Hi Lindzee -

When counts are low, it is not uncommon to run a neutropenic fever. This happened often to my dad. They would always run blood cultures to rule out a specific bacteria as the cause. He would spike fevers simply as a result of his low counts. Once your husband's counts start to rebound, the fevers should cease.
Wishing the best for your husband and you. Be well. xo

Thank you for sharing your experience. It really helps to talk to someone with first hand experience. I have found that trying to research on the internet only ends up freaking me out.

Lindzee12: As far as I understand, what your husband is going through is what most of us AML patients experienced while on chemo. My oncologist told me before starting my chemo, back in October 2011, than 99.5 of his patients have fever when the counts go down.

So, I wouldnt say "it is not uncommon to run fever".... though Im not a doctor, I think the uncommon is just the opposite: not having fever.

During each of my chemo cycles, I had fever in all of them except one. My fever would go up to 38.2-38.8 Celsius and with antibiotics went down again. During the last two consolidation chemos, fever went higher 39.5 and 40 Celsius. Horrible, but not related to chemo results

The only time I didnt have fever was just luck. I developed a very tiny perianal abscess (this is a very common and VERY IMPORTANT side effect to keep an eye on !!) and the oncologist called an infectologist. The infectologist decided he didnt want to wait for fever to give me antibiotics.... so fever never came. That was the only time I didn`t have fever.

So, be prepared for fevers.... and take them easy, dont worry about them so much but keep doctors informed !

Your husband is young, almost the same age I had when diagnosed. This is good.

Blessings

S

you give me fever.

My wife used to play that song for me all the time because I had fevers for about two straight weeks AFTER I was released from induction Chemo. In my case my doc found some candida that he eventually treated, but fevers are oh so common when the counts are low.

Be calm, be very diligent in monitoring it however, but no need to freak out.

After induction, and once after consolidation, I had fevers. In each case, they were an indication of infection, all of them hospital acquired (2 in a central line, 2 in PICC lines). They ran blood cultures and managed to identify the culprits, but it took a few days because the bacteria have to grow in the culture, which can take 72 hours. Meanwhile, they gave me lots of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and when they cultures did grow, they were able to switch to more targeted antibiotics, which almost immediately took care of the problem. Fever is bad only if it is not treated. My docs have said that the sources of fevers during neutropenia are only identified 50% of the time (I got lucky), but they are all the result of some sort of infection. It can be mild. And it can be treated. But it should never be ignored. Shoshone

It is so nice to be able to talk to others about questions, concerns, fears etc. It is a Month today since he was diagnosed. He gone through two rounds of chemo and had emergency brain surgery for an unrelated brian bleed they found while diagnosing the AML. He is a strong healthy man who in a week went from fine to on life support. He is doing much better, he's eating fine, walking and riding the stationary bike in his room at the hospital. Other than these fevers he seems to be improving. I think because of the dire situation in the beginning I am hypersensitive. Receiving responses from all of you are a great comfort and make me feel less lost and alone. Thank you

Lindzee, in my own experience, your husband, you, all your family, are going through the worst moment: the shock of the diagnosis. One month after diagnosis is too little time to process all the fears we feel when diagnosed. At least, those were my worst moments. So maybe...you are just normal.....

Please take care of yourself. Your husband needs a wife who is healthy and rested. There is something called "the care giver syndrome" or something like that. It means, any care giver, no matter how willing is to help, burns out if not properly taking care of his/her own needs.

I sent my husband to the gym, to his friends, etc and it really worked. I never resented him not being around all the time. So, please take care of yourself. Your husband will be fine ! This is hard time but better times will come.

Blessings

S

Lindzee,

A wise woman recently said, "I have found that trying to research on the internet only ends up freaking me out." Say it louder, Lindzee. Stop researching, stop reading the lay scientific literature. As a physician with access to PubMed, I was at first tempted to read. Fortunately, I decided not to. Additional fretting doesn't help with the healing process. Not at all.

Everything your husband is going through we have as well. When I became neutropenic, my doctor told me, "it is not IF you will have a fever; rather it is WHEN." In my case, my two worst fevers were associated with positive bacterial cultures. Frequently, as others have said, you just treat empirically with a broad spectrum antibiotic +/- antifungal,after doing the appropriate blood tests and scans to rule out definitive pathology (like the fungal pneumonia I had during my first (failed) induction.

Your husband will feel better as his counts rise. Have no fear. Just love him and support him. This will all work out.

Praying for you and him and all of the wonderful souls on this website,

Cliff

Lindzee -- all good advice. Answer is yes -- I had many fevers that they could not explain. They wanted to blame my port. I had to almost literally fight to keep it. Fortunately the first time that happened I asked for another 24 hours and my numbers came up the next day and saved my port. The next time it happened, during consolidation, I could not hold out and they pulled my hickman. Oh, one time they sent me to get a lung exray and found I had a mild case of pneumonia -- what a relief. Since there was an explanation, they decided they would not have to pull my port. Well, adventures of chemo -- hang tough, they are giving him the best antibiotics that they know how. As soon as his numbers come back up the fever will disappear -- I can assure you of that. It is amazing what good blood can do. -- dave

You have all helped me so much. I am now able to take a deep breath. I vow to stop looking up info on the internet. Funny because this is advice I have given family/friends, but not followed myself. Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences and words of wisdom on supporting my husband and myself through this. Wishing good health and happiness to all.

Lindzee12,
No point in me repeating all of the advice you have received, but I too have gotten fevers after every round of chemo. Some have been a result of infection. But most have no known etiology, just a plain neutropenic fever.
During induction, my husband reminds me that I hated the night. My fevers would spike to 104-105 every night for weeks. I had more ice packs than one could count and I strategically had them placed all over, head neck, back, armpits, groin, etc. My nurse assistants were wonderful about this because I was sometimes unable to help myself as the fevers got bad. Twice I have been admitted through the ER due to fevers -always a result of low counts.
Hang in there. Welcome to our group. We are all here to help.
Peace, love and hope,
Andrea

Lindzee,

I have quoted my favorite line from Disney's Alice in Wonderland several times, but I feel it is apposite here:

"I give myself some very good advice, but I very seldom follow it. That explains the trouble that I'm always in." ALICE

RELAX

Cliff