Blood levels after a cold

[Julie2233]

I've realised that it's impossible not to worry with this disease. Earlier in the year I was convinced that my drug regime wasn't working because I had no side effects, had a scan and there was no spread and no new areas. In the summer the pain in my hips and back returned and I convinced myself that the drugs must have stopped working, the ct scan showed again showed no spread and no new areas. I have had an absolutely awful cold for the last 3 weeks and had prepared myself for poor bloods this week. My blood levels were up across the board - virtually everything back to my baseline levels, even my tumour markers had dropped from 28 to 18! Now I've convinced myself again that the drugs can't be working! has anyone else experienced this after a cold?

[Hidden]

All of your tests have given you good results so you need to keep faith. Really that is what we do, we follow our doctors orders and have faith in them and the medicine.

[Julie2233 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks I am positive most of the time, but when that grain of doubt starts it's difficult to shake. I think more a case that I no longer trust my body.

[Hidden in reply to Julie2233]

I hear you. Every new twinge and I start worrying. It’s hard not to think the worse when the worse has happened to you.

[blms]

Yep!! We are all in the same CRAZY boat! Hang in there and try to laugh at yourself! Everything is not cancer. I tell myself that daily!!!

[Julie2233 in reply to blms]

It is a crazy boat to be in!

[Nananewf54]

Julie2233 i always have flu like symptoms ..sneezing .sniffles and headache ..but never a fever.. Confused why this is. Thinks it the combo off all the treatments ..

[Julie2233 in reply to Nananewf54]

This has been a definite cold, a really nasty one is doing the rounds in the uk and my daughter very kindly brought it home to share with me. Which is why I expected my bloods to be low but my neutrophils have gone from 1.2 last month to 2.7!

[Tam-56]

Yes daily doubt Julie2233, I feel so much better now than I was first diagnosed though. I felt like my hormones were out of wack! My doc thought maybe thyroid but thyroid test were ok. That was a year before diagnosis! We need to try to stay positive! I think too that the scans are not able to see everything clearly. I’ve heard that a dying tumor looks similar to an active one. So what shows up could on a scan could reflect our bodies healing! ❤️❤️❤️

[Julie2233 in reply to Tam-56]

I was told I had arthritis by my GP. So glad I got myself referred as it wasn't arthritis but widespread bone mets.

I know what you mean about feeling better since diagnosis. I feel physically better, probably because of the treatment. I also felt a huge sense of relief that it had been found.

[Kimr2081]

I know how you feel. I can turn every ache or pain into cancer. It sounds like you are doing well and the scans don’t lie so try and focus on those results. 😊

[Julie2233 in reply to Kimr2081]

The problem with having a vivid and active imagination

[Kimr2081 in reply to Julie2233]

Haha. I have one too. How can we not!!

[Matkeidyl]

Hi Julie

Strangley I also think because I have no side effects that mine regime isnt working either. It was the case when after my primary bc in 2017 after the treatment finished they put me on Tamoxifen. So many people complained of SE from the Tamoxifen and I had nothing. 5 months after I finished treament from the Primary BC I had crippling pain in my back ribs. After 5 months of misdiagnosis they eventually diagnosed me with multiple mets in most of bones and liver. So Tamoxifen had done nothing whatsoever to stop it spreading. Now Im on Ibrance/Letrozole with no side effects. I do worry. Last CT 3 weeks ago showed no progression. Im on my 4th cycle. Hoping your results and scans are stable .

[Julie2233 in reply to Matkeidyl]

I had almostly exactly a year on tamoxifen and had horrible side effects. When my bone mets were found the oncologist said because of their spread I'd probably had them for a good time, which meant that the tamoxifen hadn't worked. I keep telling myself that side effects or lack of them don't mean anything, but it's hard not to worry. I'm now on my 9th cycle of ibrance and fastlodex and apart from some minor fatigue I feel really well, far better than I did on tamoxifen. I know it's silly to worry about an improvement in my bloods, I just wish someone could explain why it's happened. The nurse just said I should be pleased.

[Matkeidyl]

Yes, it's crazy how we worry. My bloods and TM are okay. I feel totally fine, I dont want to jinx it - I shouldnt complain! Hopefully no side effects just means we are just tolerating the treatment well.