_Mom

EZLiving66 said:

I didn't go shopping, to the

I didn't go shopping, to the movies or any other place there were people for months.  I had one Neulasta shot and it caused me so much pain, I just stayed home and my husband disinfected everything.  It was a pain in the butt, but I didn't get any infections.

Love,

Eldri

Me too Eldri! I stayed home.

Me too Eldri! I stayed home. And, I never got sick. And my counts got pretty low for the last two chemos....

My husband did all the shopping (and he has gladly turned it over to me now!) .

Janae - you will find your way. Everything depends on your blood counts. As long as you are able to keep them high enough (out of the danger zone) you should be ok to be in public.  Just make sure you wash your hands a lot!

Love and Hugs,

Cindi

brissance

Likewise

I only went to chemo and oncologist.. and when I went I wore a mask.  I soooo didn't want to be banished to the ER or back in the hospital.  Hubby and daughter took care of me...  I will start 2nd half of chemo in about a month so we are gearing up again..  But many of the other chemo patients went everywhere... don't know how it worked out hopefully well.  I am, however, a coward.  

 

Ardnasnit

I went shopping

Hi,

I went shopping while I was going through chemo. I tried to live my life as normal as possible. I babysat nieces and nephews and I went shopping with my sisters. Handi wipes became my best friend. I kept a bottle of them in my car. So every time I got in my car I wiped myself and my car down. When my counts were low I was even more careful but I still went out. It is really what you feel comfortable with and how you are feeling. When I went to church I would sit outside the sanctuary where they video streamed the service so I could avoid the large groups.

pinky104

Shopping

I did go shopping during chemo.  My husband, who was still working at the age of 66 at the time, did not need to add that to his work schedule. I had refused the Neulasta shot because my little brother had dropped dead of a heart attack the week before, and I didn't want to take the risk of having the Neulasta shot which could also cause a heart attack.  I found I was VERY short of breath during shopping about halfway through my 6 rounds of chemo.  I needed to stop and catch my breath.  I looked horribly pale, and it turned out I needed to get a transfusion at my next appointment.  I didn't notice an immediate improvement after having the transfusion like the nurse said I would.  I found out several months after chemo that I also had hemochromatosis (a genetic defect where too much iron gets stored in the body), so that may have had something to do with how I reacted to the blood transfusion.  While I didn't pick up any illnesses from being in the stores, I did have UTI's every time I turned around.  As soon as I finished treatment with an antibiotic, it would come back within a week or so.  I spent a lot of time on antibiotics that summer.  I had to see a urologist for testing to see if there was some other cause (like a hole between my urethra and my vagina or rectum), but nothing definite was found.

Soup52

Except for the week that I

Except for the week that I had chemo, I lived life pretty normally, shopping, dinner with friends etc. maybe I'm an exception, but I never had a Nuelasta shot and my counts were always good and I had no infections. Let's hope this bodes well and I become NED.

namedropper

Soup52 said:

Except for the week that I

Except for the week that I had chemo, I lived life pretty normally, shopping, dinner with friends etc. maybe I'm an exception, but I never had a Nuelasta shot and my counts were always good and I had no infections. Let's hope this bodes well and I become NED.

I bought a package of clear

I bought a package of clear gloves like the food workers wear. They are very inexpensive and worked out great. I still use them even now when I go shopping and to the Dr. office.  My primary Dr. said that was the best thing I could do. She said to wear the latex free heavier ones when I go to a Dr's appt.  I can't get the flu shot  and there are so many people that are sick from colds  etc in the waiting rooms and the DR's office.  I use them once and throw them away.

CheeseQueen57

Enjoying Life

You know, I'm enjoying life. 4 months is to long to be a hermit. I'm an obsessive hand washer and disenfectant wipes are my best friends but I go out, eat out, and shop. Although I'm not much of a shopper.  I avoid anyone who is sick and large crowds but still get together with friends. So far so good 

ncg007

Shopping

As others suggested, i would base it on your blood levels. My blood levels were always low so unfortunately I did not get to go out much, and this included avoiding take out food too.  i ended up in hospital due to undetermined source of infection, so was just not worth the risk.  This was not fun as it was winter time and couldn't even get outside for fresh air.  I did get out to a little movie theater occasionally where there were not many people, but was armed with a mask, Clorox wipes, hand sanitizer and gloves.  Shopping online is fun And visitors came to me!

janaes

So, I had know Idea what my

So, I had know Idea what my blood levels we at or have been at.  My dad set up my appointment to get my nulesta shot while I was doing my chemo.  If I remember right some one had told him I needed to make the appointment.?He might know.  I dont think the doctors even told me or my dad about the levels.  Im interested to know why they gave me the shot before even asking me if I wanted it.  I do have to see the doctor right before I do another Chemo treatment.  Is that ussually when the doctor will talk about that? I did get bone pain after.  It sound like from what other said mine could have been worse and even though I still felt bone pain after the first day of feeling it, it seemed to be less painful and easier to live with.  I was able to get up and around.  I did end up going light shopping and by sunday I felt good enough to go to a barbaque for fathers day.  I dont know if the shot has helped my productivity but I feel Like at some point i would like to know if the shot did me any good.  I want to way the pros and cons of getting the shot.  I definetly dont want to get sick.

Editgrl

Protocol differs

Some doctors, cancer centers, hospitals have different protocols, and insurance coverage factors in as well.  I have a friend who got Neulasta as a matter of course during chemo. It wasn't dependent on blood counts.  She got the shot right from the get go.  Others, as have been noted in this thread and another current thread, don't get it unless the blood counts tank.  I would definitely talk to your doctor about it when you see him/her at your next appointment.  And if your doctor doesn't mention it, I would ask about your blood counts, too.  Mine always discussed that and any side effects that I was having from the chemo.  And if you don't understand something, ask him/her to explain it so you do.