Head colds and chemo?

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Jannine
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2018 7:46 am
Location: Maryland, USA

Head colds and chemo?

Postby Jannine » Sun Aug 12, 2018 10:37 am

It seems like my husband may be coming down with a head cold. Normally he gets them a lot more often than I do; I hardly ever catch one. Maybe once every couple of years, if that. I'm concerned about it with me being on chemo, though.

How vulnerable to head colds have others been while on chemo vs. not? How bad do head colds tend to be while on chemo? Hoping the wisdom of the list will at least let me know what others' experiences have been like.
DX: sigmoid colon cancer 5/2018. 48 F
laparoscopic sigmoid resection (24 cm removed); no stoma.
7.5cm adenocarcinoma -- mod. diff.
1 noncontiguous tumor deposit removed; 0/31 lymph nodes
T3 pN1c M0
5/18 before surgery, CEA 11.2
6/18 began FOLFOX
7/18: CEA 1.9; added neulasta post infusion
9/18: CEA 2.8
10/18: 25% chemo reduction
11/18: CEA 1.8
7/19 CT scan clear

martd
Posts: 128
Joined: Tue Nov 21, 2017 3:48 pm
Location: Phoenix, Az

Re: Head colds and chemo?

Postby martd » Sun Aug 12, 2018 11:12 am

I didn't experience a head cold but did have a problem with post nasal drip. I've never had that before the chemo. It was quite a lot so at night it would build up in my throat waking me up with a terrible cough, almost like I was choking. At first I thought I was developing a lung problem it took me a couple days to realize what was going on. I started taking a Benadryl at bedtime it work pretty good, and helped me sleep.

Dan
49 y/o male dx 11/2017 crc
Stage 4 with 17 liver Mets, cea 490
RAS, BRAF WT Tp53 LOF
12 rounds folfox , avastin
5/18 cea 2.8 liver resection and pve
7/18 part 2 liver resection, remove right side of liver
Surgical site mrsa infection, wound vac
8/18 cea .9 cCR, rectal tumor is gone
Rectal surgery postponed, watch and wait
10/18 clear scan CEA .7
01/19 clear scan CEA .9
04/19 clear scan CEA .9
07/19 clear scan CEA 1.0

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betsydoglover
Posts: 978
Joined: Mon Aug 14, 2006 2:31 pm
Facebook Username: Betsy Lindh Williams
Location: Maryland - outside DC

Re: Head colds and chemo?

Postby betsydoglover » Mon Aug 13, 2018 2:17 pm

If you are concerned about catching the cold from him and how that might affect you, you should know if your immune system is actually compromised - e.g. are your WBC's low? Mine never were low and I was around 2 head colds without any issues myself.
Betsy
diag. Stage IV, 5/05, liver met
lap sigmoid colectomy, 6/05
6 cycles Xeloda/oxaliplatin/Avastin (NED after 2)
11/08 9x13mm right lower lobe lung nodule; removed via VATS 4/09
NED
6 cycles Xeloda + Avastin
Avastin only 10/09-5/11
Still NED 06/18

NHMike
Posts: 2555
Joined: Fri Jul 21, 2017 3:43 am

Re: Head colds and chemo?

Postby NHMike » Tue Aug 14, 2018 5:36 am

I had one on chemo (or I wasn't feeling that well) and we delayed chemo for a week.

I had two people in my household with lung infections while on chemo and believe me, I did my best to keep my distance.
6/17: ER rectal bleeding; Colonoscopy
7/17: 3B rectal. T3N1bM0. 5.2 4.5 4.3 cm. Lymphs: 6 x 4 mm, 8 x 6, 5 x 5
7/17-9/17: Xeloda radiation
7/5: CEA 2.7; 8/16: 1.9; 11/30: 0.6; 12/20 1.4; 1/10 1.8; 1/31 2.2; 2/28 2.6; 4/10 2.8; 5/1 2.8; 5/29 3.2; 7/13 4.5; 8/9 2.8, 2/12 1.2
MSS, KRAS G12D
10/17: 2.7 2.2 1.6 cm (-90%). Lymphs: 3 x 3 mm (-62.5%), 4 x 3 (-75%), 5 x 3 (-40%). 5.1 CM from AV
10/17: LAR, Temp Ileostomy, Path Complete Response
CapeOx (8) 12/17-6/18
7/18: Reversal, Port Removal
2/19: Clean CT


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