Fever after blood transfusion?

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biddy
biddy Member Posts: 27
edited June 2014 in IBC (Inflammatory Breast Cancer)

Not sure if this is the right place to post this or not, but here goes.  My 81-yr-old MIL is fighting IBC and has completed the 4-dose A/C chemo and is in week 4 of 12 weeks of Taxol and Herceptin.  It hasn't been "easier" as everyone has told us, and instead, she's gotten increasingly worse in terms of fatigue, joint pain, nausea (which she didn't have with A/C) and diarrhea (which was minimal with A/C).  Her RBCs continued to drop and last Monday night she was very shaky, weak, and sick (nausea) so I took her to the ER and she was a little dehydrated so they gave her fluids and checked everything else out, finding a UTI and, of course, anemia (HGB 8.3).  The ER doc started her on Levaquin and sent her home.  She had a rough week with continued bouts of diarrhea and nausea.  Friday was chemo day so we went, knowing she would probably have a transfusion.  Sure enough, her hgb had dropped to 7.4 so the onc gave her the week off from Taxol and only administered Herceptin, then sent her to the hospital for the transfusion.  8 hours and 2 pints later, she was home and in her own bed waiting to feel the miraculous recovery she was assured would come in about 24 hours.  Instead of feeling better, she started having fever Saturday around noon (up to 100.5) so we started on Tylenol and it keeps it in check.  I let her go off of it for awhile today to see if the fever would come back and it quickly did (reaching 101).  Her onc's red-flag temp is 101.5 (we're instructed to call if it reaches that), but it never got to that point because we gave her Tylenol.

My question is this:  Has anyone had a fever after transfusion?  If so, how long did it last?  I Googled it and most people have nor reaction, but fever is the most common and it usually subsides within 24 hours.  It's been 48 now and I'll be calling her onc tomorrow morning.  Note that she's been on Levaquin 500 mg since last Monday so it's hard to believe there's a bacterial infection living in her body right now.  Any help or sharing of personal experiences would be appreciated. Thanks!

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  • mom2twins34
    mom2twins34 Member Posts: 185
    edited May 2012

    Hi Biddy,

    I don't have IBC, but I didn't see any other responses here, so I thought I would pop on to say that I did have a fever after a transfusion in March.  Unlike your MIL's, it lasted less than 48 hours--and may have been because I'd just had surgery... And it wasn't a concern for the drs because I'm not on active chemo like your MIL (just Herceptin for me).

    My concern is that maybe she's neutropenic and/or dehydrated from the chemo.  I also did the A & C & T regimen and was neutropenic (and dehydrated) for much of it.  Fevers were a big issue for me.  Neupogen injections throughout treatment and at home IV-hydration helped in my case, but my oncs always said to call at 100.5, so a whole degree less than your MIL's.  I wouldn't wait for that extra degree, I would definitely give her oncologists a call... You and your family are dealing with a lot of stress and worry, but this is just a phone call for the oncologists.

    Thinking of you & your family and hoping that your MIL is doing better soon...       

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  • itsjustme10
    itsjustme10 Member Posts: 796
    edited May 2012

    If it were my mother, I would either call her onc or take her to the ER...those are the instructions I got if my temperature ever reached 100.5 (not 101.5) - and I'm a lot younger and except for having had this stupid BC in perfect health.  101+ is very high for a chemo patient.

    Good luck - hope she will be OK.

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  • Kicks
    Kicks Member Posts: 4,131
    edited May 2012

    I've never had a transfusion but I am IBC and older (63 at time of 4 A/C and 12 Taxol). I was told if I hit 100.5F to call or get to ER/UC. Then on Taxol, I had issues with low temp and was told to call or get to ER/UC if I got to 98.6F.



    A/C was much easier for me than Taxol. 2 days after my second DD A/C, I drove my first Powder Puff Mud Bog, placed second and did a lot better than then 29 y/o Son. With A/C only 'problems' were I lost hair (of course) /d lost all sense of taste and appetite. Taxol though was nasty though - the EXHAUSTION was complete - I existed on the couch or in bed but a week after the last Taxol I started Rads and felt better every day. I never had any blood issues or nausea. I did start having to take mega doses of potassium 1/2 way through Taxol to keep it in normal range - still do 2+ yrs later - now I'm low on Zinc so that's been added.


    Has she had surgery yet? Possible infection from it. I know many have 2 different Chemo before surgery but all don't - I did 4 A/C, 2 weeks later surgery, 3 week later 12 Taxol - then a week later Rads.



    There is no way that anyone can tell you/her how she will react to anything - we are each unique. Certainly be armed with info but no one will react completely the same as anyone else. Call her Dr and have a 'good' talk (tell her/him EVERYTHING) and demand info. Fever is not good.



    Prayers for your Mom and her family.

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