Being in public causing low blood count

Options
GrooGruxQueen
GrooGruxQueen Member Posts: 33
edited June 2018 in Chemotherapy - Before, During, and After

This is a pretty stupid question but my mom and I are having a bit of a 'discussion' about it, if you know what I mean.

I had my first round of chemo on June 4th. I'd gone to a concert on the 9th and the only real activity I did at the show was walk to and from the car and clapping my hands to songs, no dancing or things like that. I had blood work done on the the 12th and many of the levels were low. My mom seems to think that the low blood levels were caused by going to the concert.

The oncologist told me that I should be careful doing certain things or being out in public and being around large groups of people right now while my levels are low because I could get sick, which isn't good to happen while I'm having chemo, but she never said what could have caused the low blood levels. My husband had colon cancer a few years ago and we are seeing the same oncologist. She never told him always avoid being around people and to stay inside all the time. If you can name it he probably did it while he was having chemo and never had any problems.

I'm planning on going to a concert in about 3 weeks and my mom doesn't want me to go because it's going to cause me to have blood levels again. I'm calling the dr about it tomorrow and ask her abut it pretty much just so I can prove my mom wrong.

My mom and I are all new to me having caner so we are still learning about things as much as we can. But if it were up to my mom she'd be having me live in a bubble so nothing can happen to me!

· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited June 2018

    The chemo drugs are what is causing your counts to drop. Chemo kills rapidly dividing cells, which includes your blood cells. Some chemos affect your counts more than others - so you can't necessarily compare your chemo and your husband's chemo. When your counts are low you are vulnerable to bacteria and viruses - both could kill you, so it's important to take that seriously. Please talk to your oncology nurse more about precautions you should take - we all want you to make it through chemo unscathed. :-)

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jcia
    jcia Member Posts: 10
    edited June 2018

    No, going to the concert did not cause your levels to drop, the chemo did 🙂. No one ever told me not to go out in public even after I ended up in the hospital on IV antibiotics for four days with a critically low neutrophil count during cold and flu season. Even then my count returned to acceptable range in time for my next cycle. If anything just be careful around people coughing and wash your hands a lot. It is good to get out and enjoy yourself while going through this. Mental health is as important as physical health and as long as you are feeling up to it go out and have a great time!

    Edited: I also have a toddler who brought home every class cold but by being very careful with tissues and hand washing I only caught the last one on my last cycle when another child walked up and coughed in my face 😐. MO said it was fine to have a cold but be on top of symptoms and watch for bronchitis/pneumonia. Be careful but you don’t have to be a hermit.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • buttonsmachine
    buttonsmachine Member Posts: 930
    edited June 2018

    Here's a basic rundown on chemo and infections:

    https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/dcpc/resources/features/preventinfections/index.htm

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GrooGruxQueen
    GrooGruxQueen Member Posts: 33
    edited June 2018

    Thanks a lot everyone. I know my husband did have a different type of chemo than I did but and he didn't have all the side effects that they said I'm probably going to have. Those are all the things that my oncologist told me buttonsmachine and jcia. I think I just needed to vent about this more than anything.

    My mom is just the very protective type. I have epilepsy too, which I know I've brought up in other threads and I'll probably bring it up in more. When I was first diagnosed, 14 years ago, she wouldn't let me out of her sight. When we went to shopping she make me hold on to the buggy the whole time, I think if I would have fit in the child's seat she probably would have put me in there. The first time I went swimming she had me wearing floaties on my arms so that I wouldn't drown if I had a seizure until I pulled them off and threw them at her. Go ahead and picture a woman in her late 20's with floaties on and try not to laugh! I could add so much more on to this list but it would take days to type!

    My dad on the other hand is the complete opposite. He's always told me to go ahead and do it, if I have any problems to call him. He's always asking me how I'm doing now just to make sure I'm ok but I know he'll be fine with me do what ever I want with no 'discussions' through this whole ordeal too.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • StubbornDog
    StubbornDog Member Posts: 32
    edited June 2018

    I would be careful about eating shared food in public, salad bars, etc. not so much about just being in a crowd, though I would inch away from someone actively coughing or sneezing. I moved airplane seats once when on chemo because I was next to a sick-seeming woman who was coughing..it was on Southwest and we had seat choice so no big deal.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • NotVeryBrave
    NotVeryBrave Member Posts: 1,287
    edited June 2018

    I agree with most of what's been stated here already. The chemo caused the low counts and as long as they improve before the next round - it's okay.

    When my counts were super low after the first round, I was put on a prophylactic antibiotic and told to avoid crowds. I got a fever the same day and ended up in the hospital with a Neutrophil count of 2. The on call MO told me that the real concern for me at that point was actually normal bacteria in my gut - not something I was going to catch from someone else.

    I was careful with hand washing and avoiding sick people as much as possible during chemo and never caught anything. You do need to be cautious and aware with low counts, but please don't get in a bubble!

    PS - I'm sure it's super frustrating having these "discussions" with your mother. I have some issues with my own. And it must drive her crazy to have your father saying the exact opposite! But you know she loves you and wants to protect you.



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Lula73
    Lula73 Member Posts: 1,824
    edited June 2018

    ditto what everyone else has said. I will add to avoid flowers. Plants are ok but flowers can harbor bacteriasthat can make us very sick or even kill while undergoing chemo. Tell any well meaning people in your life tosend you chocolates or Shari's Berries instead.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • jcia
    jcia Member Posts: 10
    edited June 2018
    Glad your feeling better about it. I know the concern comes from a place of love from your mom and she doesn’t want to see you get sick. It is so hard for parents too ❤️
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Denise-G
    Denise-G Member Posts: 1,777
    edited June 2018

    I ALWAYS wore a mask while out in public when I had very low counts - but I went through chemo during a bad cold and flu season.

    The benefits of wearing a mask: people run away from you if you are shopping. It clears the aisles and makes

    for a more pleasant shopping experience - LOL! Happened to me all the time!



    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • GrooGruxQueen
    GrooGruxQueen Member Posts: 33
    edited June 2018

    Thanks again everyone!

    We received a pamphlet on my first visit with my dr explaining some things about breast cancer and possible side effects. I think my mom thinks that since the side effect is in there then that means I'm going to have it. One of the side effects was 'being weak and fatigue' so she wanted to get me a wheel chair and tried getting me a handy cap parking pass because she thought I wasn't going to have the energy to walk places. It also seems like she's scared too because I haven't had many of the side effects either. Some of the women that she works with have had breast cancer and they've told her about all the problems they had. So he's been getting second hand info about things that she's been worried about happening to me too.

    I haven't been sharing food with anyone, I know all about that when my husband had cancer, but I never thought about salad bars.

    I go in to have chemo on Monday and I'm going to have them explain things to her, hopefully she'll understand it better and be able to ask them questions if she wants to and get an official answer, not just me telling her.

    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories