Chemotherapy and colds.

[FiveGoMadInDorset]

Due to go to lunch with DB and his girlfriend on Tuesday. She is undergoing chemo (got her nxt bout on Christmas eve poor love) and we are all stuffed full of colds. It isn't good to go round is it?

If she's got her next bout Christmas Eve, her white blood cells are probably starting to pick up now (depends how often her cycles are).

But I wouldn't go, getting an infection when you're on chemo can be pretty nasty - I know from experience - and she won't want to get ill or miss her next treatment.

See what she thinks, and let her know you won't be upset whatever she decides. You are considerate to be aware of the problems.

Sorry bit of a mixed answer, but some people are left weaker and more vulnerable than others dependent on several factors.

Oh meant to say hope her treatment's going well, and she's not feeling too lousy.

Thank you for replying, will phone her and leave it in her court. Would be nice to see them as they are doing Christmas lunch fro DB's DC's before they go up to Liverpool for the treatment, but her health comes first.

I wouldn't go unless she is really desperate for you to come.

I used to go out to toddler groups but avoid close face-to-face contact with coldy folk.

As above; steer clear. My Mum is on chemo and caught a cold last month. It went straight to her chest, resulting in a long evening in A&E for antibiotics which then disagreed with her and made her ill for about a fortnight. Not worth it..

Your cold may well be going come Tuesday ?
What a shame as am sure they would love to see you esp if she may be feeling rough with her chemo over xmas day etc
I would ask her and see what she says and see how you are come Tue.

I wouldn't go. No way.

Ask her but make it clear you wont be offended if she asks you not to come.

It depends on her neutrophile count really. I dont know how it works with all cancer treatment but we got DD's after every blood test. We used to get the results really quickly.

Personally I would have been really pissed off if anyone sick came to my house whilst DD was on treatment.

It wasnt just the potential danger. It was also that there are strict treatment protocols to follow if the patient gets a suspected infection and that always meant a stay in hospital. Which was crap.

Its nice that you are bothering to think about this.

hmm would go with chegirl (im not stalking honest), I know when DH got an infection within first 2 weeks of chemo he was really bad and again when he got swine flu, but now his further along his body handles it better now.
Def worth asking her, she'll know but would say if its early days, best be careful and stay away.

just finished several months of chemo myself...
...has she had several cycles already in which case her immune system will be more compromised overall than if it were eg cycle 1 or 2 ?

tbh whatever the answer I'd not be keen to see you if you all have colds...

onesteps message just made me think. It also depends on what type of Cancer, as with DH leukemia he was very poorly at the start as his immune system was terrible because of the number of white cells, however as onestep said, most chemo gets worse as they go on. Hope that make sense.