Help…two days post port implantation….running temp
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Julie,
Glad to hear you are getting some help and things are improving. Then a tornado warning on top of everything else. Glad that also turned out OK. Oh well, just another bump in the road.
Love,
DarlaThank you, one and all, for your support and suggestions for my temp problem. This morning my temp was 97.2.
We went to see the oncologist at 4 p.m Sunday and his conclusion was that it was an infection in my lower, right shin, based on the skin being very hot. It’s been reddish and warmer on that side alone, since 2010, when I took Metoprolol ER as a replacement for Atenolol twice a day for irregular heart beats I’ve had for years. (I wasn’t having problems…she just thought this would be less trouble). My lower legs immediately swelled which I attributed to sitting a lot while caring for that baby grandson. However, my voice became hoarse and I coughed all the time. I also had times when food would stick in my throat and make me gag. Eventually, I found out that I was actually allergic to the Metoprolol (swelling throat) and the exaggerated leg swelling was a side effect of Metoprolol (and sometimes Atenolol…but from that, I only had mild swelling).I don’t know if the temp I really from the leg or not, but after taking two doses yesterday of the new antibiotic the onc gave me, the swelling came down in both legs for the first time in over a week and a half, so maybe something was going on different there.
As to what antibiotics to use, I have to be very careful to use something not too broadspectrum because after taking one called Cefdinir in Dec of 2012, I developed C-Diff in Feb of 2014. C-Diff is a very, nasty and extremely difficult bacterial infection of the colon and can cause death. Don’t want to repeat that if at all possible.
The antibiotic he put me on is an Erythromiacin…which can still cause C-Diff, but not as likely. I’ve been taking two probiotics a day and his suggestion was to take three.
Another bump in the road. Sure wish the road crew would get out and smooth out the bumps and holes a bit. We’re use to potholes in Iowa, especially after the winter, but that doesn’t mean we like them.
Oh….a note of interest….as we arrived at the oncologist’s office yesterday, the weather radio gave out a warning for the county to the south of us for severe storms. By the time we went through the pharmacy drive up to see if the script was filled (it was not), there was a warning for our county. As we parked at an angle to watch the clouds (we’re trained weather spotters), the sirens went off…yup….tornado headed toward us. We watched the sky very carefully and just as the pharmacy called us on the cell phone to tell us the script was ready, the warning was cancelled. Phew!
Julie T.
Glad to hear that you got some help with this Julie and I hope that the antibiotics work for you.
Best wishes,
Gavin
LisaS you would have loved him. He was a man’s man and a ladies gentleman!
He was a charmer and NEVER talked bad about anyone. He just did away with them. I’m joking! Kind of. Say, his Sister who is like a sister to me lives in Ft. Worth. She has called me every day since he passed. His kids call me as well. I feel I had for 16 years what most never have in a lifetime. The trick is nailing them at the right time! Timing is everything!You know that just cracked me up. We have made decisions that way too. Gosh, I really don’t want to call right now…..we know they will make us go in and now’s not a good time. The worst times was when my son abscessed after his surgery and HE wanted to wait until later in the afternoon to call so he could finish something up. I let him.
Temps seems to be part and parcel of this disease process. Mark’s GI doc said that in his case it was to do with narrowing of the surgical connection between his liver/bile ducts and the small intestine. Causes the small intestine contents to pull/back into the liver/bile ducts. They wanted to put a stent in but that too increases the risk of infection so we declined.
Hope your temp stats down so you can watch the playoff game.
KrisV
I’m on my second dose of levaquen in a row, because I spiked a fever Friday night. Had just finished a 7-day Rx Thursday. I also have a 30 day Rx of amoxicillin from my infectious disease guy. I spiked a fever again this afternoon while out with our son and his family and had to come home. I may be on the verge of calling in after hours, but I hate to miss the hockey playoff game (it won’t be on a channel at the hospital). But, if temp stays, I will call.
Lainy, I think I adore teddy.
LisaS, glad you liked my synopsis of Teddy. He was a short Sicilian with bow legs and this sounds terrible but he did have a kind of wobble. His favorite animal was a Penguin! In fact after he passed 2 of my Grandsons had Penguins tattooed on their backs. I have told this story before but I know Marion loves it so will post it again. Teddy was a very smart man but he was not good with pronunciation of words and for the whole 5 years he could never say Cholangiocarcinoma. One night we went to our favorite Italian Restaurant with a couple from Milwaukee. Rocco looked at T CC bracelet and asked what that was. T says, oh, that’s my cancer……Angelo Carcinoma. I had to turn to the wall as we never laughed at him but I was thinking, leave it to my Teddy to make a Sicilian out of his cancer! And that was my knight in shining armor!
Julie, Kris is so right, Levaquin is the ticket. Every time this happened the ONC called for the Levaquin. He once said it will take care of anything.
Julie –
I am glad that you persisted and are getting some attention. Out ONC says anything over 100 can be the sign of a problem. Mark had three different times that he had that problem after surgery. The first time was three days after his first port was put in. He ended up in the hospital for 5 days. By the third time they pulled the port but they believed it was actually a GI source which seems to have cleared itself. He went from Sept to April with no problems then a couple of weeks ago it popped to 101.7 but they never found the source.I will say that Levaquin (levofloxacin) has been our best friend over the last few months. We have a long-term prescription from the ONC for it. As soon as Mark creeps a temp then we start it. Used it for an upper respiratory infection and once for a sinus then the last time for the unknown temp in April.
Also you can run a low-grade temp if you are dehydrated. Usually in the 99-100 range for most people.
I also wonder about the interventional radiologist that put in you port. We have had two of them and I have seen many placed and they have always been placed by a surgeon under light, general anesthesia. I wonder if there was a reason for that.
Hope things turn out well for you.
KrisV
Julie, infection is (for me) a constant issue due to my biliary drain tubes. My oncologist brought in an infectious disease specialist to work with us. I’ve been on antibiotics since being in the hospital with a serious infection in February. Glad your oncologist was responsive. This cancer just plain sucks!!!!
Julie, good work. I used to know what to look for as T had “blood infections 2 times a year”. The dizziness and tiredness is part of it. I knew right away after the 1st one to just call the ambulance to go to ER as I couldn’t get him to the car. He was 5’6″ but was so strong, built like a weight lifting penguin!
we called the local oncologist and after an hour+ he called back and after hearing what my symptoms were he wanted to meet me at his clinic (about 8 minutes from our house)….on Sunday no less….so maybe when we saw him on the 21st (Monday) he was having a bad day. The 101 temp has now dropped (after a shower) to 100.4. However, after I dried and almost got to my bed to get dressed, I was suddenly really dizzy and nearly passed out (I’m not prone to fainting). Sitting down didn’t help and I quickly laid down on the bed and felt better. The onc does want to see me in person, but mentioned getting an antibiotic going. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you, for helping me through another bump in the road. I was so upset earlier to think that the onc will want to post pone the first chemo on Tuesday. Saturday started the 9th week post surgery and I’m getting nervous to get moving on this for the best chance to kill of any possible microscopic cells.
As i posted earlier, we did called the interventional radiologist, who wasn’t interested unless my temp was 101 or over. We also called the cardiopulmonary dept where the implant was done….but got the same run around. When the temp hit 101, and saw your replies, I skipped both those people and called the oncologist directly as the others really don’t have a skin in the game concerning the chemo to start on Tuesday. I’m sure my GP would have said to call the oncologist or the interventional radiologist, so I by passed her also.
Will post later to let you all know what he said about this.
Julie T.
Julie, DITTO to all that Snowbird said and Teddy’s ONC told us several times the same thing about 100o. Chills and fever are usually first signs of infection.
I would go to an ER as they are more equipped to DX certain infections.
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