Fever after radiation

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Pclark21st
Pclark21st Member Posts: 126
in Head and Neck Cancer #1

We just finished our 3rd week of rad and 1st chemo was first dy 3 weeks ago, ready for 2nd on MOnday.  The past couple of days he has spiked a high temp of 101.7, 100.9 and 100.7.  They brought him in as outpatient, ran a ton of blood work and a chest scan to see if anything in there...the white count was just a little low and they gave him Amox antibiotic just is case.  Is it a coincidnece that it hapens about 2 hours after radiation.  Anyone have that same scenaro

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  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 383 Member
    #2
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    My experience with the fevers

    My experience with the fevers was very similar, but we finally decided it was related to my chemo.  I was doing carbol-taxol once a week, and ended up fevered about six hours after treatment.  VERY IMPORTANT - are you experiencing ANY pain in your legs.  Associated with cancer is Deep Vein Thrombosis which leads to the formation of embolisms in your lungs.  In addition to periodic fever was declining blood oxygen.  When mine dropped to 89% we started looking for sepsis and pneumonia, and my blood counts got all weird..  I also had a leg cramp, which I interpreted as an old fashion charlie-horse, and ignored.  It was actually a DVT, and I got to watch it throw off clots on ultra-sound in the ER.  Clots untreated will kill you much more certainly than cancer. 

  • AnotherSurvivor
    AnotherSurvivor Member Posts: 383 Member
    #3
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    Also, about week 3 and 4 the

    Also, about week 3 and 4 the level of unpleasantness starts to climb quickly.  If you have not started it yet, it is VERY beneficial to start frequent infusions of saline drip in your infusion center.  I ended up there daily.  The extra hydration is important, but it also gives them a chance to do extra eyes-on time.  If you can time it right, you can spike the fever in the center, and they have much better diagnostic technique.

  • Skiffin16
    Skiffin16 Member Posts: 8,305 Member
    #4
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    Hydration..

    Is he well hydrated.., does he come in anytime between chemo sessions for fluids.. I ran into hydration problems during chemo.., it usually only takes once to not go there agin..

  • SuzJ
    SuzJ Member Posts: 427 Member
    edited February 2018 #5
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    I did

    every evening, like clockwork, I'd hit 101.. climb for an hour - I'd drink Ice water, and then it would come down, I figured I was just "cooking" from rads

  • Pclark21st
    Pclark21st Member Posts: 126
    #6
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    The doc concluded it was

    The doc concluded it was tumor fever.  To help they gave him 1 shot daily of a growth factor drug to increase white blood cells.  Hes very hydrated...he gets at least five 16 oz bottles of water each day through the tube.  Tge fevers have subsided...now to try to stay away from the skin burns.  Thanks for the help

  • SuzJ
    SuzJ Member Posts: 427 Member
    #7
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    Radiation Onc..

    Talk to your rad onc - usually the nurse, they will help with skin care better than anyone else.

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