Fluctuating neutrophils and 3 week delay only after cycle 1

[mpelaez]

Hello beautiful ladies.. my mum is on her 5th round of chemo, Carbo only and has only had 1 cycle. She has been delayed 3 weeks now due to low blood counts. Platelets have now gone up, however her neutrophils are fluctuating, last week it was 0.6, then 0.86, this week 0.5. I feel for her, as she is so set on getting treatment and then to be told that it has to be delayed. Has this happened to anyone before and is there anything that can be done to assist with boosting neutrophils?

[Clarissa]

Hello, yes I had this when having chemo for breast cancer. I had neutropaenic sepsis after just one session. The oncologist was keen for me not to get that twice!

There is an injection called GCSF you can have for a number of days after each chemo to boost your white cell count. I started in it after my second chemo and it worked really well... no further delays or scary moments with neutrophils.

macmillan.org.uk/informatio...

It is worth asking about, I know how frustrating and upsetting delayed treatment can be as the same is happening to my mum who has been having carbo for first recurrence. Hers is her platelets, so nothing they can do about that unfortunately.

Best wishes

Clarissa

X

[Boot1947]

I think duff neutrophils are pretty common, if really frustrating. I had three sessions postponed, but the G-CSF injections really seemed to work. I can't say I'll ever be a fan of sticking a needle in my tummy fat, but it was good to know there is something to help. Weirdly, I found eating curry helped as well! I think it would help if doctors/nurses explained that this can happen, right from the outset. I remember feeling shocked and depressed when I had to have my chemo put off. Hope your mum sees an improvement soon. Deb xx

[Eriksendi]

I had neutropenia sepsis after chemo 2 due to a bowel perforation 0.2. I had GCSF injections after my 6 remaining chemos and it kept my neutrophils up and chemo went ahead as scheduled - no delays. I couldn't bear to inject (a needle phobic) so the district nurse came in a did mine. Hope you get it sorted x x

[Lyndy]

Yes mine got delayed...it is common as you get to the later rounds because chemo effects are cumulative. It is very frustrating because all you want to do is finish...but there’s nothing much to be done beyond good food, sleep and let the body mend itself xx

[Hopefulgal1]

I also had the same problem as was my third protocol Carbo / Caelyx and I took astragalus drops ( in glass of water) twice a day and this helped me - a natural remedy. Didn’t help my friend so it seems to help some not others but perhaps worth a try? X

[Lizzie1234]

Hi. My neutrophils are rubbish too and my chemo is always getting delayed but now I have 10 days of stomach injections to increase white blood cell count after chemo and that is helping x